Freaks (1932) Review – A Chilling and Sympathetic Masterpiece
Freaks: Quick Verdict
The Verdict: A profound and genuinely moving piece of cinema that stands as one of the most unique entries in horror history. Freaks succeeds by subverting the viewer’s expectations, presenting the titular performers with dignity and warmth while revealing the true monstrousness of the “normal” villains. Tod Browning’s direction creates an atmosphere of thick, gothic dread that culminates in one of the most terrifying final sequences ever filmed. While it was butchered by censors and misunderstood for decades, it is now rightly recognised as a masterpiece of empathy and visual storytelling. It is a 4.5 star essential that manages to be both heart-breaking and horrifying, making it a mandatory addition to any serious horror fan’s watchlist.
Details: Director: Tod Browning | Cast: Wallace Ford, Leila Hyams, Olga Baclanova, Roscoe Ates, Harry Earles | Runtime: 1h 4m | Release Date: 1932
Best for: Viewers who appreciate cinematic history, fans of gothic horror, and those who want a horror movie with genuine emotional depth.
Worth noting: The film was banned in the United Kingdom for over thirty years and was originally much longer before being cut by studio executives.
Where to Watch: Amazon🛒
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
(Unforgettable final sequence, sympathetic storytelling, landmark cinematic history)
Welcome to Knockout Horror. Today we are going back to 1932 to check out controversial movie Freaks by Tod Browning.
Set against the backdrop of a French travelling circus, Freaks follows the story of a young woman’s attempts to seduce a performer at the circus so that she can murder him and claim his inheritance.
Highlights
A tarnished legacy
Freaks‘ legacy is one of shameful treatment of its cast and blatant disregard by critics. From a group of talented actors who weren’t allowed to roam the lot where the movie was filmed, to test screenings that featured viewers literally running out of the screen, this is a movie that had its true magnificence hidden behind a torrent of bullshit and silliness.
Due to the harsh reception and somewhat troubling subject matter, Freaks woefully underperformed at the box office; it was all but forgotten. That is until the 1960s when the movie suddenly came to the attention of the European counter culture fandom.
“Freaks’ legacy is one of shameful treatment of its cast and blatant disregard by critics. This is a movie that had its true magnificence hidden behind a torrent of bullshit and silliness.”
The film was shown at major festivals and gained an entirely new group of fans. It wasn’t long before Freaks was hailed as a lost Hollywood classic, finally getting the recognition it deserved and becoming a legitimate horror classic that still holds up to this day.
A 60s revival
Themes that were originally derided for being exploitative were re-examined, with critics suddenly praising the movie for its sympathetic portrayal of people with disabilities. The stars of the movie were now seen as talented actors, rather than simply a group of unfortunate people being taken advantage of. The story at the heart of the movie finally had a chance to stand forward for its complexity and depth rather than for its atypical presentation.
Viewers now paid attention to the story, rather than simply disregarding the film for its controversial themes. And people finally appreciated Freaks for the fantastic movie that it really is. It is a crying shame that it took so long. That is the story of so many movies that bucked the trend of typical Hollywood movie making. This has been going on since the cinema industry began and still happens now.
Banned for years
I first watched Freaks as part of a feature on controversial horror movies. The UK has a bit of a habit of banning movies for little rhyme or reason. Freaks was one of those movies. A channel here decided to show a bunch of these movies as something of a season of counter culture feature some 25 years ago. Freaks was one of the highlights along with Straw Dogs and a few others.
Watching the movie back then, I was struck by just how scary it still was. Let’s be honest for a second, Freaks leans far more into drama than horror. But time hasn’t done a single thing to erode the brilliant horror imagery on show here. The final scenes of the movie are among the best and most affecting I have ever seen. The fact that the movie is cast in a grey hue with oppressive shadows only furthers just how effective the visuals are. Freaks, as a horror movie, is one of the best. But that doesn’t really do the film justice.
It’s actually a touching drama
At its heart, this movie is a legitimately sympathetic portrayal of people who are differently abled. The characters here aren’t presented as freaks. They are presented as kind people with hopes, dreams, and talent. The only freaks in the movie are the villains and that is what makes it such a powerful film. It is impossible to watch this and not entirely fall for the brilliant cast. They are incredibly likable and the camaraderie between them bursts off the screen.
“At its heart, this movie is a legitimately sympathetic portrayal of people who are differently abled. The characters here aren’t presented as freaks; they are presented as kind people.”
The cast here were, for the most part, circus performers themselves and you can see the common bond between them. There are plenty of moments where the cast just seem to be enjoying each other’s company. There is so much chemistry between them that scenes like the “Freaks’ Banquet” feel entirely organic.
The characters here have suffered tremendously at the hands of society and are being exploited every day. People gawk at them and pay money to indulge their curiosities. Despite the fact that these characters are, essentially, the same as everyone else, just born with differences. It’s a legitimately heart-moving, though rather tragic, portrayal. The only people demonised are the ones that shun the characters and the ones who exploit them. The message here was that the characters in Freaks are more “normal” than most of us.
Fairly light on the horror
It’s probably worth me mentioning here, once again, that Freaks is not what you would call a complete horror movie. It is very much an important horror movie. But horror by the 1930s standard is not the same as horror today. Whereas that isn’t such a noteworthy thing with movies that feature classic horror icons like Frankenstein’s monster and Dracula. Freaks presented its horror in a completely different way.
“Freaks shows us the horror of society’s expectations of beauty. Though the horror scenes are few and far between, they are among the best in history.”
As I said before, it is predominantly a drama with a complex story supporting some fantastic moments of genuinely frightening horror. But there are more moments of plot development and simple character interactions than there are scares. You really need to go into the movie with your expectations set.
It helps, to some degree, that Freaks is an incredibly short movie. Just over one hour and there is a very good reason for that. Browning had intended the movie to be a 90-minute feature. But once the censors got a hold of it, it was butchered down to what you see now. So for the record, that’s over 20 minutes of the movie lost to time. Such a legitimate tragedy and I can only imagine how scary some of the cut content was.
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
The Good
- Humanity: The film treats its performers with a level of respect and sympathy that was decades ahead of its time.
- Atmosphere: The lighting and shadows create a classic 1930s horror vibe that remains incredibly effective today.
- Final Act: The climax of the film is a masterclass in tension and terrifying imagery that has lost none of its power.
The Bad
- Missing Footage: The fact that 20 minutes of the film was cut and lost forever due to censorship is a tragedy for film preservation.
- Dated Pacing: Some modern viewers may find the heavy drama focus and short runtime a little jarring compared to contemporary horror.
The Ugly: The “Normal” Villains. The cruelty displayed by the villains toward the performers serves as a brutal reminder of historical prejudices and society’s capacity for exploitation.
Should You Watch Freaks?
Yes, absolutely. It is one of the most important horror movies ever made. Beyond the scares, it is a deeply moving drama that challenges our perceptions of beauty and disability. It is a 4.5 star classic that belongs on every Halloween viewing list. Watch it for the history, but stay for the incredible heart at the centre of the story.
Our Scoring Philosophy: A Fair Fight
Horror is a genre that thrives thanks to indie film makers and low budget creators. At Knockout Horror, we firmly believe that every movie that we review deserves a fair fight. That's why we grade on a curve. Our star ratings are all about context, judging a film on what it achieves with the resources it has.
A 4-star rating for a scrappy indie horror made for $10,000 is a testament to its ingenuity and raw power. A 4-star rating for a $100 million blockbuster means it delivered on its epic promises. We don't compare them side-by-side; we celebrate success in every weight class, from the back-alley brawler to the heavyweight champion. Please keep this in mind when considering star ratings.
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