Hammer Films

[dwk]

Hammer Films is releasing a 5-disc UHD/Blu-ray set of Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter

RELEASE CONTENT

• TWO 4K BLU-RAY AND THREE BLU-RAY DISCS, with the content duplicated across both formats
• Three iterations of Captain Kronos: the widescreen 1.66:1 UK Theatrical Version, the fullscreen 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version and the widescreen 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version
• Brand-new Dolby Atmos and 5.1 mixes for each version alongside the original mono film soundtrack
• English, French, Italian, Spanish, German and Japanese subtitles on each version of the film
• Packaged in a high-end, leather-feel slipcase with debossed red foil titling
• Rigid inner box featuring new artwork by cult favourite artist Graham Humphreys
• Double-sided poster of the original UK and US one-sheets
• Eight art cards featuring facsimiles of the original US cinema lobby cards
• 136-page booklet featuring interviews, articles and reproductions of original paperwork
• 100-page comic featuring a reprint of the Kronos strips from legendary 1970s magazine The House of Hammer

DISC FEATURES

• The House of Clemens: a brand-new 59-minute documentary looking at Brian Clemens and his body of work, with contributions from his family, friends and colleagues
• New 2024 introduction by Caroline Munro on 1.66:1 UK Theatrical Version
• New 2024 commentary featuring Caroline Munro and Sam & George Clemens on 1.66:1 UK Theatrical Version
• New 2024 introduction by Sam & George Clemens on 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version
• Archive 2011 commentary featuring Brian Clemens, Caroline Munro, Shane Briant, John Carson and Marcus Hearn on 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version
• Archive 2011 commentary featuring Brian Clemens, Director of Photography Ian Wilson and Marcus Hearn on 1.37:1 As-Filmed Version
• Archive 2013 introduction by Brian Clemens on 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version
• Archive 2020 commentary featuring film historian Bruce G. Hallenbeck on 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version
• Archive 2003 commentary featuring Brian Clemens, Caroline Munro and Jonathan Sothcott on 1.85:1 US Theatrical Version
• Original UK Theatrical Trailer
• Original Foreign Theatrical Trailer
• Original US Theatrical Trailer
• Original UK Censor Card
• Original US Radio Spots
• Original Textless Titles and Backgrounds
• Kronos Returns: archive featurette on the 2008 reunion of cast and crew
• Brian Clemens 1991 interview from the Festival of Fantastic Films archive
• Brian Clemens 2000 interview from the Festival of Fantastic Films archive
• Horst Janson 2010 interview from the Festival of Fantastic Films archive
• Lois Daine 2017 interview from the James McCabe archive
• Anything Goes: Hammer Horror in the 1970s - 2020 featurette featuring Kim Newman and Stephen Jones
• Extensive stills gallery including many rare behind-the-scenes pictures and featuring music from Laurie Johnson's outstanding score

BOOKLET CONTENT

• New article on the making of Captain Kronos by actor and author Bruce G. Hallenbeck
• Archive interviews with Horst Janson, Caroline Munro, Laurie Johnson, John Cater, Lisa Collings and William Hobbs, courtesy of Little Shoppe of Horrors magazine
• New article examining why Kronos never made it to a franchise by film historian Laura Mayne
• New article on Laurie Johnson by Movie Music International's John Mansell
• Archive Brian Clemens interview from a 1974 edition of Monster Times
• Archive review of Captain Kronos from 1974 by Video Watchdog's Tim Lucas
• New article examining the film's UK cinema distribution by Steve Rogers
• Reproduction pressbook, call sheet and US PR material

[black&huge]

I'm going to buy that

[nicolas]

What a stacked set, but even more impressive is the exemplary AR, audio and subtitle line-up. The latter, I imagine, is only possible due to Hammer having the rights for all these countries. I hope the international approach they’re taking makes this sell well and encourages them to do more in that vein.

[MichaelB]

What a stacked set, but even more impressive is the exemplary AR, audio and subtitle line-up. The latter, I imagine, is only possible due to Hammer having the rights for all these countries.

Inevitably, online moaners have been saying "why are they doing this and not, say, Dracula?", to which the obvious riposte is "because they can with this and they can't with a really whopping chunk of the Hammer catalogue, which is in the hands of various major studios."

See also the misplaced excitement about Hammer's restoration project - I say "misplaced" not because it's not a big and culturally important thing but because people inevitably assume that they mean Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing films, whereas it's actually the likes of their pre-1957 films (mostly thrillers and comedies) plus the occasional later title like Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter.

[Matt]

I have been really into watching Hammer horror films this month and have been wondering when the UHD dam would burst for their classic catalog. I’m glad I got a swift answer, even if it’s not quite the answer I wanted. Still very encouraging, and this is still a fun film.

[reaky]

Kronos was quite a bit ahead of its time. A Netflix ten-part period series about an errant sword-slinging vampire hunter would clean up today.

[Dr Amicus]

Now added to the special features is a 59 min piece about Brian Clemens from Toby Hadoke. Based on the similar features he’s done for the Dr Who range, should be good. Pre orders go live on Thursday.

[Dr Amicus]

Pre orders for Captain Kronos just gone live, a not unreasonable £50. With bonus gifts, discount vouchers for early purchasers

[Cash Flagg]

$19 shipping and lack of PayPal option are disappointing.

[midnitedave]

OrbitDVD is taking preorders for Captain Kronos


Edit:
DiabolikDVD is now taking preorders too!

[jazzo]

Pre orders for Captain Kronos just gone live, a not unreasonable £50. With bonus gifts, discount vouchers for early purchasers

Using the following code, the Hammer site is offering single day-only free shipping for this Kronos set, and it seems to be effective worldwide: KRONOSFIEND

[domino harvey]

Four-Sided Triangle UHD/Blu-ray megaset coming in March

[Dr Amicus]

And apparently, according to posts at Blu-ray.com, the first Quatermass has been promised somewhere along the line.

I’ve never seen this, although is one of the few pre Frankenstein Fishers to get considerable attention due to being SF. I’ll preorder as soon as it’s available, but the fact that we get this in UHD so early is bizarre. I’m absolutely not complaining though!

[starmanof51]

I thought it (4 Sided Triangle) was a terrific premise with too timid an execution, and rather underpowered casting save Barbara Payton