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After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

When a series of murders plagues a traveling circus, the owner decides to carry on with performing, which manages to continue on the legacy of bloodshed already unleashed and they must stop the madman before more performers are killed.When this one really tries, there's some good stuff in it. What really helps this one is this is a more modern-feeling film with its general structure, familiar themes and motives, and even the fact that this one decides to spend time with a series of stalking occurring in the appropriate time-frame rather than hanging around Gothic castles or being back in the olden ages. Using the ploy of having a circus to entertain regular folks but keeping it still around in the more modern times really gives this one a much more appealing style throughout here. The deaths in here aren't that bad either, and the scenery certainly provides plenty of opportunities for creative deaths. The two big ones center around the high wire acts in the film, as one has the rope cut and then wrapped around the neck, forcing the victim into a form of pendulum swinging over the stage, while the other one where they are knocked off with a knife thrown into the stomach and falls off into a bed of razors below are both quite good, and overall the other kills in here are just as fun. The last big positive is that this one really does show the magic and wonder of the circus. While nothing more than stretching the film out, the fact that this one takes the time to show how the circus once was merely makes this one look all the better. These here are the film's good points while the flaws here are much more imposing. The main factor here is the fact that this one has a really terrible pace to it is one obstacle to overcome. Even though it's nice to be able to see why the circus was once so important, this one suffers because it stops the film cold to showcase material that offers up nothing all that exciting. Seeing the main circus performances here in the film are just plain tortuous to sit through, and they don't help the film at all. Another rather big flaw is that the film decides to really forego much in the way of logic or common-sense. The identity of the killer is mostly responsible for much of this. It's nearly impossible to figure out how the beginning murders were committed once the alibi is given. They don't match up at all, and this is merely the beginning of them. Another minor flaw is the terrible musical number performed. Not only does this one also stop the film cold, it's way too ludicrous to watch without laughing as the lip-synching displayed is way too obvious and the voices so completely out-of- place on them as well. It's still a really terrible scene, and along with the other flaws, really keeps this film down.Today's Rating/PG-13: Violence.

. . . Joan Crawford's agent (no doubt a very brave man) should have told her. "Maybe a dramatic anthology, we could get you a recurring role on 'Peyton Place,' hell, I'll have Tennesse Williams write you a play and you'll finally be on Broadway. But please, don't do 'Berserk.' I know you're a Christian Scientist but all the prayer in the world won't heal your career if you make this bomb." However, Joan was a strong-willed lady (to put it mildly) and so she went, well, "Berserk." This might be the worst idea, ever, for a motion picture. It's a cheapie that intersperses scenes of circus acts with a grisly serial-killer mystery. Which means it's supposed to appeal to small children and teenaged horror fans -- two audience segments which should not, repeat, not be in the same theater. Perhaps knowing what kind of turkey they were stuffing, the screenwriters didn't worry too much about continuity. "Berserk" may set a cinematic record for unresolved plot points. What happened to Joan's husband? Why did the trapeze artist kill a man in Toronto? Why is the cockney midget stalking Joan? Maybe the filmmakers intended to tie all these loose threads together but apparently they got so sick of making this movie that they concocted a ridiculous deux ex machina for an ending and called it a wrap. ("Nice working with you, Miss Crawford." "I wish -- hic! -- I could say the -- hic! -- same.")The plot, such as it is, centers around Joan as the owner of a traveling circus in Britain. Is Joan supposed to be English? The movie never bothers to explain her accent, but her ungrateful blonde daughter (shades of things to come!) is played by the very British Judy Geeson. Joan's performers and business associates start dying mysteriously, but she isn't too upset by it, since the bad publicity is good for business and her legs still look good in her Mistress of Ceremonies costume. Her romantic interest is "portrayed" by Ty Hardin, who's half her age and half as animated. Hardin would go on to join the Aryan Nation in the 1970s, perhaps blaming "the Jews who run Hollywood" for his film non-career. He should blame his mediocre looks and lack of talent instead. The circus acts are mildly entertaining, the foppish detective investigating the murders is moderately amusing, but the horror is, for the most part, pretty lame -- the producers apparently didn't budget for much blood so only one or the murders is even remotely gory. Watch at your own risk.

Joan Crawford stars in another of her cycle of horror films of the 1960's. This time she is the owner - and ringmaster! - of a British circus, in "Berserk" released in 1967. Some odd murders of different folks involved with the circus seem to be occurring, and all the members of that circus seem to suspect each other. Crawford is suspected by at least one circus performer - a slutty woman who wears a bad wig throughout the film - and she gets sawed in half - literally - by her husband! Not part of the act, folks! Brought into the mix of this implausible movie is Crawford's daughter Angela (Judy Geeson) and a studly circus performer (Ty Hardin) who is a high wire walker who has the hots for Crawford. Just why this hunky man - who is a good 20 years younger than 61 year old Crawford - has the hots for her defies logic, although he does want part ownership of the circus, which she agrees to later! The character of a Scotland Yard detective (Robert Hardy) is brought into the circus to investigate the murders. His character is pointless - he never finds out any more than we do. The killer is revealed in a silly and disappointing way at the end. Although one could argue Crawford looks good here for her age, her hairstyles and make up are not flattering. Or maybe it was the lighting. Those close to Crawford at this time - including her daughter, Christina Crawford - report Crawford was drinking heavily at this point in her life, and her bad skin coloring may be the reason - and her somewhat wooden performance. Anyway, the whole movie is a hoot, and worth it just to hear Crawford utter some outrageous lines - and do her best "Mildred Pierce" bitchy routine - and see her in her lingerie trying to "tease" the hunky high wire walker!

Sigh… Sometimes the outcome of a movie viewing goes beyond being a mere "disappointment" or just "something you expected more from". Sometimes it actually HURTS to acknowledge that a certain title wasn't as great as you initially thought or hoped. For me, this was definitely the case with "Berserk!". I'm a sucker for British horror movies released during the 60's and 70's, I think a circus or carnival forms the absolute greatest setting to tell a sinister tale (just think of "Freaks", "Carnival of Souls" and "Santa Sangre") and I'm a huge fan of both Joan Crawford and Michael Gough. Taking into account all these positive omens, I honestly thought "Berskerk!" couldn't possibly go wrong, and yet it did. You know you're in trouble when the extended padding sequences, which actually don't contribute anything to the overall story, form the highlights of the film. That's like openly admitting to the viewer that the main story lines are too thin to fill up the entire playtime, or that they desperately need the padding in order to distract you from the incoherent and implausible plot. In "Berserk!" the padding footage serves both purposes. A lot of the circus acts, albeit impressive, are integrally shown (like an army of poodles performing neat tricks, elephant dancing, a lion tamer and a knife-throwing act) and the circus' freaks even sing an entire song from start to finish! "Berserk!" nevertheless opens splendidly, with the tense and gruesome death of a tightrope walker before the opening credits even roll over the screen. His death might just have been an unfortunate accident, but when a second and far more eminent member of the circus crew is murdered, Scotland Yard sends its finest agent along on the tour to Liverpool and London. The circus' owner and ringmaster Mrs. Monica Rivers (Joan Crawford wearing tights!) is a harsh and relentless business woman and it looks as if someone intends to put her traveling circus spectacle in a bad spotlight. The concept literally bursts with great potential and possibilities but the film quickly becomes a tedious, inane and totally illogical mess. After the second murder, nothing even remotely exciting happens for nearly 45 minutes and the screenplay loosely hangs together through weak dialogs and Crawford's naturally uncanny presence. The revelation of the killer's identity as well as his/her motivation is downright imbecilic, and you better not contemplate too much about how he/she was even capable of committing the vile crimes. The carnage should have been bloodier and more grotesque, even considering the limited budget and era of release, and the film totally lacks the mysterious and oddly unsettling ambiance of other contemporary circus-horror efforts. Director Jim O'Connelly also made the fantastically over-the-top demented horror gem "Tower of Evil" and, since both films are rather obscure, I recommend tracking down that one instead of "Berserk!".