A newly wed couple's car breaks down near a small village whilst travelling across Europe, only to find themselves targeted by a cult of vampires. No Dracula here, no Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, not even Michael Ripper, but that is partly what sets it apart. Some people don't like that it lacks the blood or sex of other Hammer movies (it is now rated BBFC 12). However, this film is just so beautifully shot & has an amazing use of colour, it is also well acted & it introduces magical rituals & a cult, elements that become popular in the later films. It also appears that vampires here can be active during the day, providing they keep out of the sun. But the reason that I have scored this 8/10 is for the glorious masked ball scene, simply wonderful.

The 1963 underrated Hammer film "Kiss of the Vampire" often gets overlooked because of the lack of the Lee/Cushing/Fisher tandem, and also because it lacks the traditional vampire formula. That is unfortunate because "Kiss" could very well pass as a psychological thriller in a similar vein as a Hitchcock or Polanski film. Picking up on Peter Cushing's Cult of the Undead theme and taking it literally, Edward de Souza and Jennifer Daniel play Geraldb and Marianne Harcourt,honeymooners who are stranded in a strange town with a dark secret, and the loss of a child. Soon, the young couple is lured to the castle of Dr. Ravna and ultimately they are separated, Marianne seduced into the cult while the inebriated Gerald is tossed to the curb. The Hitchcock/Polanski element comes to play when de Souza becomes increasingly hysterical, demanding his wife who his hosts claim was never there - "You saw me come here with my wife, didn't you?....You opened the door for us!!!" "You came alone, sir." Of course no one has any memory of her, her name is missing from the ledger at the Inn as well as her entire wardrobe. Only one person believes him, Clifford Evans playing the eccentric, hard-drinking Professor Zimmer. Evan is an interesting antithesis to Peter Cushing and Andrew Keir, two godly men who would never resort to the dark arts while Evans has suffered personal loss and has no qualms about fighting fire with fire. Another quality about this film is that it could almost be seen as a social commentary about an assault upon the traditional family unit. The innkeepers daughter Tanya has been led astray, and Evans describes his own loss in terms that could be associated with the 60's drugs sex and cult influences. Scares are replaced by mood and atmosphere, such as the creepy masked ball where everyone has stopped dancing to admire their newest victim, and the obvious nod to Brides of Dracula where Tanya tries to resurrect her friend in the cemetery. This is one of those unique films where multiple viewings reveal hidden treasures.

Edward de Souza and Jennifer Daniel play the Harcourts, a honeymooning couple who strand themselves in the Southern European wilderness. They graciously accept the hospitality of a castle dwelling local family called the Ravnas, led by a pleasant patriarch (Noel Willman). Unbeknownst to Gerald Harcourt, this aristocratic family has sinister plans for his wife, so he must call upon a vampire expert named Professor Zimmer (Clifford Evans).A little more mystery may have added to the overall impact; as it is, we're all pretty sure of where this is headed. But that doesn't mean that this isn't good, under rated Hammer. It looks positively gorgeous (especially on Blu-ray), just like the majority of Hammer product, and is intoxicatingly atmospheric during its uneasiest moments. One does feel that they are in the presence of true Evil. James Bernard is again an essential element to this formula, adding another eerie score to his resume. The costume ball that plays into the story allows for one good twist. The film is directed by Australian born Don Sharp, definitely an under rated genre director during this era (he deserves to be just as well known as frequent Hammer director Terence Fisher). Screenwriter Anthony Hinds updates the action a bit; this takes place in a slightly more "modern" period than many Hammer stories, since the Harcourts are getting around in a car. His resolution offers another interesting twist that this viewer hasn't seen in any vampire film before.The cast is excellent. Evans is no Peter Cushing, but he's a reasonably engaging vampire hunter. Daniel and de Souza are very likable. Willman is an effective villain, and Barry Warren is likewise solid as his son. Peter Madden and Vera Cook are appealing as the innkeepers, and John Harvey impresses in his brief turn as a police sergeant. The young ladies present are often sumptuously lovely."The Kiss of the Vampire" entertains in deliberately paced, ominous fashion; it's a Hammer film that deserves to be better known.Seven out of 10.

Modest Hammer potboiler with all the studio's virtues intact: good acting, economical direction, neat photography, an unpretentious script and tight pacing. Edward de Souza and Jacqueline Daniel are the English honeymoon couple menaced by a chateauful of vampires led by Noel Wilman. Clifford Evans does a forceful job as the grizzled Van Helsing figure; it's just a pity they didn't develop his character a bit more. Befanged Transylvanian minxes Jacqueline Wallis and Isobel Black add to the sex quotient. Director Don Sharp gets right down to business from a splendid opening sequence set in that oh so familiar graveyard at Bray Studios. The trusty forest location at Black Park - another familiar day's outing for the Hammer crew - is well used, too. If only the bats at the climax looked a bit more real. Not a full-blooded Hammer classic, but quite perfect in its own minor key.