********Eight Out of Ten Stars********
Just about everything positive and necessary has already been written about this film on IMDb. Hopefully my comments will at least come close to giving some relatively new insights into this strange film. No matter how you feel about this film, you must admit that it's at least to be considered an important entry into the world of film making.
"Freaks" is about a clan of physically deformed traveling performers whom have formed a tightly formed family that watches out for, and cares for one another. Essentially, if you hurt one freak, you hurt all the freaks. This concept of socially rejected freaks banding together to protect and care for one another is the cornerstone of this film. This idea touched me and made me feel sorry for the freaks, I pitied them and empathized with them.
The formed unity amongst outcasts is highlighted by a a midget named Hans, who is manipulated by a beautiful trapeze artist planning on marrying him to steal his money. When the freaks learn of the trapeze artists plan to poison Hans and take his money, the freaks exact revenge; culminating in the film's very bizarre closing scene.
The scenes utilizing the most deformed of the freaks are disturbing and uncomfortable. All of the freaks are real life people with physical abnormalities, that willingly volunteered to act in the film. The use of these real life deformities evokes emotional response from the audience: including fear, pity, disgust, sadness, and empathy. It's a truly effective method on the part of director Browning, one he should be applauded for.
Overall, this film is pretty much a masterpiece: At the risk of sounding ordinary and mundane, I'll point to the superb acting, directing, and writing. My only two complaints are that the film is too short and that at times it drags because of incessant talking. I mean the film is essentially one dialogue scene after another; there is very little action until the very end of the film. I wasn't expecting an action adventure here, but Browning should have relied heavily upon his deformed actors throughout the film to provide scares, not just in the last five minutes.
On a closing note, I did want to mention my true desire to see these freak-show carnival spectacles to become part of the American landscape once again. Not long after the release of the films, socially conscious activists starting putting pressure on carnivals and circuses to end these traveling freak shows. Over the past 70 or so years, it's gotten more and more socially unacceptable to display these willing physically deformed persons. My problem is, is that these the freaks in these traveling carnivals are and were willingly participants in these freak shows. But because some rich conservative Christian wives with too much time on their hands thought it to be immoral and indecent, freak shows have become social taboos.
Modern day society greatly disapproves of freak shows; some states have even gone so far as to make them illegal. People should get over this overly sensitive pompous nonsense and allow these freak shows to once again become a part of the American landscape. Listen, if the physically deformed are willing and accepting of their roles as traveling freaks, allow it to happen. Bring the freak shows back, please.
Just about everything positive and necessary has already been written about this film on IMDb. Hopefully my comments will at least come close to giving some relatively new insights into this strange film. No matter how you feel about this film, you must admit that it's at least to be considered an important entry into the world of film making.
"Freaks" is about a clan of physically deformed traveling performers whom have formed a tightly formed family that watches out for, and cares for one another. Essentially, if you hurt one freak, you hurt all the freaks. This concept of socially rejected freaks banding together to protect and care for one another is the cornerstone of this film. This idea touched me and made me feel sorry for the freaks, I pitied them and empathized with them.
The formed unity amongst outcasts is highlighted by a a midget named Hans, who is manipulated by a beautiful trapeze artist planning on marrying him to steal his money. When the freaks learn of the trapeze artists plan to poison Hans and take his money, the freaks exact revenge; culminating in the film's very bizarre closing scene.
The scenes utilizing the most deformed of the freaks are disturbing and uncomfortable. All of the freaks are real life people with physical abnormalities, that willingly volunteered to act in the film. The use of these real life deformities evokes emotional response from the audience: including fear, pity, disgust, sadness, and empathy. It's a truly effective method on the part of director Browning, one he should be applauded for.
Overall, this film is pretty much a masterpiece: At the risk of sounding ordinary and mundane, I'll point to the superb acting, directing, and writing. My only two complaints are that the film is too short and that at times it drags because of incessant talking. I mean the film is essentially one dialogue scene after another; there is very little action until the very end of the film. I wasn't expecting an action adventure here, but Browning should have relied heavily upon his deformed actors throughout the film to provide scares, not just in the last five minutes.
On a closing note, I did want to mention my true desire to see these freak-show carnival spectacles to become part of the American landscape once again. Not long after the release of the films, socially conscious activists starting putting pressure on carnivals and circuses to end these traveling freak shows. Over the past 70 or so years, it's gotten more and more socially unacceptable to display these willing physically deformed persons. My problem is, is that these the freaks in these traveling carnivals are and were willingly participants in these freak shows. But because some rich conservative Christian wives with too much time on their hands thought it to be immoral and indecent, freak shows have become social taboos.
Modern day society greatly disapproves of freak shows; some states have even gone so far as to make them illegal. People should get over this overly sensitive pompous nonsense and allow these freak shows to once again become a part of the American landscape. Listen, if the physically deformed are willing and accepting of their roles as traveling freaks, allow it to happen. Bring the freak shows back, please.
