It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Bavaria 1910: Young honeymooners Gerald and Marianne Harcourt (Edward de Souza and Jennifer Daniel) are left stranded when their car runs out of fuel. Marianne runs into the alcoholic Professor Zimmer (Clifford Evans) when her husband goes to look for some petrol and he warns her to keep away from the château on the mountain top. The couple end up taking a room at a dilapidated hotel where they learn that the only other guests bar themselves is the elderly, drunken Professor. Despite Zimmer's warnings, they accept an invitation to dinner from Dr Ravna (Noel Willman) and his family who own the château. Ravna's son, Karl (Barry Warren), plays a piano rhapsody that seems to put Marianne into a hypnotic trance and, the following night, they attend a masked ball at the château. In reality, Dr Ravna and his clan are vampires in search of prey and have the entire village surrounding the château under their thumb. Gerald is drugged and Marianne is abducted and taken to Ravna's crypt where he puts her under his spell. Gerald awakens to find all traces of the party have disappeared and is thrown out of the house by Ravna's manservant Hans. Back at the hotel, Gerald discovers that everyone denies that his wife ever existed and all of her belongings have disappeared. However, Professor Zimmer tells him the truth about the Ravnas and that they are responsible for the death of his daughter and that it is his intention to destroy the vampire cult. The Professor and Zimmer manage to rescue Marianne from the château and all exits from the place are sealed off with garlic preventing the vampires escape. Next, Zimmer starts to perform an ancient ceremony which will destroy the cult but Ravna, using his telepathic powers, summons the entranced Marianne back to the house...A fine example of Hammer horror from the company's golden era. Producer Anthony Hinds (under his usual pseudonym John Elder) provided a basic but more than serviceable, well-knit storyline and director Don Sharp in his debut for the studio showed a natural flair for it giving the film a rich Gothic atmosphere and a strong feeling for place and period - just look at the Harcourt's vintage automobile! There are some wonderful shock sequences such as Zimmer driving a shovel through a vampire's coffin at a funeral procession; then treating a vampire's bite by pouring holy water on to it before holding his hand over a Bunsen burner. But, the best of the lot, rightly reserved until last is the climatic scene where the vampire cult are destroyed by a swarm of bats conjured by the Professor using an ancient ritual. Believe it or not, this remains surprisingly effective despite the rubber bats being apparently bought from Woolworths! Alan Hume's Technicolor cinematography is gorgeous and James Bernard's piano rhapsody which plays over the opening credits and is used by Karl to hypnotise Marrianne is simply awesome. Despite the fact that Hammer seemingly decided that they could do without either Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing for this one, the acting is of a high standard all round.

On a dirt road overlooking an old castle somewhere in Central Europe, an old-style automobile runs out of gas and has to be towed into a small village. Needing a place to stay "Gerald Harcourt" (Edward de Souza) and his recently married wife "Marriane" (Jennifer Daniel) check into the local hotel unaware that they have been observed from afar. Not long afterward a letter is sent to their hotel room from a man named "Dr. Ravna" (Noel Willman) inviting the couple to his castle for dinner. They gladly accept and a coach arrives later that evening to take them. When they get there they are greeted by the doctor along with his son "Carl" (Barry Warren) and daughter "Sabena" (Jacquie Wallis) who also live in the castle. Unfortunately, what they don't realize is that all three of these people belong to a vampire cult and that they have been invited for more than just dinner. At any rate, rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was an interesting vampire film which deviates a little from the traditional rules associated with this particular genre—especially at the end of the movie. But other than that it was entertaining enough and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Hammer Films were keen to repeat the success of 'Dracula' ( 1959 ), With Christopher Lee loathe to put on the plastic fangs again, it instead made pictures about other vampires. The superb 'Brides Of Dracula' ( 1960 ) had Peter Cushing's 'Van Helsing' at loggerheads with David Peel's 'Baron Meinster'. In 'The Kiss Of The Vampire' ( 1963 ), a young honeymooning couple - 'Gerald Harcourt' ( Edward De Souza ) and wife 'Marianne' ( Jennifer Daniel ) - are driving through Eastern Europe at the turn of the century when their car breaks down. Gerald leaves Marianne alone while he goes off to search for petrol, but she becomes frightened and runs after him. They wind up at an inn run by 'Bruno' ( Peter Madden ). Their arrival is observed by a man peering through a telescope. He is 'Dr.Ravna' ( Noel Willman ) and he invites the couple to dine at his castle. He is a polite and charming host, and has two grown-up children - 'Carl' ( Barry Warren ) and 'Sabena' ( Jacquie Wallis ). Ravna's hospitality, however, is a cover for a more sinister reason - he is head of a vampire cult, and has evil designs on Marianne...Written by John Elder ( Anthony Hinds ) and directed by Don Sharp ( who later made Hammer's 'Rasputin, The Mad Monk' ), 'Kiss' is one of Hammer's best horror pictures. The absence of Lee and Cushing is not too severe a handicap, thanks mainly to the superb performances of Willman and Clifford Evans as vampire slayer 'Professor Zimmer'. The latter is very different from the likes of 'Buffy' - he is elderly, drinks like a fish, and smokes a great deal. He has sworn to wipe out vampirism after his daughter was corrupted by Ravna. Echoing 'Brides Of Dracula', he gets to cure himself of vampirism by burning out the infection. You can see where Roman Polanski got many of the ideas he later sent up in 'Dance Of The Vampires' ( 1966 ), the fancy dress ball in particular. The erotic content is underplayed ( as you might expect in an early '60's picture ), but even so there's a strong charge to be had out of the sight of a nude Marianne being dressed by Ravna in white robes ( even if she is only in back shot ). Just a few years later, all this changed, and we got bare-breasted Ingrid Pitt sweating over Maddy Smith in 'The Vampire Lovers ( 1970 ).The climax in which Zimmer wipes out the Ravna cult by summoning up a swarm of bats is atmospheric and exciting. Ravna did not return for sequels - Lee relented about doing 'Dracula' again, and 'Dracula: Prince Of Darkness' premiered three years later.'Kiss' is strangely not out on PAL Region 2 ( I got my copy from America ), but it is a good one to have if you, like me, cherish Hammer Horror.

The story is about a young couple who is traveling through the country when their car suddenly runs out of gas.The couple decides to stay in a local Inn,to spend the night because it seems that there isn't a gas station for miles.While staying there,the local vampire clan extends their warmest invitations to their castle for dinner and some music.The head vampire called Count Ravna falls for the human girl and from there on in will stop at nothing to get her in his vampire clan.The rest of the movie follows the husband of the kidnapped girl trying to find anyone who is willing to go back to the castle and get his wife back."The Kiss of the Vampire" is an enjoyable early 60's Hammer vampire flick.There is a truly surreal sequence of grand masquerade ball with vampires wearing strange masks.The portrayal of vampire clan as a some sort of religious brainwashing cult is a nice touch.Clifford Evans is certainly memorable as the vampire hunter Professor Zimmer and the usual Hammer atmosphere with spooky old castles,skeletal woods and foggy cemeteries is fantastic.8 out of 10.