Freaks (1932)

To me, this movie is perfection.

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

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!

This controversial film must have gotten some people pretty upset. Todd Browning, who directed horror films, wanted his audience to check their attitudes toward those who have been born with deformities or some disability. What we have here are people. Pure and simple. Despite their appearances, these are people with golden hearts who support each other on a day to day basis. They love and work and do all the things we all do. There are some villainous types here, but they tend to be the "normal" folks. I stayed away from this movie for a long time because I thought it would be uncomfortable. After a little discomfort from first viewing some of the more dramatic aberrations, I began to enjoy their personalities and their character.

an eccentric film. a definition who could be enough for give the right verdict in this case. a horror. or an experiment. a crazy idea. awful. cruel, chaotic, crazy, bizarre, absurd. each word about it is correct. but, for me, it is one of the most touching films of all the times. a splendid love story. and a delicate poem about the small details who are so easy ignored. the world of circus. and few great characters. the courage of Tom Browning to give to the public the life, emotions and spirit of justice of a group of people not so different by the majority of us. and this does Freaks a masterpiece. because it is a kind of mixture between Romeo and Juliet and Titus Andronicus. because it is a film about innocence. sure, few scenes are not comfortable but , in the time of cries, special effect and symbolic stories who are ingredients of many horrors, Freaks has a coherent and charming and powerful story. and it represents source of profound reflection. about us. like each parable .

On a scale from 1 to 10, I could make an argument that this film belongs at either end of the spectrum, or somewhere in the middle. I really struggled coming up with a fair assessment on this film, so here's my best shot. I do not believe Freaks exploits the actors, since each of them demonstrates compassion among each other and from the viewer. At times I think the filmmakers devolve the characters into stereotypical movie monsters, but the aforementioned empathy they encourage makes it hard not to cheer for them.I think the biggest problem with the film involves the relationship between Hans and Frieda, played by Harry and Daisy Earles, which comes off as a bit unconvinced, or at least off-kilter, but maybe that's the point.In the end, the film is way ahead of its time in depicting the mentally handicapped in a positive and innocent light in contrast with the greed and corruption of their counterparts. The dancing scene at the pond also creeped me out, but maybe that says more about my own prejudices against innocence than anything, and I think that is one of the goals of this films.3 out of 4 stars for Freaks.