In what is one of the most thrilling openings to Hammer Horror movie, Count Mitterhaus (Robert Tayman) has been plaguing a small village for some time. After taking his latest victim with the help of Anna Müller (Domini Blythe), the townspeople rise up and attack the castle. Villagers fall and are wounded in the fight with the Count but they succeed in killing him. Before he dies he tells Anna to seek out his cousin Emil and he curses the town.
Fifteen years later the town is suffering from a deadly plague. The town is quarantined. The locals believe the plague is from the curse.
Somehow a circus comes to town, managing to get thorough the blockade. The leader of the circus is Emil (Anthony Higgins) the count’s cousin. He’s there to resurrect the count. The twin acrobats are also vampires. They soon start feeding on the town while plotting revenge.
This is an excellent late Hammer Horror movie. The fast pace works and it’s better than the last couple of Dracula movies that Hammer put out.
