Rating summary
| Movie |  | 1.5 |
| Video |  | 3.0 |
| Audio |  | 3.5 |
| Extras |  | 2.5 |
| Overall | | 3.0 |
Terror Circus Blu-ray Movie Review
Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 31, 2022
From the depths of drive-in cinema comes 1973’s “Terror Circus” (also known as “Nightmare Circus”), which is credited to director Alan Rudolph. Every
career has to start somewhere, and the “Trouble in Mind,” “The Moderns,” and “Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle” helmer gets some early time behind
the camera with this offering of Z-grade schlock. A true artist touch isn’t present in the picture, which is mostly focused on the prolonged suffering of
women, using the cover of a monster and missing persons movie to deliver some screen sadism for curious viewers. Those expecting something more
substantial are left with a thin viewing experience that features no suspense or horror. It’s crude exploitation without excitement.
Future showgirls Simone (Manuela Thiess), Corrine (Gyl Roland), and Sheri (Sherry Alberoni) are driving through the desert, on their way to a gig in
Las Vegas. When the radiator explodes, the women are left in the middle of nowhere, soon approached by Andre (Andrew Prine), who collects the
travelers and locks them up in his barn, adding to his collection of frightened victims, soon forcing them to become part of his “circus.” On the hunt for
the showgirls is their agent, Derek (Chuck Niles), who teams up with local police to find his investment.
There isn’t much to “Terror Circus,” which largely follows Andre and his obsession with humiliation. He has mommy issues (of course), and he lives to
torment his victims, enjoying his position of whip-cracking power while finding opportunities to murder the “untrainable” absolutely electrifying. And
that’s the viewing experience, which is primarily made up of female characters quaking with fear and Andre maintaining command of his desert home.
A subplot emerges with Derek, who’s up against the wall financially if he can’t find the showgirls, eliminating any noble intent to find them. And
there’s a monstrous presence in the area, which was previously used as a nuclear test site.
Terror Circus Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides an aged look at "Terror Circus." Detail is soft, providing a basic understanding of
skin surfaces and costuming. Dimension is also limited. Colors aren't vivid, showing some age, but primaries on clothing are appreciable, especially the
redness of ringmaster gear. Desertscapes also register decently. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is heavy, with blockiness at times. Rough reel changes
and scratches are present.
Terror Circus Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix provides clear dialogue exchanges, handling hushed threats and pleas for mercy comfortably. Only mild sibilance issues are
periodically encountered. Scoring is pronounced, but instrumentation is acceptable. Sound effects are blunt.
Terror Circus Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
- "Barn Again: Returning to the 'Terror Circus'" (24:43, SD) is a 2009 making-of featurette, featuring interviews with producer
Marvin Almeas, actress Jennifer Ashley, wardrobe supervisor Allan Apone, and special effects team Byrd Holland and Doug White. Production origins are
explored, with the team quickly making a directorial change during the shoot, putting Alan Rudolph in charge, who worked well with the film's limited
budget. Casting is recalled and production challenges are identified. Special effects are also analyzed, with Holland and White sharing their techniques
to pull off grotesque visuals, with some removed from the final cut. Cult longevity and personal interpretation are also discussed.
- "Bucket List Theater" (3:49, HD) offers IMDB trivia about "Terror Circus" from host Katarina Leigh Waters.
- "Outro" (2:21, HD) provides more time with Waters.
- A Trailer has not been included on this release.
Terror Circus Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Characters? Not in this endeavor, with Andre the only dimensional creation around, and his motivation is pulled from a Screenwriting 101 book.
Suspense? Not present, with the bulk of screen tension coming from the torture of women, which, even for exploitation, gets old in a hurry. Craziness?
Also weirdly absent from the viewing experience, with the "circus" angle barely utilized and creature feature elements merely cameo in the final cut.
What's left is an incredibly dull examination of psychological fracture and a lame investigation into the initial disappearance. The production doesn't try
to introduce anything memorable in the picture, content to offer the very minimal in cinematic style and tension, failing to become the nutso chiller the
title promises.
