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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Phantom of the Circus")

 

Directed by Sidney Hayers
UK 1960

 

A deranged plastic surgeon (Anton Diffring) takes over a traveling circus, then transforms horribly disfigured young women into ravishing beauties and coerces them to perform in his three-ring extravaganza. But when the re-sculpted lovelies try to escape the clutches of the obsessed doctor, they begin to meet with sudden and horrific "accidents." Now the trapeze is swinging, the knives are flying, the wild animals are loose – and "The Grisliest Show on Earth" is about to begin.

Donald Pleasence (Halloween) and Yvonne Monlaur (The Brides Of Dracula) co-star in this notorious 1960 British cult classic from writer George Baxt (The City Of The Dead) and director Sidney Hayers (Burn, Witch, Burn!).

***

One of a small cluster of creepy films to come from England's Amalgamated Studios in the late '60s, this lesser entry details the twisted practices of a deranged German plastic surgeon (Anton Diffring) who hides out in France after mutilating a patient and begins his work anew under an assumed name. Staying mobile by traveling with a circus troupe, Diffring offers his services to disfigured female criminals, who pay him for his services by joining the circus as performers -- and by catering to his perverse whims. Naturally, it's not long before the ladies' gratitude begins to wear thin, and they begin to plan their escape... only to meet horrible ends in carefully-orchestrated catastrophes while performing. Viewers may find themselves haunted by Gary Mills's "Look for a Star" several days afterward like a cloying advertising jingle; the performance of a rug-topped Donald Pleasence (as the show's former owner, who meets with a sticky end) is a nice touch.

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: April 1960

Reviews                                      More Reviews                                   DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. Kino - Region FREE - 4K UHD

Box Cover

 

    

Released in the UK on Blu-ray by StudioCanal in October 2020:

Bonus Captures:

4K UHD

 

Blu-ray

 

BONUS CAPTURES:

Distribution Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Region FREE 4K UHD
Runtime 1:32:12.026         1:32:16.458  
Video

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 30,131,920,222 bytes

Feature: 27,363,305,472 bytes

Video Bitrate: 36.00 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 33,066,365,566 bytes

Feature: 29,634,263,040 bytes

Video Bitrate: 38.91 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate Shout! Factory Blu-ray:

Bitrate Kino Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1572 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1572 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1557 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1557 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -31dB

Subtitles English, None English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Shout! Factory

 

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 30,131,920,222 bytes

Feature: 27,363,305,472 bytes

Video Bitrate: 36.00 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Trailers From Hell With Commentary By Filmmaker John Landis (2:56)
• Theatrical Trailer (2:32)
• TV Spots (0:42)
• Still Gallery (3:50)


Blu-ray Release Date:
September 10th, 2019
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 12

Release Information:
Studio:
Kino

 

1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 33,066,365,566 bytes

Feature: 29,634,263,040 bytes

Video Bitrate: 38.91 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian David Del Valle
• Theatrical Trailer (2:32) & TV Spots (0:42)


Blu-ray Release Date:
November 12th, 2024
Black 4K UHD Case in slipcase

Chapters 8

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino 4K UHD Blu-ray (September 2019): Kino have transferred Sidney Hayers' Circus of Horrors to 4K UHD and dual-layered Blu-ray with a max'ed out bitrate. It is described as a "2018 UHD SDR Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative". While we are in possession of the 4K UHD disc we cannot resolve the encode yet and therefore cannot obtain screen captures. We hope to add to this comparison when possible. So, the below captures are from Kino's 2024 1080P Blu-ray transfer. It is different from the Shout! Factory Blu-ray edition from 2019 mostly that it is in the 1.66:1 ratio while the US 1080P was in 1.85:1. This shows more information in the top and bottom and a sliver less on the sides. I'd probably go with the composition looking more effective in the, presumably correct, 1.66:1. The Kino Blu-ray may also improve the color balance and depth. The 4K UHD has an uptick in the contrast depth and fine texture. There is an improvement in most visual areas like color richness and tightness but only larger systems will proportionately notice the improvement. It looked quite strong and film-like on my system.

NOTE: 60 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages recently: A Simple Plan (software uniformly simulated HDR), Fright, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Tenant (software uniformly simulated HDR), Gummo, Demon Pond, Happiness, Cheeky (software uniformly simulated HDR), Produced By Val Lewton , The Long Good Friday, The Ladykillers (software uniformly simulated HDR), Torso (software uniformly simulated HDR), All of Us Strangers, Last Year at Marienbad (NO HDR applied to disc), Peril & Distress (And Soon the Darkness / Sudden Terror) (NO HDR applied to disc), The Case of the Bloody Iris (software uniformly simulated HDR), Reptilicus (software uniformly simulated HDR), Risky Business (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Conversation (software uniformly simulated HDR), Perfect Days, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) (software uniformly simulated HDR), Le samouraï  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Castle of Blood (software uniformly simulated HDR), Pat Garret and Billy the Kid (HDR), Fist of Legend (HDR), American Gigolo (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Long Wait (no HDR,) Bound (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Valiant Ones (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mute Witness (software uniformly simulated HDR), Narc (software uniformly simulated HDR), Peeping Tom (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Terrors House of Horrors (software uniformly simulated HDR), High Noon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Picnic at Hanging Rock (Criterion) (software uniformly simulated HDR), I Am Cuba (no HDR), The Demoniacs (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Nude Vampire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Nostalghia (no HDR), Werckmeister Harmonies (no HDR), Goin' South (software uniformly simulated HDR), La Haine (software uniformly simulated HDR,) All Ladies Do It (software uniformly simulated HDR), Old Henry  (software uniformly simulated HDR), To Die For (software uniformly simulated HDR), Snapshot (software uniformly simulated HDR), Phase IV (software uniformly simulated HDR), Burial Ground (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dark Water (software uniformly simulated HDR), Fear and Desire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf (no HDR).

On their 4K UHD and Blu-ray Kino offer the option of DTS-HD Master tracks in a 5.1 surround bump or a dual-mono. There are a few mild separations that come across impressively. Purists will opt for the mono. The film effects centre around the Big Top with snarling lions, trumpeting elephants and a bouncy score credited to Muir Mathieson (This Happy Breed) and Franz Reizenstein (Yesterday's Enemy, The Mummy). Garry Mills' Look For a Star acts as an awkward theme to the film and you can hear La Couronne d'Or and Léo Delibes arranged by Mathieson. Kino offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region FREE 4K UHD and Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino 4K UHD and Blu-ray offer a new commentary by film historian David Del Valle (Six Reels Under) who always has anecdotal tidbits of information, gossip and history to impart. We remembers seeing the film  in a double feature with Angry Red Planet. David talks about the horrors released in 1960, the performers, director Sidney Hayers (Burn, Witch, Burn!) and much more including an interview he conducted with Anton Diffring. He's great. There are also the same trailer and TV spots as on the Shout! Factory.   

Yes, Sidney Hayers' Circus of Horrors has some Hammer-esque charm which was probably the imitating intent of Amalgamated Studios (as Anglo-Amalgamated - Horrors of the Black Museum, Peeping Tom, The Mind Benders - taken over as MGM-British - The Inn of the Sixth Happiness, Beat Girl, Village of the Damned) and it also has a bevy of beauties (Erika Remberg - The Lickerish Quartet, Yvonne Monlaur - The Brides Of Dracula, Jane Hylton - Deadly Record, Vanda Hudson - Libel, Yvonne Romain - The Curse of the Werewolf) parading around often in skimpy and glittering three-ring attire. Circus of Horrors has over-the-top horror appeal. It could have been named 'circus of cosmetic surgery'. I enjoyed my viewing - really as Anton Diffring's 'Dr. Schuler' as an unexplained power-mad Svengali who eventually loses all his marbles. There is certainly a link to Phantom of the Opera in Circus of Horrors. The Kino 4K UHD will continue to be revisited on late Friday nights or rainy Sunday afternoons. Bump in a/v and a new commentary. Certainly recommended.

***

ADDITION: Shout! Factory Blu-ray (August 2019): Shout! Factory have transferred Amalgamated Studios' 1960 UK genre film Circus of Horrors to Blu-ray. It looks quite pleasing with bold colors of the circus performers costumes occasionally appearing rich and deep. There are very few speckles and no damage marks. Detail is consistent in the film's close-ups and there is a texture and depth to the visuals. It is on a dual-layered Blu-ray disc with a max'ed out bitrate and, in-motion, is reasonably impressive in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio.

NOTE: 46 more full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray captures for Patrons are available HERE.

On their Blu-ray, Shout! Factory use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (24-bit) in the original English language. Shout! Factory offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

Extras are kind of lean for Shout! Factory - no commentary but a 3-minute, sarky, Trailers From Hell piece with John Landis, a theatrical trailer, TV Spots and a stills gallery. 

Gary Tooze

 


Menus / Extras

 

Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (included with 4K UHD)


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (included with 4K UHD) BOTTOM

 


1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (included with 4K UHD) BOTTOM

 


1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (included with 4K UHD) BOTTOM

 


1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (included with 4K UHD) BOTTOM

 


1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (included with 4K UHD) BOTTOM

 


1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (included with 4K UHD) BOTTOM

 


1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (included with 4K UHD) BOTTOM

 


1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (included with 4K UHD) BOTTOM

 


1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (included with 4K UHD) BOTTOM

 


1) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray  TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray (included with 4K UHD) BOTTOM

 


Examples of NSFW (Not Safe For Work) CAPTURES  (Mouse Over to see- CLICK to Enlarge)

 

 


More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Kino Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE
 

 

Box Cover

 

 

Released in the UK on Blu-ray by StudioCanal in October 2020:

Bonus Captures:

4K UHD

 

Blu-ray

 

BONUS CAPTURES:

Distribution Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Region FREE 4K UHD

 

More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Shout! Factory Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

 
Box Cover

 

 

Released in the UK on Blu-ray by StudioCanal in October 2020:

Bonus Captures:

4K UHD

 

Blu-ray

 

BONUS CAPTURES:

Distribution Shout! Factory - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Region FREE 4K UHD


 


 

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Gary Tooze

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