Berserk (1967)

Monica Rivers is the owner and ringmaster of a traveling circus, and she'll stop at nothing to draw bigger audiences. When a series of mysterious murders begins to occur and some of her ... See full summary »

Director:

Jim O'Connolly

Writers:

Aben Kandel (original story and screenplay), Herman Cohen (original story and screenplay)

Stars:

Joan Crawford, Ty Hardin, Diana Dors

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Joan Crawford	...	Monica Rivers
Ty Hardin	...	Frank Hawkins
Diana Dors	...	Matilda
Michael Gough	...	Albert Dorando
Judy Geeson	...	Angela Rivers
Robert Hardy	...	Detective Supt. Brooks
Geoffrey Keen	...	Commissioner Dalby
Sydney Tafler	...	Harrison Liston
George Claydon	...	Bruno Fontana
Philip Madoc	...	Lazlo
Ambrosine Phillpotts	...	Miss Burrows
Thomas Cimarro	...	Gaspar
Peter Burton	...	Gustavo
Golda Casimir	...	Bearded Lady
Ted Lune	...	Skeleton Man

Storyline

Monica Rivers is the owner and ringmaster of a traveling circus, and she'll stop at nothing to draw bigger audiences. When a series of mysterious murders begins to occur and some of her performers die gruesomely, her profits soar. She hires high-wire walker Frank Hawkins, impressed by the handsome and muscular young man. They begin an affair which arouses her previous lover Durando's jealousy. When Durando is found dead shortly afterward, the other performers begin to take alarm, as a mysterious killer is obviously loose in their midst. Many suspect Monica herself of the killings, especially Matilda, who has set her sights on Monica's new lover. At this point, Monica's unruly, sixteen-year-old daughter Angela is expelled from school for being incorrigible, and Monica is forced to take her into the circus, allowing her to become the partner of knife-thrower Gustavo. Meanwhile, the dead bodies continue to pile up...

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Plot Keywords:

circus | murder | high wire | remake | circus owner | 

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Taglines:

The Screen Screams out at a Hundred Horrors!

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 January 1968 (USA)

Also Known As:

Circus of Terror

Company Credits

Production Co:

Herman Cohen Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Joan Crawford was asked by producer Herman Cohen to not drink alcohol during filming. She informed Cohen that she was "just a sipper", however she respected his wishes.

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Goofs

Although the film takes place at The Great Rivers Circus, all the elephants' headdresses bear the initials "BS" - for Billy Smart's Circus, the real circus they performed in.

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Quotes

Monica Rivers: We're running a circus, not a charm school.

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Connections

Featured in Horrible Honeys (1988)

User Reviews

campy fun

I recently saw this on the 'Big Screen' and laughed all the way through the film. This is not a film to be taken seriously.

From the highly improbable yet shocking title credit, you know it will be an overacted, campy, ride. I mean, how many times do you see emergency personnel put someone on a stretcher face down to carry them out?!? The few murders are delightfully over the top and the dialogue is bitchy and knowing. It tries to be 'hard boiled" and fails miserably!

Yes, there are several scenes that are too long and/or pointless. We are shown entire circus acts of parading elephants and prancing poodle--even a bizarre musical number from out of nowhere. These scenes slow down an otherwise fun, campy film--although, they do add a sort of 'out-of-touch' surrealness to the film.

At the end, when the killer is reveal and the killer screeches that they had to "kill, kill, kill!" the audience in the theater roared with laughter.

This is film that should be seen with friends, preferable those that enjoy over the top acting, campy dialogue and inventive (if very improbable) murders!