Vampire Circus opens across the U.S. in 1972. The Hammer horror film is Robert Young’s first as director and features a self-explanatory plot. He was unaware of the company’s tight production schedules and was replaced by Peter Musgrave the final week to complete the film. Because of or in spite of this, it is often regarded as one of Hammer’s best films and its reputation continues to grow with critics and fans.
This Day in Halloween: The well-regarded Hammer horror film "Vampire Circus" opens across the U.S. in 1972. / Illustration by David Ford