YMMV / Berserk! (1967)

• Best Known for the Fanservice:
  • Ty Harding has an extended Shirtless Scene while he watches Diana Dors catfighting with another woman.
  • Joan Crawford looking quite good in a flattering leotard that shows off her legs is a close second.
• Big-Lipped Alligator Moment: The song at the party before the third act. It Makes Sense in Context but it doesn't serve a purpose and could be cut out without affecting the plot. Not to mention the Vocal Dissonance between Bruno's speaking voice and singing voice.
• Fight Scene Failure: Matilda's Cat Fight with Wanda is quite poorly done. Especially when they're being pulled apart.
• Narm:
  • Monica and Frank's on-the-nose dialogue during their dinner scene. The Mood Whiplash between them arguing to being romantic is jarring.
  • The ridiculously hammy conversation between the performers after Durando's murder. Specifically Lazlo's ominous "it is clear that we have a killer on the loose" - well no shit, Sherlock.
  • Durando's Suddenly Shouting "how can you be so cold-blooded!" after Gustavo's death.
• Narm Charm: It's very 60s and very campy but a lot of critics noted that it was impossible to stop watching - to find out who the killer was.
• Never Live It Down: The 'intelligent poodles' scene is often mocked in interviews.
• Nightmare Fuel:
  • Matilda's fate - it's clear from the moment Monica announces that their act is sawing a woman in half.
  • Durando's fate is no slouch either. Getting a spike through the back of your head is not a pleasant way to go.
  • Angela's participation in the knife throwing act. Sure she's actually the killer, but you don't know it at the time.
• Special Effects Failure: Gustavo getting hung at the start. The rope wrapping around his head is clearly wrapping around a dummy.
• Took the Bad Film Seriously: Per the course with most of Joan Crawford's post-Baby Jane fare. Michael Gough, Ty Harding and Diana Dors try too.
  Greater Amusements: "Joan Crawford gives authority and extreme conviction to the colorful role of a circus owner and ringmaster...she consistently rises above the highly melodramatic, yet exploitable, material."
• Tough Act to Follow: It was compared unfavorably to the much more popular Circus of Horrors that came out a few years earlier.
• Trapped by Mountain Lions:
  • A Justified example. We frequently see full acts in the circus performing while they serve as little more than Padding. However it works because it does raise tension as to whether or not the killer will strike then, especially during the elephants' act.
  • Detective Books is given a talk by his superior about how much he loves his wardrobe. It literally delays the detective from starting his work by getting lectured about something that never comes into play in the film.