Showing posts with label Herman Cohen Productions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Herman Cohen Productions. Show all posts

31.5.09

berserk! (1967)

aka Circus of Terror.
Monica (Joan Crawford), runs a circus which has suffered a series of unexplained deaths. Her indifference and 'show must go on' attitude does not endear her to the performers, and when the business manager dies, the performers get spooked and believe there is a killer loose in their midst. Many suspect Monica of the killings, especially Matilda (Diana Dors). Then Monica's unruly daughter is thrown out of school and returns to the circus, along with an detective, determined to uncover the truth.
A mildly entertaining thriller, enlightened by Joan Crawford's feisty performance, and the various interesting and grizzly deaths, despite the confusing plot and being padded rather too much with plodding circus acts.

24.5.09

trog (1970)

Some cavers stumble upon the find of the century, a troglodyte, half-caveman, half-ape. Anthropologist Dr. Brockton (Joan Crawford) undertakes the task of studying him and defending him from people who would rather see him destroyed as a monster. Which seems to be everyone else, including the authorities.
Joan Crawford's last film, and boy is it bad, which it shouldn't be, as its made by some experienced filmmakers. But unfortunately they all seem to have had an off-day for the five weeks this took to shoot! The script is all over the place, it's illogical, and there is no pacing to the film at all. It adds up to a sprawling mess - one of the best bad films you'll ever see. It comes across like a made for tv kids film for the most part, but with extreme violence whenever Trog goes beserk, bludgening people to death, or in one instance impaling a butcher on one of his own meat hooks!