After making brief apperances in such films as "Casino Royale", Caroline landed her first big role in "Dracula AD 1972". The film takes place in "hip" London. Viewed today, the only thing that stays really hip are Lee, Cushing and Munro! (Although I must admit that I do also like the performance of Michael Coles as the Inspector) The film is a hoot and, taken with a grain of salt, fun to watch. Poor Caroline turns out to be Dracula's first victim in the film. The real missed opportunity for this flick is Caroline's early exit. She would have been a terrific vampire! Caroline talked a little about the experience of making the film on the Hammer documentary "Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror". "That was the first time in my short career (at that time) that I realized I wanted to act. That was really it. Because I believed in what I was doing." On working with Christoper Lee: "You don't have to act much because he's very frighting when he has all his gear on, his white face, the contact lenses. He's very tall! I'm not small and he's VERY tall! At that moment, I WAS bitten by Dracula and I believed it!"
"Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter" was also made in 1972 but the film was not released until 1974. Poor distribution hurt the films grosses but I think the film really stands up well today. It also provided Caroline with one of her best roles, that of the gypsy Carla. It's one of her favorites. Caroline talks about the film on the "Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror" documentary: "Possibly, (Kronos) was too romantic. Maybe it was either ahead of it's time or the other way. Maybe it was lost in time. I'm not too sure. The timing was wrong anyway." Ironicly, time has been kind to this film. Check out the DVD for the commentary track with Caroline and Director Brian Clemens.
Other non Hammer films that Caroline has appeared in. The fan favorite "The Golden Voyage of Sinbad" and as the ill fated Helicoptor Pilot Naomi in the James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me".
A publiciy shot for a proposed "Vampirella" Hammer film that never got off the ground.
As Naomi in "The Spy Who Loved Me"
Christopher Lee surrounded by female cast of "Dracula AD 1972"
As the Gypsy Carla in "Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter".
5 comments:
Hey, you finally got around to it! Good job, I love Captain Kronos, and Munro really adds to the picture.
Hey, thanks Mark! FYI, I added a few more photos.
Captain Kronos is a great flick! I think casting Munro really works to the pictures advantage. The part of Carla could have really been a thankless role. But Munro makes you care about her character. That really comes into play in the films finale. And I always feel bad when I watch her final moments in "The Spy Who Loved Me". Damn that Roger Moore!
So Mark, who would you like to see next in the Hammer Glamour series? I leave it in your hands!
You can never go wrong with more photos of Caroline Munro; she has always been my favorite Hammer starlet.
If I were to choose the next woman for the series, I would choose Madeline Smith. Her speaking roles may not be that significant, but her mere presence in any film makes it more watchable.
Keep up the great work!
"If I were to choose the next woman for the series, I would choose Madeline Smith."
Thy will be done!
She is the best. Here's my appreciation:
http://bmoviebabes.blogspot.com/2016/10/1-caroline-munro.html
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