Freaks - the appreciation thread! (1 Viewer)

[SteveGon]

Just caught Tod Browning's Freaks on TCM. Despite its vintage, this movie still has the power to weird you out - it's easy to see why MGM all but disowned the film when it um, freaked people out.

My favorite scene: the Living Torso lights a cigarette.

We're supposed to get this on DVD next year - hope it's a great release!

 

[Mike Hutman]

One of us!
One of us!

 

[MartinTeller]

 

[SteveGon]

Here's some cool links:

about the movie

about the performers

 

[Kirk Tsai]

It weirded me out, but was actually very moving too. I like this more than Dracula. Great film.

 

[Rob Bartlett]

One of my favourites of all time. It's absolutely frightening at the end, and is probably the best execution of the "circus goldigger" story.

I mean really, it's downrigth gruseome at times.

 

[Tony Mirra]

What are the chances of this being restored to the 90 minute run time that Browning originally wanted?

I love this movie and can't wait to get it on DVD next year.

BTW, is Warner working on the DVD or is does it still belong to MGM?

 

[Lew Crippen]

Thanks for bringing this one up Steve. I think that it is buried in the 30s challenge and deserves a bit more publicity.

Strange, strange film.

 

[ChuckSolo]

Yep, just caught this one on TCM last night too. Good movie, but rather disturbing, especially when they show the black guy who is basically just a torso and a head. I heard that only one movie since then has used that many "freaks" since Tod Brownings piece, and that is "The Sentinel" made in the 1980's.

 

[Hunter P]

Reading up on SteveGon's links, it looks like many of the actors regretted being in the film and thought it an insult to freaks.

I remember seeing this on TV years ago and the sound quality was so bad it was hard to hear the dialogue. If they do release it on DVD then I hope they clean that up.

 

[TommyT]

I've seen this one once. T'was enough for me! I've got this one on a special list in my IMDB account. Its a list of flicks that give me the chills!

 

[Patrick McCart]

Warner is putting it on DVD next year.

 

[Francois Caron]

In all the years I've watched movies, this was the first time a movie dated well before 1960 has ever given me the creeps! I've watched my Laserdisc copy only once and never took it out of the bookcase again!