The Kiss of the Vampire Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Kiss of the Vampire Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 30, 2020

Trying to keep their success with all things Dracula going, Hammer Films aims for a slightly different tale of monstrous menace with 1963’s “The Kiss of the Vampire.” Instead of mounting another take a single force of evil, the production heads into a more psychological direction for this period chiller, taking the slow road to the command of innocents, keeping more explosive genre elements to the final moments of the movie. Hammer isn’t shy about using filler to get their run times where they need to be, and “The Kiss of the Vampire” certainly isn’t a pulse-pounder. It does retain some eeriness courtesy of director Don Sharp, who guides a capable cast through compelling mysteries and unnerving acts of submission, coming up with an engaging genre offering that actually works best when dealing with silent horrors.

Newlyweds Gerald (Edward De Souza) and Marianne (Jennifer Daniel) experience car troubles while on their way across the country, forced to spend the night at a local village. Checking into a hotel, the couple is unexpectedly invited to visit with Dr. Ravna (Noel Willman), becoming his dinner companions, also meeting his children, Sabena (Jacquie Wallis) and Carl (Barry Warren). When a simple stop requires more time, Gerald and Marianne return to Dr. Ravna’s home for a party, but when the groom loses his bride during the festivities, panic emerges. Unable to find Marianne, Gerald turns to another hotel guest, Professor Zimmer (Clifford Evans), for help, with the mystery drunk aware of evil on the rise in the community.

We meet Professor Zimmer in his preferred inebriated state, attending a funeral where he offers a lasting impression, plunging a shovel into a coffin, slamming the tool into the body of a vampire. It’s meant to be the opening shocker for “The Kiss of the Vampire,” and it’s effective, but it’s also the last forceful encounter to be found in the movie until the very end. The screenplay by Anthony Hinds eschews monster hunting for something more grounded, tracking Gerald and Marianne’s experience in town, where they encounter strange residents and receive unexpected party invitations, eventually pulled into Dr. Ravna’s orbit, who charms the couple with kindness before exposing his darker side.

There’s nothing twisted about “The Kiss of the Vampire,” but it has select scenes of distressing confrontations, most tied to Gerald’s quest to find his missing wife, unsure what’s happened to her. The plot aims to go demonic, but vampiric activity is present, offering the comforting sight of fangs and bite marks, and there’s a good deal of mind control as well, perverting goodness in front of Gerald, which only fuels his panic. Again, this isn’t a nail-biter, but “The Kiss of the Vampire” understands the power of powerlessness, sending Gerald on a mission of futility and denial that’s reasonably suspenseful, finally reaching Professor Zimmer, who knows a thing or two about bloodsucking freaks.

There are three versions of “The Kiss of the Vampire” included on the Blu-ray: A Theatrical Cut with 1.85:1 aspect ratio (88:15), a Theatrical Cut with 1.66:1 aspect ratio (88:17), and a Television Cut titled “Kiss of Evil” (92:45, SD).

The Kiss of the Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Shout Factory offers "The Kiss of the Vampire" with a "New 4K scan of the interpositive," delivering a refreshed viewing of the AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio is the default choice) presentation. Colors are especially appealing, securing deep primaries that do wonders with costuming, bringing out lush reds and blues. Bloodshed retains visual power, along with period ornamentation, offering aged browns and grays. Eye color pops, and skintones are natural. Detail excels throughout, supplying a clear view of facial particulars, which adds emphasis to horror entanglements. Set design is also open for inspection, with dimensional looks at rooms and village happenings. Makeup achievement are distinct. Delineation is comfortable, preserving frame information. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in strong condition, with mild speckling and scratches. At the 77:08 mark, there's an abrupt loss of a few seconds, which is found intact on the T.V. Cut.

The Kiss of the Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix secures dialogue exchanges without issues, protecting performance choices and heated emotionality. Scoring offers wilder swings of instrumentation, with the orchestral effort offering milder romantic themes while horror stings are loud, encountering some fuzziness. Atmospherics are acceptable, and sound effects offer clear horse-based travel and bat-flying mayhem.

The Kiss of the Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary #1 features actors Edward De Souza, Jennifer Daniel, and Peter Irving, and is found on the 1.85:1 version of the movie.

• Commentary #2 features film historians Steve Haberman and Constantine Nasr, and is found on the 1.66:1 version of the movie.

• Commentary #3 features film historians Troy Howarth and Nathaniel Thompson, and is found on the "Kiss of Evil" version of the movie.

• Additional Scenes (16:44, SD) are taken from the 1966 NBC broadcast version of "The Kiss of the Vampire."

• "The Men Who Made Hammer" (17:17, HD) is an appreciation piece hosted by writer Richard Klemensen, who explores the life and career of regular Hammer composer, James Bernard. The interviewee opens with a brief history of the subject's World War II service and an early Academy Award win for 1950's "Seven Days to Noon." Starting with 1955's "The Quatermass Xperiment," Bernard began his long association with Hammer Films, going on to create moods for horror endeavors such as "The Curse of Frankenstein," "The Gorgon," and "Kiss of the Vampire." Klemensen also details work on "She" and "The Plague of the Zombies," soon delving into Bernard's reputation for "saving" troubled productions, trying to prop up "The Devil Rides Out" and "The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires." The interviewee tracks the slow down of Bernard's career in the 1970s, finally entering retirement in the 1980s. Klemensen shares tales of personal interactions (including a trip to Disneyland), emphasizing the man's kindness and mindfulness of friendship. He also explores reissues of Bernard's scores, spotlighting their industry influence, including John Carpenter.

• "The Men Who Made Hammer" (19:48, HD) returns to writer Richard Klemensen, who provides an appreciation piece on production designer Bernard Robinson. Making a name for himself throughout the 1940s and '50s, Robinson made his Hammer debut with "The Curse of Frankenstein," soon becoming a top talent for the production company, which was known for its frugality, recycling sets as much as possible. Robinson's talents were necessary to cover up the repetition, and Klemensen points out his work on movies such as "Phantom of the Opera" and "Kiss of the Vampire," spotlighting his attention to detail and ability to make small spaces look large for the camera. His versatility kept him in demand, but Bernard eventually lost interest in the grind, moving away from Hammer before ultimately dying while on the job. Klemensen reinforces how respected an artist Robinson was, detailing his special screen magic.

• Radio Spot (1:02) provides a single advertisement for "The Kiss of the Vampire."

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:29, SD) and a T.V. Trailer (1:42, SD) are included.

The Kiss of the Vampire Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The conclusion of "The Kiss of the Vampire" goes a little overboard while trying to depict vampiric chaos, perhaps going the wrong way once a flurry of rubber bats enters the feature. Things get real silly, but the film doesn't open that way, providing introductory highlights and interesting character unrest, supported by find performances from the ensemble, who push hard to introduce an intriguing level of mental gamesmanship before it comes time to unleash crappy props.