Horror Movie 8: The Freaks

Freaks can be a hard movie to watch, and to think it was made in 1930 it’s quite surprising really.  Banned in many countries for years (still banned in some) it’s probably one of the most legitimately controversial movies ever.  Why is it so controversial? The “Freaks” were real people with disabilities that make them different.  Some say they were exploited in making this movie, but as the viewer I guess we have to make our own minds up with that.

They story is a simple one, a beautiful trapeze artist attempts to marry the leader of the side-show so she can steal his money.  His friends (the other “freaks”) find out about this and exact their revenge on the woman and her lover who also works at the circus.  Other than that the main theme of the story is looking at the so called freaks and how they are treated in society.

The visitors of the circus seem to believe the performers should be hidden away from the world until it is time for them to perform.  An example of this is when one of the circus performers has taken them out into the forest so they can get away from the circus for awhile and get some fresh air.  They encounter a “normal” person who is disgusted by what he see’s.  Honestly the actions of the freaks and the fear they show, shows exactly who are the true freaks in this movie, it is the so called “normal” people.  Society even now has little tolerance for anything that is not seen as normal and to me that makes society the true monsters.

It’s hard to think the director of this movie felt the same way though, there is and will always be an exploitative element to this movie.  The director is trying to make us fear the freaks, even calling them that breeds the idea they are the bad guys; in my opinion at least I don’t find them to be the monsters, even at the conclusion of the story.

This is a movie that at heart is a revenge story, and not a very good one.  The use of the freaks adds a controversy that the makers of the movie used to try and make money.  One thing that will haunt you though is the movies most quotable line and one of the spookiest every lines I’ve ever heard “One of us….One of us….”

Even though I think this is an exploitative movie about disability and societies view on it, I would argue that it’s a movie you should see at least once.  It’s one that will stick in your memory and make you think.  It’s probably also one that will spook you for awhile because these people who play the freaks were real, the disabilities they show were real and still are.  It’s quite a comment on society that there used to be freak shows that made these people side shows for our enjoyment.  In the end whatever their disabilities they were people and should have been more respected, in both real life and in story form.

So yes, this is quite a good movie and as I said, should be watched at least once.  They will never make a movie like this ever again and if they did it would probably just get banned once again.

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Paul Metcalf

Paul can often be found on Twitter talking about his favourite movies, games, technology and books when he is not reviewing them and adding news to Pissed Off Geek. Be sure to follow him on Twitter and on the Pissed Off Geek Facebook page. As not only owner, managing editor and webmaster of the site he is also the owner of Pissed Off Geek sister site Truly Disturbing. He can be contacted by emailing here

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