Tod Browning's Freaks
Dave Schuler
Tonight at 8:30pm CST/9:30pm EST Turner Classic Movies will be showing Tod Browning's Freaks. If you get TCM and haven't already seen the picture (and aren't watching Heroes), it's well worth your time.
Although sometimes characterized as a horror movie, Browning's 1932 parable of humanity and inhumanity is much, much more than that. It's the story of a beautiful trapeze artist who marries a man who's a sideshow attraction, infidelity, and revenge. I won't give away more than that—you'll have to watch it yourself to learn more. When it premiered three quarters of a century ago, it was considered so shocking it virtually ended Browning's career.
But there's another reason to check this movie out. Many of the performers in it were actual sideshow performers more than 75 years ago. And some of those people have conditions which simply aren't seen any more in America or Western Europe: they're routinely corrected at birth or very early in life. My wife, a teacher of special needs kids, was fascinated to see what might have happened to some of her students without today's remarkable medical interventions.
We've come a long way both in technology and attitudes and Freaks will bring those points home to you.
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Some classics can best be understood in context of their times, because they get obscured by all their successors. And while I've never seen it, this is a film that gets cited as an influence by countless filmmakers, comics creators, and fiction writers.
What was great about it was that the little fellas and the freaks finally got a justified and justice inspiring come-uppance on the bad guys.
You don't see that much nowadays because people are afraid that poetic justice might offend somebody.
It also has a love story writ small. Small, but good.
I liked it a lot, less for the supposed horror and more for the crime-Justice aspect.
I've seen it three times.
Everytime I like the ending a little bit better.
Interesting movie history, as well. I don't like the title, Freaks, but that's probably a result of our PC times. Back then such slurs weren't often stifled.
Glad I watched it. Followed up with The Elephant Man as a chaser.
Linda
Of course we all lose our tempers now and then. Dean freely admits to being imperfect in this regard, which is why regulars to this establishment will generally be cut more slack than people who we don't know very well.
Still: behave like an adult, or go find somewhere else to play. Thanks.