Trivia / Berserk! (1967)

• Actor Allusion:
  • Joan Crawford previously had a daughter as a murderer that she was blamed for in Mildred Pierce.
  • Diana Dors also got sawn in half on an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
• Actor-Inspired Element:
  • Joan Crawford changed some of Monica's dialogue from British to American slang words - for example saying 'attorney' instead of 'solicitor'.
  • The title change from 'Circus of Blood' to 'Berserk' was Joan's idea as well.
• Blooper: The elephants' headdresses have the initials 'BS' on them - which comes from the real circus they performed in (Billy Smart's). In the film it's called 'The Great Rivers Circus'.
• Creator Backlash: Joan Crawford would later disown this and the rest of her horror films.
• Creator-Chosen Casting: Monica Rivers was written with Joan Crawford in mind to play her.
• Dawson Casting: Just about. Angela is supposed to be a teenager, and still at finishing school. Judy Geeson was almost 20.
• No Budget: To the degree that Joan Crawford supplied all her own outfits for the production - except the leotard.
• Product Placement: An ad for Pepsi can be seen in the background of one scene.
• Reality Subtext: Joan Crawford playing a mother who has a very strained relationship with her daughter? Hmmm...
• What Could Have Been:
  • Christina Crawford was in fact the first choice for Angela, to add to the reality subtext mentioned above. Joan vetoed that and Judy Geeson was cast instead.
  • George Nader was the first choice for Frank before Ty Harding was cast.

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