***VERY MINOR SPOILERS***
There are already tons of reviews posted, but I thought I would throw in my two cents. I had wanted to see this movie ever since I saw it listed as the #3 cult film of all time in a magazine in 2003. Two years later I finally got around to purchasing the DVD. I had already read so much about the movie and its cast that I felt like I already knew so much about it without even seeing it yet. But in a way, I was actually scared to watch it, just from what I'd heard about it and how disturbing it was etc. I put the DVD in as soon as it arrived in my mail and sat down to watch it, feeling rather nervous. What I saw though, was not something to be scared of or disturbed by. Maybe it's because I already had seen photos of the "freaks" and knew the plot, but I didn't find this movie scary in the least. Actually I found myself feeling quite the opposite. I became very drawn to each of the characters and feeling fondly and sympathetic to them. While the "freaks" are all fascinating in their own way, one in particular intrigued me, which was Johnny Eck the Half Boy. This guy is so normal-looking from the waist up that you would never even know anything was wrong with him if he was sitting behind a desk or something. To me, there was just nothing whatsoever disturbing about this incredibly handsome young man. And after doing some more research on his life, I found out what an incredible person he was. He was a very gifted artist, story-teller, race car enthusiast, musician, and even started a business with his twin brother (who was born completely normal by the way) of running a child-sized train which children would pay money to take rides on. He actually lived a pretty happy life until a few years before his death when he was robbed in his own house. He spent his remaining years angry at the world, a recluse in his home. My point of going off on this tangent about Johnny is that the so-called "freaks" in this movie are not really all that different than the rest of us, save for the "pinheads" who suffered from mental disabilities as well as physical. The rest of them however, learned to adapt and perform every day tasks, as we see with Randian lighting his cigarette, Frances eating her dinner by holding her utensils with her feet, and the Hilton sisters making their bed. The "freaks" are obviously what makes this movie unique, but the story isn't bad either. But if you're looking for a film that showcases great acting talents, this may not be the one for you. Being one of the first "talkies," it comes across as a bit stage-y and over-dramatic with corny lines. And since some of the actors have heavy accents, it's sometimes difficult to make out what they are saying. But that minor complaint aside, this is a wonderful movie that I think every film aficionado should see. No film like this will ever be made again because of the political correctiveness of "exploiting" people with physical differences, not to mention the fact that many of these deformities are nowadays curable and preventable. Also, circus sideshow attractions have pretty much gone by the wayside and aren't around as much as they were back then. These reasons make this film a definite one-of-a-kind. Whether you love it or hate it, you can't say it didn't at least leave you thinking
There are already tons of reviews posted, but I thought I would throw in my two cents. I had wanted to see this movie ever since I saw it listed as the #3 cult film of all time in a magazine in 2003. Two years later I finally got around to purchasing the DVD. I had already read so much about the movie and its cast that I felt like I already knew so much about it without even seeing it yet. But in a way, I was actually scared to watch it, just from what I'd heard about it and how disturbing it was etc. I put the DVD in as soon as it arrived in my mail and sat down to watch it, feeling rather nervous. What I saw though, was not something to be scared of or disturbed by. Maybe it's because I already had seen photos of the "freaks" and knew the plot, but I didn't find this movie scary in the least. Actually I found myself feeling quite the opposite. I became very drawn to each of the characters and feeling fondly and sympathetic to them. While the "freaks" are all fascinating in their own way, one in particular intrigued me, which was Johnny Eck the Half Boy. This guy is so normal-looking from the waist up that you would never even know anything was wrong with him if he was sitting behind a desk or something. To me, there was just nothing whatsoever disturbing about this incredibly handsome young man. And after doing some more research on his life, I found out what an incredible person he was. He was a very gifted artist, story-teller, race car enthusiast, musician, and even started a business with his twin brother (who was born completely normal by the way) of running a child-sized train which children would pay money to take rides on. He actually lived a pretty happy life until a few years before his death when he was robbed in his own house. He spent his remaining years angry at the world, a recluse in his home. My point of going off on this tangent about Johnny is that the so-called "freaks" in this movie are not really all that different than the rest of us, save for the "pinheads" who suffered from mental disabilities as well as physical. The rest of them however, learned to adapt and perform every day tasks, as we see with Randian lighting his cigarette, Frances eating her dinner by holding her utensils with her feet, and the Hilton sisters making their bed. The "freaks" are obviously what makes this movie unique, but the story isn't bad either. But if you're looking for a film that showcases great acting talents, this may not be the one for you. Being one of the first "talkies," it comes across as a bit stage-y and over-dramatic with corny lines. And since some of the actors have heavy accents, it's sometimes difficult to make out what they are saying. But that minor complaint aside, this is a wonderful movie that I think every film aficionado should see. No film like this will ever be made again because of the political correctiveness of "exploiting" people with physical differences, not to mention the fact that many of these deformities are nowadays curable and preventable. Also, circus sideshow attractions have pretty much gone by the wayside and aren't around as much as they were back then. These reasons make this film a definite one-of-a-kind. Whether you love it or hate it, you can't say it didn't at least leave you thinking
Tell Your Friends