Columbia. 96 minutes.
US release: 1/11/68. (Released in the UK as Circus
of Blood.) VHS release: 8/11/93.Encyclopedia Entry • Films Main
Berserk!
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Click here to see photos from the film.
Columbia. 96 minutes.
US release: 1/11/68. (Released in the UK as Circus
of Blood.) VHS release: 8/11/93.
Cast: Joan Crawford (as "Monica Rivers"), Ty Hardin, Diana Dors, Michael Gough, Judy Geeson, Robert Hardy, Geoffrey Keen, Sydney Tafler, George Claydon, Philip Madoc, Ambrostine Phillpotts, Thomas Cimarro, Peter Burton, Golda Casimir, Ted Lune, Milton Reid, Marianne Stone, Miki Iveria, Howard Goorney, Reginald Marsh, Bryan Pringle.
Credits: Original story and screenplay by Aben Kandel and Herman Cohen. Producer, Herman Cohen. Directed by Jim O'Connolly. Associate Producer, Robert Sterne. Director of Photography, Desmond Dickinson. Art Director, Maurice Pelling. Costumes by Jay Hutchinson Scott. Wardrobe by Joyce Stoneman. Music composed and conducted by John Scott. Film editor, Raymond Poulton.
Howard Thompson in the New York Times (1968):
[Miss Crawford] is professional as usual, and certainly the shapeliest ringmaster ever to handle a ring microphone.
Lawrence J. Quirk in Hollywood Screen Parade:
Her figure is as trim as ever, her voice as warm and compelling, her legs rival Dietrich's, and her tigress' personality puts to shame most of the mewing kittens who call themselves 1968-style screen actresses. She is all over the picture, radiant, forceful, authoritative, a genuine movie star whose appeal never diminishes.
Barbara May of the "They're Coming to Get You, Barbara!!!" Website:
Poor Joan Crawford. Her outfits alone are reason enough to watch this movie, and she struts through the movie with bitchy aplomb. She's even kind of sympathetic at times, but wow does she look awful. Like, can't come within five feet of open flames because her hair shellac will catch fire and her makeup will melt kind of awful. In certain shots, she doesn't even look human. It's horrifying, and sad, and ridiculous. Although I can only hope that my legs look that good when I'm 64. Complete review.
Justin Kerswell of the "Hysteria Lives" Website:
Despite some pleasingly Grand Guignol death scenes (one involving a circular saw and a magic trick that goes wrong), and a deliciously loopy W-T-F final five minutes (when a ludicrously rushed unmasking of the killer occurs), Berserk! doesn't really work as a straight-ahead thriller/slasher flick. It is worth a look, though, for fans of trash; Crawford is always fun to watch, even when she's in relatively restrained form as she is here (yes, even with such quotable lines as "We've eaten caviar, and we've eaten sawdust" this is one of her subtler later performances!). Complete review.
If you've seen Berserk and would like to share your review here, please e-mail me. Feel free to include a star rating (with 5 stars the best), as well as any of your favorite lines from the film.
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Danny (March 2007)
A delightfully daffy freak show on the surface, but underneath this movie could play as a 1940’s Woman’s Picture: Hard-as-nails
female circus owner stops at nothing to get business for her show. But
the garish Technicolor, cast of circus freaks, and blood-and-gore theme
make it an exploitation film at best.
And who’s being exploited? Joan Crawford as a 60-something ringmistress of ceremonies, in her fishnet leggings, getting romanced by a 20-something tightrope walker with a granny complex, played by Ty Hardin (who has the most sexually suggestive name I’ve ever heard, and a sexy enough physique to go along with it). Co-star Diana Dors packs a powerful wallop as Matilda the tough-talking, cat-fighting stuntwoman. In fact everyone’s given stabbing dialog to snarl at each other. As Monica Rivers, Joan gets to spit out lines like, “I’m running a circus, not a charm school!” and calls Miss Dors a “slut!”, quipping, “She’s attractive in a common sort of way.” I love Joan’s costumes: lots of blinding green suits, a blood-red cape, and those fishnet stockings! Oh, what legs! The ones that held her up for a "helluva long time." Not to give away the plot, we’re supposed to suspect that Joan is behind all the gruesome activity for publicity purposes. “Murder is good business,” someone says. But don’t forget Joan often has a rotten daughter not too far away. In one scene the kid gets expelled from a private school (Chadwick, perhaps?) for disobedient behavior. “You’ve always had a knack for causing trouble,” Joan admonishes her. And don’t miss the best act presented by “The Great Rivers Circus”: The sideshow performers singing an ominous little ditty called “It Might Be You.” Personally
I think this is one of the best movies Joan made after “Baby Jane." But
be prepared to fast-forward all those boring circus acts. Watching
poodles jumping rope could make anyone go “berserk“!
Jonathan from RI (April 2005) Rating:
Berserk is an underappreciated gem starring Crawford. You can't go into this movie looking to take it seriously. You have to look at it like its going to be campy fun. Joan is in it at one of her bitching best moments. She's cold, hard, tough, and hilarious. She seems to be drunk in my opinion. I would be, too, going from an A movie to a C movie. Don't get me wrong, this is a good messy picture. Everyone I have showed it to has thoroughly enjoyed it. Meet Monica Rivers (Crawford), the queen of camp, owner of the Monica Rivers Circus. There is a killer loose, Joan is enjoying the publicity, it's helping the box office receipts she says. Is it Crawford doing the killing or one of her supporting cast of freaks? You will laugh and thoroughly enjoy this if you love camp. |
