Freaks -- Banned for Thirty Years ~ Kuriositas

Freaks was released in 1932 but it was three decades before many people got to see the movie. On its release it was almost immediately banned - because of its cast. It was felt that the disabled actors were simply too deformed to be palatable as entertainment to the movie goers of the time. So, for the sake of the able bodied audience it was tucked away until the 1960s when it was rediscovered and became something of a counterculture cult.

Directed and produced by Tod Browning who had an extensive circus background himself, the balck and white film follows a trapeze artist, Cleopatra, who realises that one of the midgets with whom she works is the heir to a great fortune. She resolves to marry him - and then dispose of him, aided and abetted by the circus strongman. The Freaks of the title, when they discover her plan exact a terrible revenge.

Ultimately, the Freaks are shown to be the ones with honor, trust and faith in humanity while the normal people are seen to be the real freaks. Who is the monster and who is the man? Enjoy the full length movie of a film deemed to be too upsetting for normals for decades...

Freaks -- Banned for Thirty Years

Saturday, September 18, 2010