I stumbled upon this movie on TCM after watching the terrific final sequence of Tod Browning's Freaks. They were having a circus night and I knew I couldn't watch the whole movie, so I recorded it and watched it later. It was definitely an interesting experience.
Circus of Horrors (1960) looks like it was made on a micro-budget. The only part that's really impressive is the circus set-up itself, which was apparently an already existing circus. The film centers around a plastic surgeon who uses a circus as a front to "fix" deformed female criminals and keep them bound to his circus by blackmailing them with their past crimes. Anytime one of them tries to leave the circus, he finds a way to "accidently" kill them during the show.
The acting was on par with most smaller movies from the time period; a bit of overacting, but generally not too bad. I have to say my biggest dissatisfaction comes from a bear mauling that happens at the beginning of the film. The bear is clearly a large stuffed animal, if not a person in a bear suit, and it gives the scene a hokeyness that doesn't sit well with the rest of the film.
Overall, a good effort and a decently entertaining film. (6.3/10)
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