Berserk (1967) (DVD Review)
Directed By: Jim O’Connor
Starring: Ty Hardin, Joan Crawford, Diana Dors
Rated: UR/Region 0/1:33/Number of Discs 1
Available from Sony Pictures Choice Collection
This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R
Griffith, who presents himself as a pure idealist, has Guts assassinate the heirs to the throne of Midland. These deaths allow Griffith to begin wooing Princess Charlotte, despite the Queen’s fierce disapproval. A battle with an invading force from Chuder takes a dire turn when Guts and Caska are separated from the rest of the Hawks. Guts saves Caska’s life but receives little thanks for his trouble. While hiding in enemy territory, Caska describes her wretched childhood and why she idolizes Griffith–even though she discovered he was selling himself to a dirty old man (literally) to raise money to finance his army. These revelations provide an emotional counterpart to the bloody battle scenes, which include a duel between Guts and a giant in extra-heavy armor. Unflinchingly dramatic and violent, Berserk is an unusually powerful and disturbing fantasy-adventure.
Hell is breaking loose at the circus as the acts and staff are dieing in very mysterious ways. As this goes on the finger is pointed in many different directions and it at times is a bit hard to figure out who did it and why? The film stars Joan Crawford who plays her part very well, but we do question the sizzle in this steak from time to time. That being the case, I do give credit to the kills in the movie. Some do feel somewhat ahead of their time and are kind of cool and creative. The movie has mystery and that, but just doesn’t seem like an exciting film from time to time possibly due to the age of the film.
If you were browsing the TV and come across a film like this it is the type of film that you would probably watch to the end just because it’s interesting enough. Is this the type of film you want to rush out and buy? That all depends on your personal taste, but it still will have its audience of film buffs who might want a bit of a lost film like this in their ranks. A dated tone is the biggest downside to this film. Outside of that you get a “who done it” tale that somewhat shocks you as well as some cool kills.
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Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s (SPHE) manufacture-on-demand service “Sony Pictures Choice Collection” features never-before-released on DVD titles from more than 75 years of the Columbia Pictures film library.
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