Freaks (1932), Tod Browning

 

This review is critically analysing Tod Browning's movie "Freaks" (1932). This submission talks about specific use of horror without usual spooky or stabbing tricks. This review is based on Billy Stevenson's, Rob Humanic's and Bill Thompson's reviews.

Figure 1

This movie is called by the name "Freaks", because it is about handicapped people played by real people who were not faking it. Movie critic Bill Thompson says that: "Their realness does lend the film an incredible amount of creepiness, because even though it strives to present the Carnies as the real people they are, you are still going to be creeped out by a man with no arms and legs crawling through the mud while holding a knife in between his teeth" (February 20, 2009, Bill's movie emporium). Obviously physical disabilities are creepy, especially when they are shown as extreme as here. Another movie critic Billy Stevenson sees that it is not the only reason why this movie is so horrifying and uncomfortable to watch. He says that:"this exclusivity belies the radical continuity that exists between 'freakdom' and 'normality' - or between circus and outside world - evident in the protagonist's confidence that he will eventually be able to move from one to the other, as well as in Browning's final implication that physical 'beauty' is merely a further category of deformity." (Wednesday, October 17, 2007, A Film Cannon). It means that beauty can be lost at anytime, but something what is inside can not change that easily. Third movie critic Rob Humanic pushes this idea forward and gives us conclusion to what is so terrifying in this movie. His statement is that: "the true horror of the film comes not from the physical appearances of its characters, but its antagonists’ incapacity to accept that which is different, and the unwaveringly universal capability of all men to act out of ill will and with violence." (Sunday, October 15, 2006, A Film Odyssey). In other words anyone can do horrible things obsessed by anger and here it is very easy to see what kind of ignorance and wickedness can provoke terrible consequences, because of laughing and not respecting something that is not supposed to be treated in this way. The consequences show in the end was a bit disappointing in nowadays cinema. Maybe there would have been more tension if wouldn't have had this big reveal. There are many rumors on the internet about deleted scenes and one of those is that One part deleted that we never see is that the strongman was castrated and in a deleted final scene is singing soprano. By deleting that scene we're led to believe he was killed. Anyway we will never know now what exact horrible things were taken out, but this movie has obviously taken the horror movies to a new level of more intence and sophisticated horror.

Figure 2

All in all Tod Browning's movie showed on the screen things that were never shown before. It is definitely one of the most highly influential classic horror movies. Real disabelled actors and intensively wrong atmosphere makes it really strong and worth atention.

Bibliography:

1) Bill Thompson, February 20, 2009, Bill's movie emporium: 

http://billsmovieemporium.wordpress.com/2009/02/20/review-freaks-1932/

2) Billy Stevenson, Wednesday, October 17, 2007, A Film Cannon: 

http://www.afilmcanon.com/journal/2007/10/17/browning-freaks-1932.html

3) Rob Humanic, Sunday, October 15, 2006, A Film Odyssey: 

http://afilmodyssey.blogspot.com/2006/10/freaks-1932.html

Illustrations:

Figure 1: A man without legs and arms with a knife in his mouth:

http://brightwalldarkroom.tumblr.com/post/1426858449/halloween-week-freaks-1932

Figure 2: Final reveal

 http://www.mymomthinksimfunny.com/?p=284