Freaks
Directed by Tod Browning
Starring: Harry Earles, Daisy Earles, Henry Victor, Johnny Ecks, Prince Randian, Wallace Ford.
If there’s one thing all human beings can relate with, it’s being discriminated for their appearance. Whether it’s just general bullying for being a “Four-Eyes” or “Fatty” or what not, or discriminating against your race, we’ve all felt it’s affects. The human race is often a despicable one. And the film in question definitely paints a similar portrait of mankind. Deemed by many as one of the most controversial films of all time (one magazine even rated it more controversial than Cannibal Holocaust) Freaks is a bizarre and hauntingly beautiful depiction of physical abnormalities. Hans (Harry Earles, who would sing the introduction of The Lollipop Guild seven years later in The Wizard of Oz) is a wealthy midget who performs with the sideshow of a travelling circus. He falls in love with the beautifully elegant, yet brutally wicked trapeze artist Cleopatra (Helga Baclanova) and they start a sprawling romance, even causing him to cut lose his fiance, fellow midget Frieda (Daisy Earles Harry‘s sister). But all is not well in the jungle, as Cleo is having an affair with the circus’s strongman, aptly named Hercules (Henry Victor, who would in later years portray the crazy nazi scientist Dr. Sangre in King of the Zombies). While it is obvious that she is using him for his money, a vast fortune he inherited, she gets the bright idea to marry him. Because if he dies, she inherits it all. So the idea of an “untimely death” entices her, and the two are married. She begins poisoning him, starting with tainted wine at a harmless wedding reception that turns horribly awry when she gets drunk and abruptly insults him and his fellow freaks. Hans becomes deathly ill and it becomes clear to the others that she is poisoning their friend. And when Hans is on to her, he starts spitting out his “medicine”, and gaining strength for the act of vengeance him and his friends have in store for Cleo. They will show her that there are worse things than death. Made in 1932, it is obvious from the get-go that the true heroes of this film are the freaks. They are a kind and wonderful people that want nothing more than to live amongst themselves in their own society. With deformed players such as Johnny Eck, who’s body ends just below his ribcage. And Prince Randian, who is without any arms or legs. The film is definitely overwhelming, as it is hard to believe what you see to be real, but it is. The film itself has a very cynical and mean-spirited tone that creates a certain air of discomfort from time to time. And while the film runs a thin sixty-some minutes, it is never rushed, or too short. You are never left wanting more, and you are not confused by anything. When the film was released, it was reviled by critics and audiences alike (one woman even blamed her miscarriage on the film), calling it exploitative, and an embarrassment for it‘s deformed cast members. The film was immediately buried by MGM for almost 15 years and it almost destroyed Browning’s career. But in time, the film became big in the underground film circuit, and has gained cult status. And while it can be argued that the film is exploitative to an extent, it cannot be denied after seeing the film that these so-called “freaks of nature” are the heart and soul of the film. They prove that physical beauty varies, but the beauty of a person’s soul is unchanging. The way you look doesn’t add up to a hill of beans when it comes to your heart. In the end, Freaks is a true feat in filmmaking. The acting is fantastic, and the pacing keeps it going quite well. There’s no need to comment on any effects because there aren’t any, and there’s no need for any. The physical deformities are shocking, but the freaks themselves are the most unthreatening people in the movie. But during the film’s climax, one thing can be made clear, don’t mess with these guys. They like things the way they are, and will do anything to try to keep it that way. But even though they pull a total 180 in the climax, you don’t care because you know and feel that the villains deserved it in the first place. Well worth seeking out, this film is for anyone who has been bullied, or bullied someone. And above all, this film is for those who want to rise against their oppressors, and make the world a safer place for “freaks”, once again.
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Bruce Campbell has a P.H.D......in kicking your ass!!
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