Whoa, I'm not trying to change your mind, I'm just defending the film.
And I'm just teasing you about this line of defence, because of course other people like the movie. All sorts of people I don't know like all sorts of movies I don't.
It would be like me questioning your appreciation of the comedy classic Big Business starring Bette Midler. And in response to your obvious answer of "who the **** cares about that movie, it sucks", I tell you about my friend (who is funny) calling it one of his favorite comedies. As if it is an actual defence of this cinematic atrocity.
In short, I'm glad you like the film. And it's always nice when others agree, especially when its something you consider underseen. But as for its inclusion as a retort to my (mostly favorable) opinion of VC, I just found it a little bit amusing.
Either way, it's no biggy. I wasn't legitimately suggesting you were imposing a dictatorship over my mind by the friend talk.
I don't necessarily feel that the direction of VC is as good as Fischer's or Rollins' but comparing just that aspect of films we could say that Sunshine (which is crap) is better than Casablanca (which is not). But so many things in this movie are so up my alley
Comparing two vampire based Hammer productions (by two very different directors) is not remotely similar to comparing a second rate science fiction movie and a top tier Hollywood classic. In fact, for better or worse, Vampire Circus and Horror of Dracula beg to be compared. And as someone who is predominantly interested in the expression of a director, and what ideas talent and emotion they bring to their film, of course I'm going to pick Horror of Dracula. It has the kind of cinematic vitality I respond to.
Now if you find the details in the story Vampire Circus more appealing, great. In a lot of ways, I probably do to. Which is why it is a disappointment to me when someone with such a leaden hand took the helm for this one. I think the material probably deserves better.