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Amazon.co.uk Review
One of the most famous, most shocking and, for much of its existence, most elusive of cult films, Tod Browning's Freaks remains worthy of its dubious top billing by literary critic Leslie Fiedler as the greatest of all Freak movies. At the centre of the story are two circus midgets, Hans and Frieda (already well known in the 1930s through film and advertising appearances as Harry and Daisy Earles), whose marriage plans are blasted when Hans becomes the target of the aerialist Cleopatra's plot to marry him then kill him off for his money. During what is certainly one of the most notorious scenes in cult film history, the wedding party of freaks ritually embrace Cleopatra as one of us. Through her undisguised horror at this and her gruesome punishment by the freaks, the film bluntly confronts viewers about our awkwardness about different bodies while simultaneously stirring up fear and alarm in familiar horror-movie style. Better known for the Bela Lugosi version of Dracula (1931), Brownings showmanship was equally a product of the circus (he was himself an adolescent contortionist in a travelling show). His meshing of circus and cinema--two dangerous entertainments--produces Freaks' uniquely disquieting effect.
Startled and indignant preview audiences forced the producers to add an explanatory foreword to the film but even this crackles with sensationalism as it veers between sideshow-style sympathy and fright warning. None the less, protests and local censorship ensued and the film never reached the mass audience for which it was made. Still, some of the real stars of the midway Ten-in-One shows of the 1920s and 30s (Johnny Eck, Daisy and Violet Hilton the Siamese twins, Prince Randian, the Hindu Living Torso) are showcased here as themselves and it is their undeniably real presence in what is otherwise familiar fictional terrain which is still so provocative. --Helen Stoddart
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
This is a film filled with numerous contradictions. It at once makes an attempt to defy preconceived ideas about 'otherness', yet at the same time undermines these attempts and therefore serves to reinforce them. Brownings direction is magnificent. The viewer is both unsettled by the use of so-called 'real' freaks, yet also intrigued, which creates a complex relationship between viewer and subject. Ultimately, instead of us considering the distinctions between 'normal' people and 'freaks' to become blurred throughout the course of the film, they actually become more clearly defined, and in particular from the freaks' point of view. It becomes clear that they wish to preserve an identity of differentness and otherness and that is just what they do. They key scene for emphasising this fact is the wedding feast between Hans and Cleo. A communal cup is passed around the table accompanied by ritual chanting. But it is the freak community stamping their claim to a separateness and distictness from the rest of the circus folk. The chant goes "One of us. We accept her, we accept her. Gooble gobble, gooble gobble", firstly asserting their right to be different and to set themselves apart in their self-contained 'freak' community, and secondly emphasising their strangeness and otherness with the gibberish and nonsensical chant. All in all, this is an excellent film. The controversy surrounding the film's original release has made it all the more intriguing for the modern viewer who is attracted to the idea of controversy, however, it is likely that many such viewers will be disappointed. I myself was not.
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
You will never see another piece of cinematic history like this one. Some will say this is sick ( like my gf) but take it for what it is.
Fantastic acting, outstanding directing and moving to boot. It starts as a freak show, and ends as heart churning classic.
Fantastic acting, outstanding directing and moving to boot. It starts as a freak show, and ends as heart churning classic.
52 of 56 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
"We'll make her one of us"- say the Freaks, yet ironically that statement is already true as it is the "normals" who are the real freaks.
When Hans the midget first catches sight of the lovely Cleopatra, he thinks she is the most beautiful "normal" he has ever seen. She treats it as joke and flirts with him to poke fun at him, but when she finds out he has inherited a large sum of money, she hoodwinks him into marrying her, and with the help of Hercules her strong man lover, she plots kill him. All the other freaks, including; Frieda the dwarf, the Bearded Lady, the half boy, the living torso, the half woman/half man,the pin heads, Koo-Koo the bird girl, the stork woman, the living skeleton and the armless wonders can not except her as one of them.
It is finally on their wedding night, when the Freaks learn that the whole thing is a hoax, when Cleo is repulsed and insulted by the freaks' propsition she is now one of them having married Hans. The following evening the Freaks witness her trying to poison Hans, and plot a shocking, terrifying revenge, in an attempt to really make her one of them which is the code of the freaks: "offend one, you offend them all".
The wedding scene is a prime example of excellent use of "mise en scene", with the bird girl dancing atop the table, and the Freaks' chanting of " one of us, one of us...gooble, gobble..." while passing round "the loving cup of wine".
The revenge scene however has to steel the title of one of the best scenes in cinematic history, with the freaks crawling in the pouring rain, chasing Cleo and Hercules through the woods. What makes it even more scary is that the viewer sees hardly anything, therefore the terror relies solely on imagination to decide what happened.
When Hans the midget first catches sight of the lovely Cleopatra, he thinks she is the most beautiful "normal" he has ever seen. She treats it as joke and flirts with him to poke fun at him, but when she finds out he has inherited a large sum of money, she hoodwinks him into marrying her, and with the help of Hercules her strong man lover, she plots kill him. All the other freaks, including; Frieda the dwarf, the Bearded Lady, the half boy, the living torso, the half woman/half man,the pin heads, Koo-Koo the bird girl, the stork woman, the living skeleton and the armless wonders can not except her as one of them.
It is finally on their wedding night, when the Freaks learn that the whole thing is a hoax, when Cleo is repulsed and insulted by the freaks' propsition she is now one of them having married Hans. The following evening the Freaks witness her trying to poison Hans, and plot a shocking, terrifying revenge, in an attempt to really make her one of them which is the code of the freaks: "offend one, you offend them all".
The wedding scene is a prime example of excellent use of "mise en scene", with the bird girl dancing atop the table, and the Freaks' chanting of " one of us, one of us...gooble, gobble..." while passing round "the loving cup of wine".
The revenge scene however has to steel the title of one of the best scenes in cinematic history, with the freaks crawling in the pouring rain, chasing Cleo and Hercules through the woods. What makes it even more scary is that the viewer sees hardly anything, therefore the terror relies solely on imagination to decide what happened.
To conclude, this is a cult/horror/drama classic which needs a place in all DVD collections and proves tht you should'nt judge a book by its cover.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Freaks
Don't be fooled by the argument that this film has some sort of social conscience. Tod Browning used real freaks to fascinate and ultimately, to scare people. And it succeeds. Read more
Published 2 months ago by N. Jones
An overlooked classic
First thing to say:This film would not be made today.It has to an extent be viewed in the light of a different time,with different sensibilities. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Tom McDermid
Stunning
I saw this film many years ago when I it was shown on tv. Probably a late BBC2 showing as I don't think it is for all the family. Read more
Published 15 months ago by C Discerning
Freaky Freaks
At nearly 80 years old, Freaks is a dark, twisted and also heartening look at the world of the Travelling Freak Show of the early 20th century. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Mr. M. P. Hurst
FREAKY
Bought this for my husband but he thought it too freaky and did not finish watching it. It might appeal to others but not him.
Published 18 months ago by Mrs. L. R. Karpen
Fantastic
OMG OMG OMG.. i have heard about this and now i have seen it, this is a great film, b&w but that adds to it, absolutly fantastic
Published 18 months ago by Secqueen
Who are the real freaks?
When midget Hans(Harry Earles) becomes besotted with trapeze artist Cleo(Olga Baclanova),oblivious to the fact she is laughing behind his back, the community of sideshow performers... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mr. Jonathon T. Beckett
freaks
Iwas prompted to buy this dvd as the film was considered to be the first depicting adults with a physical disability in a positive way. Read more
Published 22 months ago by lynne alexander
Not exploitative, but a haunting look into the world of sideshow...
Banned in most countries for over three decades, this is one of the most bizarre and fascinating films Hollywood ever produced. Read more
Published on 17 Feb 2010 by Puzzle box
Refreshing
I watched this film yesterday and I enjoyed thoroughly.
How often do we get to see the physically/mentally diverse in a film these days, let alone empowered and taking... Read more
How often do we get to see the physically/mentally diverse in a film these days, let alone empowered and taking... Read more
Published on 27 Aug 2009 by v
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