A lot could be said about this movie. Knowing a lot about the production (thanks to Skaal and Co.) doesn't really help me too much, it just excuses some absurd elements (like the totally out of hand comic "relief", which was inserted over and above the director's control). This film marked Tod Browning's return to MGM, where he had changed cinema forever with his series of films which basically made the transition from "Perils of Pauline" type sensational adventure in an underworld setting to films which were more genuinely modern "thrillers". However, the thriller element in Freaks is downplayed in favor of human interest, a bizarre choice given that Browning is barely capable of humanizing ANYONE. His forte is in the larger than life and the gothic (one and the same, really), so trying to have it both ways with the freaks themselves (make them more "human" and at the same time the object of fear and horror) doesn't really work; it would take MUCH more subtlety of someone like, say, David Lynch.

That said, there is much to recommend that everyone seriously interested in film should see this film. It breaks with the traditional schism in film between spectacle and narrative, placing far more emphasis than usual in the former. This made it a perfect candidate for roadshow exploitation in the decades following its failure, during which time it was exhibited with an added "educational" introduction (still found on many video prints of the film, despite the fact that neither the producer nor director approved it) as a roadshow exploitation specialty under the title "Forbidden Love" by Kroger Babb's midwest organization.

This film also has a lot of interest for anyone interested in the carnival/roadshow roots of film. This is related to the issue of spectacle.... the early films emphasized spectacle, often to the point that if there was enough nudity, violence, or exotic scenery, the film could sell without any plot at all (Edison and Co. produced a short film entitled "Electrocution of an Elephant" which featured nothing but said spectacle). This had been largely wiped out by the 1930s, when "Freaks" was made, by the emphasis on narrative cohesion. In fact, narrative was usually a ploy Hollywood used to excuse the often very naked exploitation value of the films themselves (ask any writer). "Freaks" makes very little bones about being what it is, shirking 15 years of Hollywood's increased identification with "theater" for its earlier, and more honest, association with vauldeville and carnival.

Summary written by David Heatherl for IMdb HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: February 20th, 1932 - USA

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DVD Review: Warner Home Video - Region 1- NTSC

DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Warner - Home Video - Region 1- NTSC
Runtime	1:03:02
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.56 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate:
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono)
Subtitles	English, Spanish, French, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Warner Home Video Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect ratio - 1.33:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by author David J. Skal • "Making-of" documentary - "Freaks: The Sideshow Cinema" (1:03:21) • Special prologue added for reissue (rolling text) • 3 alternate endings (6:04) DVD Release Date: August 10, 2004 Keep Case Chapters: 21
Comments:	This is a stacked disc!... and a good DVD. The image has above average contrast with relative sharpness, but show some damage spots -especially later in the film. I love the visible film grain. Audio (mono) is a little weak and hard to distinguish at times, but the optional subtitles help decipher what is being said. Extras are quite extensive - an informative commentary, an hour long featurette, and some deleted scenes. I like the "Welcome" prologue message for great way to start a showing. Warner has done an excellent job!  out of    Gary W. Tooze

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DVD Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Warner - Home Video - Region 1- NTSC

 

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