Freaks
- Wallace Ford: Phroso
- Leila Hyams: Venus
- Olga Baclanova: Cleopatra
- Roscoe Ates Roscoe
- Henry Victor: Hercules
- Harry Earles: Hans
- Daisy Earles: Frieda
- Rose Dione: Madame Tetrallini
- Daisy and Violet Hilton: Siamese Twins
- Schlitzie: Schlitzie
- Jenny Lee & Elvira Snow ( & Schlitzie ): Pinheads
- Josephine Joseph: hermaphrodite
- Frances Belle O'Connor: armless
- Minnie Woolsey: Koo Koo
- Prince Randian: the living torso
- Johnny Eck: the boy without abdominal
- Peter Robinson: human skeleton
- Elizabeth Green: the bird girl
- Olga Roderick: Bearded Woman
- Martha Morris: armless
- Angelo Rossitto: Angeleno
Freaks is an American horror movie from 1932 directed by Tod Browning.
Action
The dwarf Hans is part of a curio show at a circus. He is engaged with the equally diminutive Frieda, but has fallen in love with the trapeze artist Cleopatra. He makes her despite Frieda warning compliments and gifts that Cleopatra happy to accept, but behind Hans ' back she makes fun of him.
When Cleopatra learns that Hans has become wealthy through inheritance, she forges with her lover, the muscle man Hercules, a perfidious plan: Cleopatra marry Hans. At the wedding itself Cleopatra makes fun of the freaks. But not only that - she and Hercules trying to poison Hans. This survived, but his eyes have now been opened. Then the freaks take revenge.
Who can make every day a mockery of the "normal " holds together with one another. And who insulted one of them insulted all. They kill Hercules and make the beautiful Cleopatra suffering a freak. This is - so mutilated - after all, even part of a curio show. The final scene shows how Hans and Frieda years later, but come together again.
Background
Irving Thalberg, the head of production at MGM, trying to build on the successes of the competition Horror Universal studios with this film. He commissioned Tod Browning trying to make a film that should appear harmless against Dracula. After only 36 days of shooting finally came freaks. The film is based on the short story Spurs by Clarence Robbins, which was first printed in February 1923 in Munsey 's Magazine. Contrary to the usual scheme, Browning decided to exercise his film as authentic as possible. Therefore, the "freaks" were played by real Miss educated, he recruited in fairgrounds or in circus tents worldwide. With the lead actor Harry Earles he had already worked together in The Unholy Three.
Originally, the roles of Hercules, Cleopatra and Venus with Victor McLaglen, Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow should be filled; However, this did not play in addition to the freaks. F. Scott Fitzgerald, however, who was one of MGM's team of writers at that time and with the movie stars, nothing could begin, always sat with the freaks at a table.
Director Browning himself lived for several years with such freaks in the circus. Actually, he wanted to put this film a sign of understanding the otherness, but the film had often the reverse effect. Disabilities were regarded as curiosities and as morally questionable. Therefore, many viewers left the performances, because such a film offended at this time against the morals of the visitors. But the film shows that the " monster " does not necessarily have to be scary and may be behind a " beautiful " and seemingly ordinary people hide a monster.
The final scene was originally scheduled differently. In a first version, you can hear Hercules, as he sings soprano after punishment by the freaks. However, this end of frightened visitors at test screenings so much that it has been changed. Nevertheless, the film was banned in several states and cities of the United States. In some of them, this prohibition applies to this day. In Britain, the film was banned for 30 years. Thus ended the career of director Browning, who had previously reached just a year with the film Dracula peaked. By prohibiting the censors of the film for MGM was in fact a financial disaster. Meanwhile, however, the film is one of the great classics of the genre, which has also lost from today's point of view none of its intensity.
The originally about 90 minutes long film is only in about one-third shorter - are replaced - and now restored. In 1994, the film was included in the National Film Registry.
Reviews
" An unusual work in the context of the classic horror film genre in which externally probably guessed, but evil men monstrous abortions are compared, which have preserved in all the misery of dignity, justice and love. A core human, but at the same time terrifying film which showcases the fantastic and macabre aspects of the history heartily. "
" Bizarre cult film. So weird and strange that it took decades to find its audience. "
" A disturbing, fascinating masterpiece. A humane, tender horror movie. "
" Monstrous monsters, in a creepy movie, whose horror operates from all circus arenas in the world of atmosphere with the externals of the geeks, and then as the most human beings to dismiss this in the free imagination of the spectator; gripping, touching, humane horror film except (...). ( Rating: 3 stars / very good) "
Music Theatre
2007 served the film as a template for the contemporary opera Freax whose music by Moritz Eggert and the libretto was written by Hannah Dübgen. The concert premiere at the International Beethoven Festival Bonn caused a scandal.