Circus of Horrors (Phantom of the Circus) (1960)
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39% of users liked it
(1,694 ratings)
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… More 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. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi
- Directed By
- Sidney Hayers
- Genres
- Drama, Horror, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense, Classics
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1960 Wide
Critic Reviews
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David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews
...a tedious and downright worthless endeavor...
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Anton Diffring
as Dr. Schuler
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Erika Remberg
as Elissa
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Yvonne Monlaur
as Nicole
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Donald Pleasence
as Vanet
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Jane Hylton
as Angela
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Kenneth Griffith
as Martin
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Conrad Phillips
as Inspector Ames
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Vanda Hudson
as Magda
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Yvonne Romain
as Melina
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Colette Wilde
as Evelyn Morley
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William Mervyn
as Dr. Morley
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John Merivale
as Edward Finsbury
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Carla Challoner
as Nicole as a Child
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Peter Swanwick
as Inspector Knopf
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Walter Gotell
as Von Gruber
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Chris Christian
as Ringmaster
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Jack Carson
as Chief Eagle Eye
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Glyn Houston
as Barker
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Kenneth J. Warren
as 1st Roustabout
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Fred Haggerty
as 2nd Roustabout
- Kenny Baker
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Jack Gwyllim
as Supt. Andrews
