Incannerax What a waste of my time!!!

Aedonerre I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

Phillipa Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

MartinHafer "She Freak" is a very low-budget remake of the classic Tod Browning film "Freaks" (1932). Considering "Freaks" might be one of the scariest and most arresting horror films ever made, doing a sequel is a tall order. And, with a budget of only about $65,000 it's a sure bet it's not even close to the great quality of the original. But, despite its obvious deficits, is this a good film to watch? Well, let me get to a few other things--then tell you about the value of the movie as entertainment.As for me, I had a bit more interest than the average person because of its connections to where I live. The film talks about Tampa and Sarasota (the home of many, many freak show and circus entertainers) and even though it was filmed in California locations, it talks about folks who, in some cases, still live within minutes of my home. Too bad you really only get to see the general trappings of the carnival--not the acts.One thing you might want to know before you watch it. While "She Freak" is a low-budget film marketed by Something Weird Video, it has no nudity and the film is acceptable viewing for just about anyone. I say this because many of the Something Weird films have a lot of 1960s soft-core nudity. This film does talk about strippers and has a few racy scenes but you really don't see anything more than you'd see on a beach.And, finally, the diminutive star of the film, Felix Silla, is still alive and travels occasionally to nostalgic conventions--such as comic book, sci-fi, horror and fantasy conventions. And why do folks want to see him? Well, it's NOT because of "She Freak". He was the guy underneath all the hair playing Cousin Itt on TV's "Addams Family" as well as in the movies.As for the quality of the remake, it is an obviously padded film. There are WAY too many musical montages that are obvious filler and make the film look cheap (which it is). However, oddly, the acting is not at all what you'd expect from this sort of film. Now I am NOT saying that you'll see a Laurence Olivier-type of performance here by any of the actors--but for the money, it's actually quite good.The film stars Claire Brennan as a conniving lady who is bent on striking it rich but has very humble origins. When the movie starts, she's working as a waitress in a greasy spoon (a cheap diner). Then, she gets a chance to work with a traveling show--and she very deliberately looks for a man with money to marry. Now you'd THINK that a lady who is this driven to make money would pick something better than a traveling carnival! Regardless, despite her marriage to the guy running the so-called 'freak show', Claire is wild and spends a lot of her free time having sex with a variety of guys. And, she treats the guy she marries like dirt, as she's basically a selfish and nasty lady--and she has contempt for the folks working for her husband. Eventually, her sleeping around leads to disaster--the husband is killed and his 'freaks' are angry and exact revenge on her for her wicked ways.While this film superficially is "Freaks" it is different in several important ways that destroy the film's impact. First, although this was made with a traveling carnival, very few 'freaks' are in the film. Aside from Silla, everyone else looks pretty normal and they use makeup to make them appear abnormal. "Freaks" deliberately showcased some of the most distasteful and frightening sideshow acts--human torsos, 'pinheads' and the like. So, there is no emotional impact--especially at the end. Second, and to me this is the most serious problem with the remake, the entire plot involving the horrible woman marrying one of the 'freaks' has been eliminated--sanitized and dull is the result. This is odd considering that in real life, Brennan WAS sleeping with Silla--they had an affair that lasted many years and she bore his child! Incorporating this would have been fascinating. Instead, there is no love interest between her and a midget.So is it worth watching? Well, maybe. While I STRONGLY recommend the original, for what it is, "She Freak" is entertaining and well done considering the budget. Not great...but of interest to bad movie buffs and those who love low-budget schlock.

sol1218 ***SPOILERS*** Very inferior re-make of the 1932 Ted Browing cult classic "Freaks" with Claire Brennon as social climbing gold digger Jade Cochran who'll step on anyone to get what she wants even if they were the ones who helped her get it! Seeing a chance in working at the local carnival Jade quits her waitress job at her bosses Greasey's, Claude Earl Jones, greasy spoon truck stop diner. Jade gets a job waiting tables at the carnival where she soon ends up marrying the places manager and owner Steve St. Johns, Bill McKinney.At first Jade's very friendly with those she worked with at the carnival but when she married the boss her attitude towards her friends and former fellow employees changed drastically. Jade also ends up cheating on her husband Steve by rekindling her affair with handsome ferris-wheel operator Blackie Fleming, Lee Raymond. It's midget performer Shorty, Felix Silla, who catches both Jade and Blackie in the act, making out with each other, and tips his boss, and Jade's husband, Steve off. This ends up with Shorty getting smacked by Steve in him refusing to believe that Jade is cheating on him. It's later when Steve does catch Jade and Blackie in a motel room together that a violent fight breaks out between the two and Steve ends up getting the worst of it: A knife in the gut by Blackie that ends up killing him! Now with Jade becoming the top man or woman at the carnival she makes life impossible for everyone working for her there. As for Shorty he gets canned by Jade for ratting her out to her husband Steve which in fact, with him getting murdered by Jade's lover Blackie, ended up her getting complete control of the carnival!***SPOILERS*** The ending of "She Freak" is a lot like the ending in the movie "Freaks" with the vengeful carnival freak show performers lead by the just fired from his job Shorty getting their hands of Jade and disfiguring her face and body where she ends up being the star attraction at the carnival freak show. It was a sorry ending for Jade Cochran who had everything to live for but blew it all in showing her true nature as a low down and unfeeling creep when she finally achieved what she always wanted: Total independence and lifetime security. Instead Jade ended up becoming the heartless and sadistic person that she was in the movie in her treating people the way that she did. It was that change of attitude on Jade's part that in the end turned her into what she intimately became.

Paul Andrews She Freak begins with a good five minutes worth of footage of a carnival & it's everyday goings on as the crowds flock & enjoy the attractions it has to offer, this dull as dishwater montage of footage is accompanied by some of the worst music the filmmakers could have chosen. Eventually the film cuts to the freak show, a barker (writer & producer David F. Friedman in a small uncredited cameo) introduces one of the exhibits "there are only two kinds of freak... those created by God... & those created by man... she is a bit of both!" The film then goes into flashback as the barker begins his story. Jade Cochran (Claire Brennen) leads a miserable life working as a waitress in a roadside café on a terrible wage (oh stop! My hearts bleeding for her!). But Jade has ambitions, she is determined to make something out of her life & become someone. One day a carnival advance man named Ben Thomas (Ben Moore) walks into the café & asks the owner & head chef Greasy (Claude Smith), so-called for good reason, to put one of his posters up. Jade begins to talk with Ben & asks if there are any jobs vacant at the carnival, Ben says maybe & she should talk to the owner Al Babcock (Van Teen). Babcock sorts her a job out as a waitress, great career move Jade. Anyway, Jade befriends a stripper named Pat 'Moon' Mullins (Lynn Courtney) & attracts the attention of the local carnival stud Blackie Fleming (Lee Raymond). But Jade wants more & decides to date the owner of the freak show, the rich Steve St.John (Bill McKinney). Oh, & there's a dwarf named Shorty (Felix Silla) who wears a cowboy hat straight out of Dallas that's almost as big as he is! He doesn't have much to do with the plot but I thought I should mention him. Where was I? Right yes, so Jade marries Steve for his money & business interests as she also begins to look down on the ordinary carnival people who befriended her (& she sacks Shorty!). However, Steve's freaks from his show don't fall for Jade's charm quite as easily & decide to dish out some just deserts! Edited & directed by Byron Mabe who also has an uncredited cameo as a police officer, She Freak is pure rubbish from beginning to end. The script by Friedman is a complete waste of time & the lasting impression I got from the film was don't treat people badly & women in awful dead end jobs shouldn't try to better themselves! The film does not contain much dialogue but it's pretty bad when it occurs with male characters saying things like "you got yourself a great little broad there" after Jade has just served the drinks! She Freak is incredibly boring & features long sequences that are totally pointless, there is lots of footage of the carnival (& people looking & staring directly into the camera) with awful music playing in the background. In fact at times She Freak comes across like a documentary on carnival life from the late 60's! She Freak also makes the fatal mistake of being utterly boring throughout, I mean this is the kind of film that depicts a romance between two people by having them sitting on a park bench together, nothing happens of any note until the last five minutes when the 'twist' ending is revealed which you can probably guess anyway from the opening scene. The acting is terrible from everyone involved in a significant role, what little their given anyway. There is no blood, gore or nudity so as an exploitation film it's completely worthless too, in fact I think I'd probably struggle to even call She Freak a horror film either as it contains virtually no horror elements at all. She Freak is an absolutely terrible film on a technical level to, photography, music, editing & sound (the dialogue is muffled throughout) are below acceptable. So why the two stars you ask & not one? Well, there are a few unintentional laughs in here & that dwarf with the large cowboy hat is just cool & he even gets to play around with a flick knife towards the end! Basically steer well clear of this piece of crap, I can't see anyone obtaining any kind of entertainment from it & I certainly didn't.

Brian Washington I first saw this on an episode of "Real Wild Cinema" and it thoroughly disgusted me. This has to be one of the worst films that was ever put on celluloid. In fact it makes the film that it was inspired by look like Citizen Kane. The acting is lousy and the plot looks like it was written in an hour by a group of people with a sick sense of humor. I hope that this film gets buried somewhere out in the desert where it will never be found.