Freaks (1932)

Freaks' is a totally unique and superb film by Tod Browning. He made himself legendary one year before this came out – in 1931 – with the all-time horror classic `Dracula'. This film, however, is something completely different and it nearly cost Browning his career. Since Browning had the courage to cast actual deformed actors, the words ‘distasteful' and ‘exploitative' were automatically attached to his masterpiece and it remained banned in many countries for too many years. Very unjustified, of course because throughout the whole film, you NEVER feel like a voyeur and neither is the misery of these unfortunate people overly exposed. On the contrary, I'd say…you can't but get deeply affected by these circus freaks. Especially in the 30's, when the people didn't know much about physical anomalies and feared the unknown, I dare to say Tod Browning's `Freaks' could have been an essential social portrait. And keep in mind that Browning's main moral is that the `freaks' show a lot more solidarity and honesty than the `normal' people whose every motivation is driven by greed and power.

The plot of this purely gold film is set in a traveling circus in which the freaks and normally formed people work together. The beautiful trapeze artist and her strongman lover plot a cowardly plan and she uses her beauty to seduce the rich midget named Hans (a brilliant Harry Earless who also starred in Browning's `The Unholy Tree'). When the greedy couple openly insults the group spirit of the freaks and publicly humiliates Hans, an eerie act of vengeance is thought up. This film is over 70 years old and it'll still unquestionably shock and amaze you. To me, it's just perfect. An outstanding mixture of warm-hearted characters, great dialogue and tension. The climax, in which the freaks seal the portentous fate of their enemies, is an immortal piece of pure terror! `Freaks' is one of the most dazzling classics ever made and must be seen by anybody who ever showed any interest in cinema.

i haven't seen it in like 3 years, i saw it once in a double feature with 'it came from outer space' at the Stanford Theatre. it's great. especially if you love old movies.


watch it on Google Video!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...n%3Along&hl=en

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how many stars do you give it?

emmmm 7 and a quarter stars.

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So it has room for improvement? In what ways would you improve the movie if you had been the director?

Also, please describe to me what emotions you felt during the middle of the movie, and at the conclusion of the movie.

I also love it.

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Time is the distance that you can't return by miles.

I escaped somehow. Let's go

actualy [sic] I have quite a blessed life if I'm honest. I have many people to love, hate few and have few money problem's [sic].... What more does a person need? Oh yeah and I have some kind of humbleness unlike you of course ^_^ ~ CarefulCarpenter

I love the movie, but I still have never understood how they POSSIBLE SPOILER turned her into a chicken. That's what she is at the end, right? A Chicken Lady?

This site has biographical info on a lot of the sideshow folks from the film and a bunch of other info on people with weird deformities. And, if you're into sideshow stuff, you've gotta read Geek Love by Katherine Dunn.

I adore this movie! It was soooo dirty and wrong back in its day, especially because it was made and bankrolled by a big studio, and for that, I love it even more!

God Bless those little Freaks. Gabba gabba hey!

my friend bumz it harshly.

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Diving for pearls.

I want a lolly.

cute as a button!!!

i love this film too.

abcess you beat me to it.... one of us!!!!!!!!

I love this film. I first read about it in Entertainment Weekly, on their 25 Best Horror Films list, so I was able to track down a vhs copy of it. Johnny Eck is my favorite out of the cast, and Leonardo DiCaprio was wanting to play him in a biographical film for the longest time. I do wish, however, that the more graphic footage of Cleopatra's demise had been able to be salvaged.

On a lighter note, F. Scott Fitzgerald, who was writing for the studio at the time, would take his lunchbreaks with the 'freaks' as he despised actors and 'Hollywood' types.

I didn't see Freaks, but there was a link to American Pie Naked Mile on the say page with it. So, I would never rent that movie, but I saw it for free. And it wasn't that bad for a free movie. They also have Saw 3 on there. I may watch it. That is another movie I wouldn't spend money to watch.

Thanks so much! I'd heard about this ages ago and had been trying to see it ever since. but since I'm doing a Locke essay right now I am going to put it on my favourites for a treat later.

thanks for the link