elicopperman
Upon Universal's Dracula becoming a huge hit, director Tod Browning was given an opportunity to make whatever he waned afterwards, which was to adapt the short story Spurs into a feature film, later entitled Freaks. By doing unconventional methods such as casting actual deformed circus performers amongst a cast of "regular" actors, the film was seen as too shocking to be released and was even cut from its original hour and a half long cut to just 64 minutes. Even at that, the film was not well received and became an infamously controversial film throughout the world. That being said, time has shown to be more kind to this film, as it has gotten more critical praise and attraction over the years, which I agree on.Set in a traveling circus, trapeze performer Cleopatra tricks the lovesick circus midget Hans into marrying her upon hearing about his inheritance so she can steal the fortune and run off with her lover, strong man Hercules. Upon hearing of this, Hans' friends and fellow performers, all of whom are deemed as freaks, decide to seek vengeance on both Hercules and Cleopatra to show them what it truly means to be a "freak." While the main story itself is pretty simple, it is intriguing enough to sit through, as it does detail how deformed people were treated back in the day (makes one wonder how the actors were treated on set). It's made clear that the so called "freaks" are not inherently horrid beings, it's really those who are prejudice towards them that are. As such, it makes the eventual ending obvious albeit disturbing once Cleo and Hercules finally get what's coming to them (although we'll never get to see the original ending where Hercules gets castrated).As for the characters, it's great that Browning was able to cast circus and sideshow performers to play the deformed beings, and they really do play off one another through their own distinct traits and personalities. Hans and his former fiance Frieda are probably the most endearing characters in the film, since while many of the other deformed beings get their fare share of taunts, we really get to see the pain and anguish shown in their faces and what happens to them really makes one feel sorry for the two. Cleopatra and Hercules are just appropriately despicable, for whether they lie to or openly insult the "freaks" themselves, their evil cunning nature is not too different to how greedy and downright malicious people were to deformities back then, or even like some people are now in general. The only "normal" characters in the film, Phroso and Venus, are much more relatable to a modern audience (or even Browning himself) as they understand the deformed being's pain and do wish they would just be happy.In addition to the main storyline, there are a few subplots revolving around other "freaks", such as Phroso and Venus' relationship, one part of Siamese twins marrying a stuttering circus clown, and even a bearded lady giving birth to the daughter of the human skeleton. Although they're charming and humorous in their own right, they mainly serve as superfluous to the main plot and come off as nothing more than filler. Phroso and Venus's arch is an exception since they do play a vital role in having a healthy relationship with the performers outside of Cleopatra and Hercules, and they do have rather witty banter with each other which makes for an entertaining couple. Considering the movie had roughly 26 minutes cut, it's possible that these subplots added up a little more in the original version, but as nonessential as many of them are, they do build up to the eventual climax, and boy do things get rough from there on out.Needless to say, Freaks holds up as an unorthodox shocking albeit insightful horror flick of Hollywood's pre-Code era for its share of warm-hearted and horrid characters, well timed tension and moral that says "freaks" may show much more honesty than a 'normal' people driven by greed, power and prejudice. If you're looking for a classic horror film that as much light to deformed beings as much as The Elephant Man and Mask, then give Freaks a watch. Similar to deformed beings of then and today, the film may have been reviled then, but its praises and even defenses are being sung now.
Gareth Crook
A dip into the sometimes murky world of cult classics this evening. Many things were different in the 1930s and this certainly feels like an awkward time capsule from a long gone era. It's not slick cinema by any means, jump cuts are not hidden, cameras aren't steady, but this is very much about the spectacle. The story is functional, following the characters of a travelling circus, but it is genuinely unusual and although it feels exploitative rather than entertaining, there's something very watchable about this unnerving slice of cinema history. Definitely cult. Probably classic. Bloody weird!
bkoganbing
The nominal stars of Freaks, Wallace Ford and Leila Hyams, function as nothing
more than witnesses to the action. It's through there eyes we see the drama
going on with these strange and misshapen people known as Freaks.Ford and Hyams are cirus performers in nothing like Barnum&Bailey, but a road
show in Europe where the sideshow exhibits take center stage. Most of these
players did not do too much other work due to casting limitations.In Ship Of Fools Michael Dunn explains that he comes from rich parents who keep him perpetually traveling so that his grotesque dwarf appearance in their
eyes doesn't embarass them. Harry Earles is one of the midgets in this traveling show, but he too comes from money.When that's learned trapeze performer Olga Baclanova makes a play for the
midget to the contempt and disgust of her fiance circus strong man Henry
Victor. On one drunken eve Baclanova blurts out what she really thinks of all
sideshow fellow circus performers. All I can say is their revenge is swift and
terrible.Todd Browning directed Freaks, it's as much a classic as his original Dracula with Bela Lugosi. Maybe a bigger achievement because the players sure
aren't actors in the traditional sense. Browning fleshed out believable performances from his non-traditional cast and made them quite real.Given its nature I doubt we'll see a remake of it. That's all right because this
film should never be remade. Any more than Gone With The Wind or Citizen
Kane.
Rainey Dawn
Freaks is a shocking film. What makes this film so shocking is the fact that these are REAL people with REAL disabilities. You have to keep in mind when watching this film these people were real circus acts before they turned into actors for the film.As far as the story goes, it's fairly interesting. It's not a great story but it is somehow interesting - I would say due to the actors. If this movie was made with average actors then the film would not be nearly as interesting to watch (if I'm explaining it right).Horror? I think the real horror lies in living the way the actors in the film had to live. The ending provides extra shock and horror that is unimaginable.This is a movie you would have to see to get the full understanding of how shocking it is... even by today's movie standards.7/10
