In a modern retelling of Tod Browning's "Freaks" (1932), "Freakshow" tells the story of a group of criminals who chose to hide out by working security at a traveling circus. At first, they p... Read allIn a modern retelling of Tod Browning's "Freaks" (1932), "Freakshow" tells the story of a group of criminals who chose to hide out by working security at a traveling circus. At first, they plot with an insider to steal the ticket sales, but the wily Lucy has bigger plans. She con... Read allIn a modern retelling of Tod Browning's "Freaks" (1932), "Freakshow" tells the story of a group of criminals who chose to hide out by working security at a traveling circus. At first, they plot with an insider to steal the ticket sales, but the wily Lucy has bigger plans. She convinces the gang to let her seduce and marry the aging circus owner, Lon, in order to secur... Read all
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Now, I don't know the movie Freaks however I wasn't expecting the story line to be particularly original but it was worse than that. A clichéd storyline only marginally bolstered by an unusual setting. It may have been carried by some reasonable acting, but if the word had been defined by the standard in this movie then I think actors would still be waiting tables as it bought in a higher salary.
The production values were awful as well, with an dire soundtrack and even more abysmal editing. I assume the sound and costume were supposed to give us a feel for the era of the film as in itself it did little to set the audience expectation. But the soundtrack did little more for me than want to smash the damn gramaphone to splinters (you'll see/hear what I mean).
So what then made this a horror? Well it was those last few minutes. Although the concept, the hook if you will, was quite gruesome and to some extent deserves a little merit. Now the imagination can create a disturbing empathy given the right nudges and it made me feel uncomfortable so job done! Right? But still, even though the idea was great in the end it was the ham fisted execution of the concept that will probably make any self respecting movie go-er recoil in horror the most.
It is essentially the same story of circus folks (offend one, offend all, etc) but instead of genuine freaks you get heavily tattooed people into body modification as the main freaks. Guys with stretched-out earlobes and excessive tats do not a freak make.
The only redeeming feature I can recall is the "cannibal girl" who is notable for her beauty and is not a freak in any way other than being freakishly hot. She is the only reason I did not bestow a rating of 1 on this movie.
The original Freaks movie was great because it had all those genuine circus freaks in it and was very controversial at the time of conservative film making.
This flick borrows, nay, steals heavily from the 1932 Freaks and even steals it's "banned in X countries" logo from the original. The only reason this modern Freakshow movie might be banned from anywhere would be for plagiarism.
Oddly enough everyone I watched it with was totally unaffected by it. My boyfriend doesn't understand why he has to stay awake with me every night. But for some reason, the last scene hit me in a way no movie, no book, no image has ever effected me before. Not hostel, or the hills have eyes, or house of 1000 corpses, or Texas chainsaw massacre, or any other horror flick involving torture/gore/disturbing images.
Maybe I'm the only one, but I can understand why it was banned.
Did you know
- TriviaReal sideshow folks participated in this movie, in front and behind the cameras.
- GoofsHank is in the trailer with Bobbi/Bobby (half man half woman) and she/he is holding the jar containing one of her babies. First she has a cloth over the bottom of the jar to resemble a blanket probably, next shot the cloth is under the jar, the next it's on top of the bottom of the jar, then it's underneath again.
- Crazy credits"No freaks were hurt during the production of this screenplay."
- Alternate versionsThe original version had an opening prologue and epilogue involving three young boys on Halloween trick or treating and having them meet an old man who tells the entire tale to them about the so-called "worm woman".
- ConnectionsRemake of Freaks, la monstrueuse parade (1932)
- SoundtracksAny Rags
Written by Thomas S. Allen
Performed by Burt Shepard
(recorded in 1903)
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- $1,000,000 (estimated)