Roll Up, Roll Up! It’s a Big Top Big Teeth carnival!

If you’ve ever thought, “What Hammer horror really needs is more circus clowns and a whole lot of vampiric carnies,” then Vampire Circus is here to make all your twisted dreams come true. This 1972 slice of Hammer weirdness throws a bunch of vampires into a travelling circus, sprinkles in a plague, and then shakes it all up with some truly bizarre performances. It’s like someone dared Hammer to get as bonkers as possible, and they accepted without hesitation.

We kick things off in classic Hammer fashion, with a small European village under siege by Count Mitterhaus, a vampire who’s been snacking on the locals (as you do). But, surprise! The villagers actually grow a spine for once and decide to take matters into their own hands by staking him. Before he dies (again), Mitterhaus curses them all, vowing that their children will suffer, yadda yadda, and that’s when things get freaky.

Fast-forward 15 years, and what do you know? A mysterious circus rolls into town just as a plague is ravaging the place. But this isn’t your average circus—it’s the Vampire Circus, baby! The performers aren’t just about acrobatics and juggling; they’re here to fulfil that good ol’ curse and feast on some village kids. You’ve got animal shapeshifters, mirror vampires, and a strongman who definitely doesn’t skip leg day, all working together to finish what Mitterhaus started.

The circus acts are gloriously strange. You’ve got snake dancers, panther transformations, and a creepy harlequin duo that’ll haunt your dreams more than any fanged villain. It’s like the vampires thought, “Why settle for a crypt when you can terrorise people with some flair?” And that’s really the charm of Vampire Circus—it’s absolutely committed to its wacky premise, for better or worse.

The performances are a mixed bag, but there are a few standouts worth mentioning. Adrienne Corri (yep, the same one who gave us chills in A Clockwork Orange) plays the enigmatic gypsy woman who runs the circus. Corri chews through the scenery like she’s at an all-you-can-eat buffet, and honestly, it’s the kind of over-the-top performance this film needs. Then there’s Anthony Higgins (credited as Anthony Corlan), who plays Emil, the panther-vampire. He’s got that perfect mix of charming and menacing, even when he’s transforming into big cats and biting necks.

And don’t miss Lalla Ward, who pops up here long before her Doctor Who days. She plays one of the vampires, and though it’s a smaller role, her ethereal presence adds a touch of elegance to the chaos. Watching her in this weird, bloodsucking carnival is like spotting a future sci-fi star in training, fangs and all – speaking of which, keep an eye out as well for David Prowse as, what else, the circus strongman.

Visually, Vampire Circus is peak Hammer: lurid colours, foggy forests, and enough candles to light up a cathedral. The circus setting gives the film a unique vibe, blending the macabre with the carnivalesque in a way that shouldn’t work but somehow does. There’s a twisted playfulness to the whole thing, like it knows how absurd it is and dares you not to have fun with it.

Where Vampire Circus really excels is in its sheer audacity. Hammer was always good at pushing boundaries, but this one feels like they threw everything at the wall to see what would stick. There’s blood, there’s weirdness, and there’s a tiger-to-vampire transformation that will leave you scratching your head long after the credits roll. Does it always make sense? Not remotely. Is it entertaining? Absolutely.

Sure, it’s not without its flaws. The pacing is all over the place, and some of the characters (like the villagers) are basically there to be cannon fodder for the vampires. But Vampire Circus knows exactly what it is: a bizarre, campy horror flick that’s here to give you a good time. If you’re looking for deep character development or intricate plotting, you’ve wandered into the wrong tent. But if you’re here for vampire carnies, cursed villages, and a whole lot of weirdness, then step right up—Vampire Circus has you covered.