Zombos was gloomier than usual. The ageless Grandpa Munster had finally passed the veil. I must admit that I was also saddened by the passing of Al Lewis. Nothing reminds us more of our own looming mortality than the death of those traveling along with us through life’s journey.
“The man had history,” said Zombos, sipping his claret. “So few performers today have history.”
I nodded in agreement. The fireplace crackled in agreement. The Promoli fantasy clock on the mantle chimed in agreement. I felt a spell of reminiscence coming on.
“You know,” said Zombos, “I remember when he had his Italian restaurant in Greenwich Village, back in the '80s. It was late one night, and we were just walking along, and there he was, sitting in front of his restaurant — I believe it was called Grampa’s — chomping on a huge cigar. As we stopped to take a look, he jumped up, opened the door, and said 'Are you hungry?' Well, of course we could not pass up the invitation. Such a wonderful personality: earthy, yet vastly talented and resourceful, with a true zest for life.” Zombos fell silent.
Our peaceful mood was soon broken by the arrival of Uncle LaVey, the blackest of the black sheep in Zimba’s family tree. Dressed in his black shirt and pants, and with his black widow’s peaked hairline and black goatee, he presented quite the look of the Satanist about town.
“Zombos!” he said, “I thought you might like to see this again.” He tossed over my copy of Freaks, directed by Tod Browning.
“Well, it’s about time you returned it,” I said. He smiled. A peal of thunder echoed outside, followed by a flash of lightning. Rivulets of water started sliding down the narrow windowpanes of the library: a perfect setting in which to view one of cinema’s more outré films. Zombos passed the bottle of claret over to Uncle LaVey, and I inserted the DVD into the player.
As we watched the film again, with David J Skal’s scintillating voice-over commentary, I could not help but wonder — what were Tod Browning and MGM thinking when they made this film? Browning definitely wanted to shock and unsettle his audience, and MGM wanted a horror film that would rival his earlier Dracula success; but what both eventually achieved was an exploitation styled B-movie with flashes of brilliance that has entertained, insulted, and disgusted its audiences since its first showing in 1932.
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
I dig the motif.
2 - Mat Brewster
As do I.
3 - Howard Dratch
There are so few films, made seriously, that I truly hate and refuse to ever see again. Freaks is high on the list.
Psycho, Repulsion, The Tenant . They are all good enough to freak me out, hard to turn off or to walk out of the theater; but beyond my sensitive nature to watch.
There are, of course, the others that are just plain bad and worthless. Not watching them goes without saying. Why bother? Children of the Corn, Freddy 1-33, Night of the Living Dead and the other poor quality slasher and horror films with no redeeming value social or otherwise.
Freaks is one that takes effort to avoid since it does have those flashes of brilliance but I manage.
4 - Scott Butki
Great review
I have been wanting to see this movie for a while but can't find a place where I can rent it.
5 - Nancy
I only got to see it accidently in college, once, and have never seen it since, either publicly or privately. It's hard to find. What I remember of the ending, however, kind of killed all sense of horror that preceded it, because the result of the freaks' 'revenge' was SO ridiculous. I wonder if I saw a vastly altered version, or what.
Times certainly have changed. Back when Freaks was filmed, people still went to stare at those who were different; now we're taught to avert our eyes from those 'less fortunate' & not to stare, let alone to go specifically to see such anomalies, behavior that is now associated with persons belonging to the lower end of the social & intellectual scale.
BTW, one of the episodes of X-Files was set in a town of freaks, and it was not only well done, without being offensive, but gave the unusual actors (all "real" freakshow performers) some wonderful parts that were in turn humorous, menacing, serious, etc. Check it out; you'll probably enjoy it immensely even if it isn't as dramatic or classic as Freaks.
6 - Iloz Zoc
Scott, Netflix is about your best bet. It's such an odd title, not many brick and mortar stores carry it. Cheapskate Zombos has the 2 discs at a time subscription, which works rather well except Zimba keeps screwing up the queue with non-horror romantic and artsy titles. Drives the rest of us crazy.
7 - Iloz Zoc
Nancy, THAT X-Files episode is my favorite! It is like you have read my mind. Many freak show performers made their living with the traveling carnivals, and when such affairs became politically incorrect, it ruined a major source of professional income for many of them. The circus and carnival social network also provided them with security and family, something many of us normals would not do. Johnny Eck was a prisoner in his rundown apartment toward the end of his life, being victimized by his neighborhood normals and poverty-level income. He only had fame and steady income when in the sideshow.
8 - Nancy
Kind of a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't situation that was/is pretty sad. Actually, weren't there TWO X-Files episodes set in that little Florida town, or do I misremember? I just adored that ending with the geek belching & commenting with that little smile, "it must'a been something I ate...."