The latest in my commentaries for Hammer is the genuinely original vampire horror Incense for the Damned.   You haven’t heard of it?  Probably because it didn’t have the best release, heading out years late on the bottom of a double bill, but the actual film and the idea behind it are fascinating.

Imagine that ancient Greek cults that performed blood sacrifices still existed.  They believe that drinking blood gives them strength and even immortality. That is the ‘vampire’ of this film: a particularly beautiful young woman who lures in a wayward man dominated by the establishment who finds he can break free in the wild occult world of blood sacrifice.  It’s anti-establishment, calls sexuality and gender roles into question, and takes a big stab at the cult of Ox-bridge academia.

There were some flaws in adapting it from Simon Raven’s novel of the same name, and some key points got muddled, but the film has a lot going for it and is fun.  Balancing the mix of errors with the clever ideas, historian and film critic John Hamilton and I offer a commentary covering every theme and idea.

There are also a mass of other special features, including a documentary on Simon Raven, who authored the book; a making-of programme (which is a wild ride too), and three versions of the film, including the one with the eight-minute orgy sequence.

Enjoy!