Todd Browning's FREAKS!
 

This movie was great. Is it true that there really were so-called 'freaks' in the film? I hate to use the word 'freaks' in that sense, but can't find a better word.

Anyone seen photos of modern day 'freaks'? Post 'em here!

Freaks is a spectacular classic, and one of the greatest and most shocking films of all time.

Yes it's true that all of the "freaks" were disabled human beings.

No I will not post pictures of modern day "freaks".
You obviously did not get anything besides a dull unconsious entertainment out of the movie.

I've never seen this, but I'd like too.

See it! "one of us, one of us, we accept you"

twisted as hell!

I swear I just bought it at Target for like 12 bucks!

- evildemontoo

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Another great Todd Browing shock classic with a real twist. The twisted ending is unbelivable especially from a film from 1932!! Todd Browing was quite an innovator. TCM will air this classic on Friday November 17th (latenight hours). Something to check out if you haven't seen it yet.:cool:

Not only is it a great film, but it should be quite safe from the remake monster currently terrorizing our beloved films. I can't imagine that any studio would hold casting calls for "freaks" these days.

No, they'll remake it. They'll just use shitty looking CGI for the freaks.

Your in deep shit, the "RING" tape x $

What sort of geek shall this one be?

When they spoofed that scene on southpark, it was probably the creepiest thing that show has ever done...

My Name is Earl just had a show with freaks (sorry, I hate to use that word), it reminded me of the movie. I swear I saw an ad for a TV show/serues on cable or something that is about freaks (sorry) also, but I don't know when or where.

They could rename it if they did, to something like Circus, or Side-Show, or something lame like that.

The material is not PC, but it was a great movie. I finally got to see it a few years back, after hearing about it for a long time. Its most definetly worth a watch, it is almost a rip off though The Unknown, and earlier Browning movie(with Lon Chaney).


I still liked both movies but Freaks is really a good movie to check out.

I almost bought the movie last week without having watched it. I've seen it get rave reviews everyplace I've read about it. wish I had gotten it now.

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That is one film that wouldn't do with a remake. I thought the shock value was from the black and white film. The special effects should stay the way they are... they were actually shocking enough. Remaking the film would ruin it. It is great movie. I love it.

The #1 hook with Freaks was that they had REAL circus freaks as the cast. No special effects, real people born with disorders, pinheads, armless legless people, midgets...


Jesus, the little black guy with no arms or legs rolling a cifgarrette was one of the most amzing things i have ever seen.

That was incredible...I was in awe.

Made you wonder exactly what he could do with the knife at the end.

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[QUOTE=Vodstok;503587]The #1 hook with Freaks was that they had REAL circus freaks as the cast. No special effects, real people born with disorders, pinheads, armless legless people, midgets...


Todd Browning cast real people in the film.

Yes, Tod Browning casted real Freaks in the film. You don't need to feel bad for using the word, as it seems to be a term they've adopted for themselves and are comfortable with.

If you have the DVD, watch the documentary. They talk about each and every one of the performers who were in the movie. Seems that the majority of them didn't feel they were being exploited, and most of them made a lot of money performing and lived above average, comfortable lives.

About the cigarette scene, they said the studio cut it short, but the actor (Prince Randian) apparently also rolled the cigarette himself before he lit it. That would have been something to see.

Lol! Yeah really! It will be another excuse for lame CGI. Or maybe they can just hire Jerry Springer's casting agent.

after watching commentary and reading about princen randian, i still cant believe he did all that. its amazing. freaks is the movie that also got me into black and white movies. before watching freaks, i hated anything not in color.

Why?

This is my biggest pet peeve.

i just did. now i love black and white movies. i just didnt like black and white for some reason, it wasnt.. normal for me. but, most of the movies in my collection now arent in color, if that makes a difference.

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Sometimes filming in black and white seem to set the tone better for the movie. Even though they used some special effects....they had to rely on a lot of acting talent to carry through a story. And, the fact that Todd Browning cast real people in the roles that the film is named; made it even more astonishing the caliber of talent that the whole entire cast of the movie posessed...... TRULY AMAZING. :cool:

yeah, when he used actual "freaks" in the roles, it made it that much better. if he would have cast hollywood actors to play those parts it wouldnt have been that good.

I don't mind if a film is in black & white or colour, as long as it is presented as it was intended. There is very little that ruins a film's presentation more than colourisation - I have NEVER seen a colourised film that looks natural or realistic.

i agree, however, it was when i was younger.. the only movie i had really seen in black and white was the wizard of oz and thats only partly in color. then, i watched freaks at my now husbands house and fell in love with black and white. now i could care less but most movies i watch arent color.. i like old movies now.

Freaks is about thirty years ahead of its time in every way. A movie made in 1932 that so eloquently speaks out for equality and civil rights definitely deserves the place in film history it has. The only movie I've seen that's an equal defense of the dignity of all people is Lynch's the Elephant Man. I don't think people should be squeamish about the use of the word "freaks", however. The movie proves that perversion is on the inside instead of the outside and that it's not such a derogatory term. PC vocab dodging kind of dilutes the message in that way, so if some lunatic does remake it and changes the title, he loses a lot of the power and the ironic dignity behind the word. Epiphets and racial slurring lose power in the face of the integrity of a people, and I think that's a point that can be seen in Browning's choice of titles. The term is for one who deviates from natural or societal standards. But, Browning and many others (often in the genre, like James Whale) prove that the standards themselves are deviant and the way people enforce those standards is deviant, therefore, there should be no squirming behind the word.

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You are absolutely right. It was so ahead of it's time .... a landmark film in my opinion. Perversion is in the mind before eats away at a person's heart and soul. The people who set what is "normal" often make it corrupt and hurtful. It is a shame that the world is often that way. Your right people have civil rights and people should respect them. It would make the world a better place for everyone to live in. No remakes for this film will be required .... it is a masterpiece and let's keep it as such. :)

I watched this in a film class many years ago. The opeing scene (set in the future) is significant because the bad muscle man is signing suprano (he gets castrated at the end). This movie is superb!

Yeah, the Doc is absolutely right, it is one of the most sickly powerful films in cinema history.

The thing that would be so horrible about a remake is that the plot and intention of the film would transform from a message to entertainment.