This listing is for the standard edition Blu-ray/DVD combo. The limited edition slipcover (designed by Earl Kessler Jr.) was limited to 2,000 units and is sold out. The two versions are identical, aside from the slipcover.
A group of friends have set out on a camping trip in a rural part of Utah. Although warned by kindly Norwegian immigrant, Pappy Nyquist (George ‘Buck’ Flowers), of a series of recent killings, supposedly the result of a bear, the campers are undeterred and decide to spend the night outdoors, getting drunk and sharing stories of berserkers, ruthlessly violent viking warriors who wore bear skins and snouts. Not long after pairing off for romantic escapades, they find themselves terrorized and ripped apart by a large and violent bear...but is it actually a bear, or perhaps a real life berserker who has somehow been transported to the 20th century...
An atmospheric and suspenseful slasher, punctuated by moments of shocking violence and brutality, Jefferson Richard's (Maniac Cop, Get Carter) BERSERKER features expressionistic cinematography by Henning Schellerup (Silent Night Deadly Night, The Boogens) and striking editing from Marcus Manton (Pumpkinhead, Breakin' 2). Vinegar Syndrome proudly presents the world disc premier of BERSERKER, newly restored from its long lost original camera negative.
directed by: Jefferson Richard starring: Joseph Alan Johnson, Greg Dawson, Valerie Sheldon, Shannon Engemann, Beth Toussaint, George 'Buck' Flower 1987 / 85 min / 1.85:1
Additional info:
Region Free Blu-ray/DVD combo
Newly scanned & restored in 2k from its 16mm original camera negative
“A Family Affair” - video interview with director Jefferson Richard
"Beware of Bears" video interview with actor Joseph Alan Johnson
“Valley Girl” - video interview with actress Shannon Engemann
Audio interview with actor Mike Riley
Historical commentary track with Justin Kerswell & Joseph Henson of The Hysteria Continues!
Stills gallery
Reversible cover artwork
English SDH subtitles
Overall rating: 4.202532 / 5 from 79 reviews.
AI Generated Review Summary
The Berserker Blu-ray/DVD combo offers a suspenseful slasher experience with expressionistic cinematography and striking editing. Customers praise the excellent picture quality and the film's enjoyable and gory nature, though some find it slow and boring. The transfer and film quality are highly regarded, while opinions on the kills and the movie's pace vary.
"Very funny and gory movie about a nord Europe mythical beast and the usual pace of killings." — Jaume M.
"I love cabin/woods settings and love slashers so this one really hit the spot!" — Casey K.
"The standard edition is a nice Blu-ray + DVD combo with really nice transfer." — Tero L.
Reviews
Finally a good version
"Solid film that up until now never had a good version. Vinegar Syndrome does their typical good work of slipcover, art, new scan, solid audio, etc. Recommended."
— Ryan K. (4/5)
Loved the bear
"Cheesefest but it has a bear. He's the real star of the movie. A bunch of jerks go camping while a viking waits for them. The plot is thin but the bear entertains."
— Nolan L. (5/5)
Nearly!
"A couple of decades back I found a copy of this on DVD. I'd never heard of it before, but it looked like my kind of movie. Unfortunately it was one of those '21st Century Cinema' DVDs, therefore most likely a VHS rip. The colours were washed out and most of the time you couldn't see what was going on in the night time shots. In short, it was barely watchable. Needless to say, watching this new scan was an absolute revelation. Everything was crystal clear and the scenery looked beautiful in sharp colour. All these years later I was surprised to discover this isn't actually a bad movie. . . However, that isn't enough to strongly recommend the film, which is a shame because it has so much going for it. It's well shot, the score is great, night time lighting is superb (usually a weak point on lower budget horror) and some of the acting is fantastic. In particular, a conversation between B-movie legends John F. Goff and George 'Buck' Flower will stick in the memory. What lets it down are the tame kills, poor effects and never quite getting the tension right. If you're going to have all that lighting on hand, use some of it to get the audience on edge! Despite these let-downs, I'd still recommend it to fans of slasher movies and 80s stuff. It's not terrible, actually it's quite charming in places, but it never really does enough to be truly brilliant. Which is a shame, because I think with a bit more work it really could have been. A cautious recommendation!"
— Sam N. (3/5)
A WTF Movie
"For a film that initially seems predictable, it manages to deliver some good twists. It may not qualify as a hidden gem of the 1980s, but it's certainly worth picking up at a discounted price."
— Noel H. (4/5)
Berserker
"Excellent artwork and transfer!"
— Hunter R. (5/5)
Liked this a bit more
"Liked this a bit more on second watch. Far from great but worth checking out."
— Dale V. (3/5)
Berserk For Berserker
"I had this film on a shoddy DVD-R for years. During the last sale I finally decided to upgrade. I really don't enjoy this film and knew Vinegar Syndrome would not disappoint. The image upgrade alone is worth it, but the features and it's Bluray/DVD! Bravo! Another great release."
— Morgan S. (5/5)
This is a weird one!
"This is a weird one! Memorable killer, lots and lots of dialogue, some moody atmosphere. I love these low budget regional horror films and this is a great presentation. The transfer is solid and I particularly enjoyed watching the interview with the director from the bonus features."
— Ryan S. (3/5)
Average movie but excellent transfer!
"Not the best slasher in my honest opinion. It’s a tad confusing due to poor editing but it did have some charm. The girls are beautiful, and the scenery is adequate. The plot is certainly unique in the slasher universe. Special features are pretty good. I would only recommend this one to the die hards of this genre."
— Matthew K. (3/5)
Silly slasher
"Fun it's own way"
— Dave C. (3/5)
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