I was really impressed with this film. I mean I am always really intrigued by early black and white films, but I found it to be very interesting. It wasn't a love story or war propaganda as was normal for that time. It was a film with a message, one that makes sense, even now.
I don't feel it necessary to discuss too far the technicalities of the "wagon wheels" and the illusion of the characters "coming toward" us, because I think that is something that we are all aware of, we simply give in as audience members for the duration of the film, because that is what we are supposed to do. It is natural, because as the audience, we want to step away from reality, and filmmakers supply us with that outlet.
I must say I found it to be exceptionally cute the way they worked in the conjoined twins. I think we all wonder at some time or other how a conjoined twin could have a normal life and get married and whatnot, but I think the way they played with it was both funny and tasteful.
I think that the film was a success as a whole, because despite how it may have been received in 1932, from me it drew sympathy for these misfits, from the man with no arms and legs who could still manage to light a cigarette, to poor little Han and Rita, which was the obvious goal from the prologue in the intro.
I agree with everything in the previous post. I feel that the message it send out, is one of good vs evil. In the end good prevails over the bad.
The film for its time, was an excellent one. Even though it was black and white, the lighting used was terrific. Compared to today's films it isn't as good, but for the 30s they did a really good job.
In my family, watching this movie used to be something of a Christmas tradition, so it was not the first time by any means that I've seen it. However, it is a little different when not seen though the eyes of a 10 year old.
I thought it was an excellent film, all in all, and having looked it up on wikipedia the night after class, I was shocked to discover that it is classified (at least by whoever wrote that article) under "Horror". While it does have a somewhat intense and slightly horrifying sequence at the end, I have a hard time feeling particularly scared when I'm rooting for the freaks the whole time.
Far from horror, I thought that the best parts of the movie were the onces not necessarily connected to the main plot. The scene where the bearded woman has her child comes to mind. The the biggest accomplishment of this film is the way it enforces the notion that these people are just like the rest of us; a statement that may have been hard for some to accept at the time of the movie's original release.
I liked watching Freaks because it is an older film and I got to see what it was like for the earlier generations to watch films. I also liked the film because it shows us how far we have come in special effects and graphics. Browning did pretty well with the special effects considering it was 1932 and he did well changing the shots to keep the audience entertained throughout the movie.
I have rarely viewed black and white films, yet after seeing Freaks, I gained a new appreciation for these older movies. The story exhibited the mutilation that the evil woman deserved. The discussion about negative spaces creating a claustrophobic effect was very interesting. It seems that many different methods such as the lighting and use of colors in a film can greatly affect how the audience perceives certain shots.
I enjoyed the film. I have a heart for people who are "different". I especially enjoyed the ending. It film showed how people can be so cruel. In the end the good always outweigh the bad.
I think the film and films like it are a useful tools, especially for me because Im a theater major. The reason why I found it to be so useful is simply because it give me a look back at the beginning of film. This provides some insight into some of the basic acting techniques that they utilized back then.
I enjoyed the film and I do appreciate the older movies without CG you don't always get the same quality of movies today. You can't always catch the glitches that are made. As in this one towards the end about 1:00:22 into the movie after the Venus has run out of her trailer and looking for help she is seen again in the trailer being pushed out by the clown who is being restrained by Hercules. I don't see this film as art by no means. But it does create the reality of the times. As well as our time we always look at something different with wariness. Beauty comes as something we all want and praise but true beauty comes from with in. I had never seen Freaks before so I took the opportunity to watch it again with no one around to be amazed at what they did back then. The filming and acting were well done considering that they did not have the advancements that we do today or even back with go-motion in the 70's. It is truly an interesting film. The lighting the acting and coming up with a story line that even today still has some ring a truth about it. I was interested in watching the back ground shots and it was very real. They kept it simple and kept it true to what I know about circus life behind the curtain (I will admit that is not much). I am curious as to why they would take off that late at night to move the show to the next town. How the dry roads got so wet so fast because earlier when the "freak" with no limbs was climbing under the trailers it was very dry and he was stirring up dust. I enjoyed the movie enough to sit thru it twice and see what I missed when I watched it as perceived reality.
I think this film should be viewed by everyone at some point in time. This movie sent a very strong message, well I think two important messages. One of them being, "good always prevails over evil" and the other being "treat others how you want to be treated." Overall this was a great film and I believe that the director did a great job sending these messages out to the viewers.
I personally think that this is a very interesting film for its time. I can definitely understand how it would be received with controversy. I don't think that the audience of 1932 would have been able to determine if Browning intended to draw negative attention to the freaks or to empower them. However, I think that this film deeply empowers people with physical deformities. I think Browning does a wonderful job in showing us that these people have the same individual wants and needs as the rest of us. In addition, I find the sense of "brotherhood" between the freaks that this film so accurately describes is quite amazing. I think that this is best shown during the film's climax when the freaks band together to take brutal revenge on their enemies. I think that Freaks stands the test of time and endures on for anyone who is willing to take the time to appreciate it. It's images still startle and compel it's viewers in just the way that they did in 1932 and it is almost in every way just as controversial as it first was.
I was surprised at how easily 'Freaks' accomplished its goal of being a disturbing, controversial horror film, despite having been made 78 years ago. I feel that 'like' is not the correct word for how I felt about the film, but I do highly appreciate the delicate situation of Browning's using real circus 'freaks' in his film. Without his past experiences and personally knowing the circus performers, this would have felt exploitive and inappropriate. He shows sensitivity and admiration for the freaks' guild-like camaraderie. Its clear that Browning genuinely came to care about and respect the people he'd met in his circus days and created a classic and memorable film to honor them. Coming from that era, I expected something less disturbing. It is genuinely impressive to see how Browning causes malformed circus 'freaks' to be the heroes, and the beautiful 'normal' people to be the villains. It was definitely more disturbing to me that the actors were real circus freaks rather than graphically enhanced. Whenever a modern film is disturbing, its easy to shrug it off as not real. Having to accept that these people were real causes the audience to feel much more sympathetic and involved in the film. While I can't say I'll be watching it for enjoyment anytime soon, I am glad to have seen such an eye-opening film.
I enjoyed the film expecially because of the visual difference of cinematography from the 1930s to present day. The story line was very different as well which keeps the audience engaged in the film. The camera angles facinated me about this movie, expecially the ending scenes. The use of negative space enhanced the feeling of entraptment and created a scary ambiance to the ending scenes. The different portrayals of human deformities were very empowering and helped display a certain raw emotion to the audience.
I enjoy older films and the actors in the films themselves.This film "Freaks" was a different kind of film for me due to the fact that most of the older films I have seen are usually love stories and this film had a different agenda, this film focused on human deformities and what people lable as strange. The shots and camera angels were very interesting in the movie because you could differentiate between them clearly. The lighting and negative space used in the film was very artistic in how it framed the scene and the characters. As for the actual freaks portrayed in the film I believe that they invoked sympathy towards their situation and also had the audience rooting for them at the end. Essentially this movie should make its audience see how being abnormal isnt always a bad thing.
Since I do some work with film its really unique to look at films that old with keeping in mind what technology, cameras, lighting, and microphones they were using. Every film is edited and completed now a days using a computer. However back then to edit the film they used nothing but a razor and tape to hold together each still shot taking much longer then we do now. Also the film was really intriguing by seeing what kind of stories were told and how we got our start in the world of film really taking you back into that time period. Freaks was also a unique story but also passing on a message that when you stand together with the people you care you can over come any problem that you couldn't if you were alone.
As most others have said, I was really intrigued by this film. I have never really taken the time to watch many black and white films, so this really was a learning experiance for me. Obviously many techniques have improved with time, but i found the similarities in the shooting techniques remarkable. Many of the shots taken in this movie seem to be shot the same way as a director would shoot a scene now. This film was good enough to watch again, and made me appreciate older films more.
The film was different from most movies I am used to. Even though I have never seen a black and white film I very much enjoyed it. I thought at times it was hard to understand the characters but overall was a great movie. The message being sent was that good always wins over evil. The movie displayed this message very well.
I haven't seen many black and white films, but "Freaks" made me want to see more. I thought it was a good film. The characters speak differently because it's older, which can come off a little silly at some points, but overall I think it made the film more endearing. It still had a clear message and I thought the shots under the wagon we watched at the end of class were really clever. I've never fully appreciated everything that went into making just one clip, like how the diector increased the number of cuts and camera angles to build anticipation. Can't wait to see more.
The film "Freaks" suprisingly kept my attention throughout the hole movie. The film seemed very revolutionary for its time in both the subject matter and the techniques used to film the picture. I never noticed how the lighting and angles of the camera changed how people view a movie. This movie made me want to see other black and white films and expand my little knowledge of film.
I was amused by this movie because i have seen very few vintage movies. I didn't even think technology was that advanced but sometimes we forget about the past because we are so wrapped up in the future. Freaks was entertaining and told a good story, but I would never have watched it on my own time. It was slow at times and hard to understand what the characters were saying. In the end it helped me start to observe movies not just how we're supposed to see them but from other perspectives.
In my opinion, the end of the movie, when we studied the individual shots and lighting was much more interesting than the actual movie itself. I had trouble following the movie from the very beginning and couldn't make very much sense of what was going on. I felt as if there were too many ideas floating around at once and that may just be how vintage films are. I haven't seen very many of this type of movie but I'm sure that will change in the following weeks. I found the analysis of the actual shots to be very interesting and hope we learn more about those type of things.
Overall I thought "Freaks" was an interesting movie. It at times provided humor due to how outdated it seemed, but it also had a good moral that is still relevant today. I did enjoy some of the shots that Browning got throughout the movie especially during the final showdown scene. I also found it interesting how he started it with a freak show, told the past story and then came back to the show. Now days with movies there are so many flashbacks and cuts to previous times and places that it can be confusing. I also liked how the whole thing was about a freak show but at the same time to the viewer it was a freak show;however, I feel that he accomplishes his goal of getting the audience to feel pity by the end of the movie and realize that they aren't freaks. I probably won't watch the movie again but I will now be more aware of how more recent movie use the same basic moral and techniques to add emotional appeal.
So let me first state that the site messed up, and I lost everything I originally had written.
With that being said, I agree with all who have said the film was intriguing. Then again, I've always been a sucker for old black and white movies!
The message that "Freaks" delivered (the idea that "freaks" will band together for the general well being of other "freaks") was one that indeed proves to be important, and meaningful. Ridicule of those who are different from the stereotypical "norm" has been prevalent in society since the conception of society. Thus, the message "Freaks" put forth still stands relevant in today's time.
While the film itself was probably viewed as "advanced" for it's time, today, the movie looks like a toddler in a grown up's world. However, by seeing this movie, I understand the progression of film throughout the last however many decades it's been. Thus, this film is crucial to the understanding of movies today. I believe that "Freaks" set forth a stable foundation on which movies could gradually progress, yet the techniques of shots, and angles, and cuts are still used today.
I look forward to watching more films in this class, and hopefully they are all as interesting as "Freaks".
I liked this film, i especially loved the end when the tables got turned and homeboy pulled that knife out i cracked up laughing. It kept me interested throughtout the whole film. it showed even people that are different deserve respect and are not as weak as people my think. Don't judge that book by its cover!!!
I think this movie was a terrific example of the struggle between good and evil. The extremely unusual "freaks" got a lot of sympathy from me, and this only made me hate the villans more. Despite the fact that the technology used in this movie is extremly dated, you can still identify with the charecters, care for them and cheer for them. This is a sign that the movie is well put together and can transition across generational and technological bounderies. I loved it.
The movie Freaks, in my opinion, was very interesting. The undertone it gave off through visual as well as other aspects got the message across to viewers in a clear but unknown way. I got emotions from the movie through subtle effects that I normally wouldn't consciously recognize which I thought was a very strong point of the movie. Maybe it was just the black and white that gave it the extra chill factor, but I think the people behind this film knew what they were doing as far as lighting and angles, which makes all the difference in the end. The plot wasn't really the attention grabber for me, but my overall impression of the movie was a good one due to the simple effects and lighting used in this old classic movie. Another aspect that keeps this movie known through so many years is the relatable theme it has. All around this movie get two thumbs up from me, for not so obvious reasons.
I think the movie Freaks was a really interesting intro to our class. Throughout the whole movie I couldn't help but feel a tad bit uncomfortable- how did these people get chosen to be in the film? Did their family members feel as if they were being exploited? Even though the movie's agenda isn't to put the "freaks" down, rather to raise them up, it's still a touchy subject. Clearly Tod Browning isn't out to poke fun and laugh at those who are different, but any idiot could easily think so. I think the archetypes were really strong, ya know the "good vs evil" and "weak vs strong", etc, but the story line was also fresh. The plot kinda dragged on in the beginning, but the end was worth the wait for sure.
What interests me the most about films from this era (1930's) is how the general feeling for a particular scene is conveyed mostly by the director's setup, rather than the special effects that almost all modern films rely on to get you in the mood of the scene. The film instead relies on camera angles, lighting, and cuts to get the message across.
I think its remarkable that Tod Browning was so drawn to the circus life from such a young age, and then was later inspired to do direct this film. He had the perfect cast available to him, and I don't think any modern director would be able to recreate this film without using cheesy special effects. Tod Browning was working with the real deal, which is something that is never easy to duplicate.
I really enjoyed the film and was a good way to start off the class. I didn't think I was going to enjoy it as much as I did. It was difficult to follow along with but was a great way for the class to see the differences of film from the 30s and present day. It was the typical good vs. evil type story and was an overall great movie that displayed an incredible example of lighting and angles for that time.
Clark, I laughed out loud when you said that it was a christmas tradition to watch Freaks. Not in a judgemental way, I just thought it was really funny, because the film is somewhat disturbing.
I was really impressed with this film. I mean I am always really intrigued by early black and white films, but I found it to be very interesting. It wasn't a love story or war propaganda as was normal for that time. It was a film with a message, one that makes sense, even now.
ReplyDeleteI don't feel it necessary to discuss too far the technicalities of the "wagon wheels" and the illusion of the characters "coming toward" us, because I think that is something that we are all aware of, we simply give in as audience members for the duration of the film, because that is what we are supposed to do. It is natural, because as the audience, we want to step away from reality, and filmmakers supply us with that outlet.
I must say I found it to be exceptionally cute the way they worked in the conjoined twins. I think we all wonder at some time or other how a conjoined twin could have a normal life and get married and whatnot, but I think the way they played with it was both funny and tasteful.
I think that the film was a success as a whole, because despite how it may have been received in 1932, from me it drew sympathy for these misfits, from the man with no arms and legs who could still manage to light a cigarette, to poor little Han and Rita, which was the obvious goal from the prologue in the intro.
I agree with everything in the previous post. I feel that the message it send out, is one of good vs evil. In the end good prevails over the bad.
ReplyDeleteThe film for its time, was an excellent one. Even though it was black and white, the lighting used was terrific. Compared to today's films it isn't as good, but for the 30s they did a really good job.
In my family, watching this movie used to be something of a Christmas tradition, so it was not the first time by any means that I've seen it. However, it is a little different when not seen though the eyes of a 10 year old.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was an excellent film, all in all, and having looked it up on wikipedia the night after class, I was shocked to discover that it is classified (at least by whoever wrote that article) under "Horror". While it does have a somewhat intense and slightly horrifying sequence at the end, I have a hard time feeling particularly scared when I'm rooting for the freaks the whole time.
Far from horror, I thought that the best parts of the movie were the onces not necessarily connected to the main plot. The scene where the bearded woman has her child comes to mind. The the biggest accomplishment of this film is the way it enforces the notion that these people are just like the rest of us; a statement that may have been hard for some to accept at the time of the movie's original release.
I liked watching Freaks because it is an older film and I got to see what it was like for the earlier generations to watch films. I also liked the film because it shows us how far we have come in special effects and graphics. Browning did pretty well with the special effects considering it was 1932 and he did well changing the shots to keep the audience entertained throughout the movie.
ReplyDeleteI have rarely viewed black and white films, yet after seeing Freaks, I gained a new appreciation for these older movies. The story exhibited the mutilation that the evil woman deserved. The discussion about negative spaces creating a claustrophobic effect was very interesting. It seems that many different methods such as the lighting and use of colors in a film can greatly affect how the audience perceives certain shots.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the film. I have a heart for people who are "different". I especially enjoyed the ending. It film showed how people can be so cruel. In the end the good always outweigh the bad.
ReplyDeleteI think the film and films like it are a useful tools, especially for me because Im a theater major. The reason why I found it to be so useful is simply because it give me a look back at the beginning of film. This provides some insight into some of the basic acting techniques that they utilized back then.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the film and I do appreciate the older movies without CG you don't always get the same quality of movies today. You can't always catch the glitches that are made. As in this one towards the end about 1:00:22 into the movie after the Venus has run out of her trailer and looking for help she is seen again in the trailer being pushed out by the clown who is being restrained by Hercules.
ReplyDeleteI don't see this film as art by no means. But it does create the reality of the times. As well as our time we always look at something different with wariness. Beauty comes as something we all want and praise but true beauty comes from with in.
I had never seen Freaks before so I took the opportunity to watch it again with no one around to be amazed at what they did back then. The filming and acting were well done considering that they did not have the advancements that we do today or even back with go-motion in the 70's. It is truly an interesting film. The lighting the acting and coming up with a story line that even today still has some ring a truth about it.
I was interested in watching the back ground shots and it was very real. They kept it simple and kept it true to what I know about circus life behind the curtain (I will admit that is not much).
I am curious as to why they would take off that late at night to move the show to the next town. How the dry roads got so wet so fast because earlier when the "freak" with no limbs was climbing under the trailers it was very dry and he was stirring up dust.
I enjoyed the movie enough to sit thru it twice and see what I missed when I watched it as perceived reality.
I think this film should be viewed by everyone at some point in time. This movie sent a very strong message, well I think two important messages. One of them being, "good always prevails over evil" and the other being "treat others how you want to be treated." Overall this was a great film and I believe that the director did a great job sending these messages out to the viewers.
ReplyDeleteI personally think that this is a very interesting film for its time. I can definitely understand how it would be received with controversy. I don't think that the audience of 1932 would have been able to determine if Browning intended to draw negative attention to the freaks or to empower them. However, I think that this film deeply empowers people with physical deformities.
ReplyDeleteI think Browning does a wonderful job in showing us that these people have the same individual wants and needs as the rest of us. In addition, I find the sense of "brotherhood" between the freaks that this film so accurately describes is quite amazing. I think that this is best shown during the film's climax when the freaks band together to take brutal revenge on their enemies.
I think that Freaks stands the test of time and endures on for anyone who is willing to take the time to appreciate it. It's images still startle and compel it's viewers in just the way that they did in 1932 and it is almost in every way just as controversial as it first was.
I was surprised at how easily 'Freaks' accomplished its goal of being a disturbing, controversial horror film, despite having been made 78 years ago. I feel that 'like' is not the correct word for how I felt about the film, but I do highly appreciate the delicate situation of Browning's using real circus 'freaks' in his film. Without his past experiences and personally knowing the circus performers, this would have felt exploitive and inappropriate. He shows sensitivity and admiration for the freaks' guild-like camaraderie. Its clear that Browning genuinely came to care about and respect the people he'd met in his circus days and created a classic and memorable film to honor them.
ReplyDeleteComing from that era, I expected something less disturbing. It is genuinely impressive to see how Browning causes malformed circus 'freaks' to be the heroes, and the beautiful 'normal' people to be the villains. It was definitely more disturbing to me that the actors were real circus freaks rather than graphically enhanced. Whenever a modern film is disturbing, its easy to shrug it off as not real. Having to accept that these people were real causes the audience to feel much more sympathetic and involved in the film. While I can't say I'll be watching it for enjoyment anytime soon, I am glad to have seen such an eye-opening film.
I enjoyed the film expecially because of the visual difference of cinematography from the 1930s to present day. The story line was very different as well which keeps the audience engaged in the film. The camera angles facinated me about this movie, expecially the ending scenes. The use of negative space enhanced the feeling of entraptment and created a scary ambiance to the ending scenes. The different portrayals of human deformities were very empowering and helped display a certain raw emotion to the audience.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy older films and the actors in the films themselves.This film "Freaks" was a different kind of film for me due to the fact that most of the older films I have seen are usually love stories and this film had a different agenda, this film focused on human deformities and what people lable as strange. The shots and camera angels were very interesting in the movie because you could differentiate between them clearly. The lighting and negative space used in the film was very artistic in how it framed the scene and the characters. As for the actual freaks portrayed in the film I believe that they invoked sympathy towards their situation and also had the audience rooting for them at the end. Essentially this movie should make its audience see how being abnormal isnt always a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteSince I do some work with film its really unique to look at films that old with keeping in mind what technology, cameras, lighting, and microphones they were using. Every film is edited and completed now a days using a computer. However back then to edit the film they used nothing but a razor and tape to hold together each still shot taking much longer then we do now. Also the film was really intriguing by seeing what kind of stories were told and how we got our start in the world of film really taking you back into that time period. Freaks was also a unique story but also passing on a message that when you stand together with the people you care you can over come any problem that you couldn't if you were alone.
ReplyDeleteAs most others have said, I was really intrigued by this film. I have never really taken the time to watch many black and white films, so this really was a learning experiance for me. Obviously many techniques have improved with time, but i found the similarities in the shooting techniques remarkable. Many of the shots taken in this movie seem to be shot the same way as a director would shoot a scene now. This film was good enough to watch again, and made me appreciate older films more.
ReplyDeleteThe film was different from most movies I am used to. Even though I have never seen a black and white film I very much enjoyed it. I thought at times it was hard to understand the characters but overall was a great movie. The message being sent was that good always wins over evil. The movie displayed this message very well.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen many black and white films, but "Freaks" made me want to see more. I thought it was a good film. The characters speak differently because it's older, which can come off a little silly at some points, but overall I think it made the film more endearing. It still had a clear message and I thought the shots under the wagon we watched at the end of class were really clever. I've never fully appreciated everything that went into making just one clip, like how the diector increased the number of cuts and camera angles to build anticipation. Can't wait to see more.
ReplyDeleteThe film "Freaks" suprisingly kept my attention throughout the hole movie. The film seemed very revolutionary for its time in both the subject matter and the techniques used to film the picture. I never noticed how the lighting and angles of the camera changed how people view a movie. This movie made me want to see other black and white films and expand my little knowledge of film.
ReplyDeleteI was amused by this movie because i have seen very few vintage movies. I didn't even think technology was that advanced but sometimes we forget about the past because we are so wrapped up in the future. Freaks was entertaining and told a good story, but I would never have watched it on my own time. It was slow at times and hard to understand what the characters were saying. In the end it helped me start to observe movies not just how we're supposed to see them but from other perspectives.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the end of the movie, when we studied the individual shots and lighting was much more interesting than the actual movie itself. I had trouble following the movie from the very beginning and couldn't make very much sense of what was going on. I felt as if there were too many ideas floating around at once and that may just be how vintage films are. I haven't seen very many of this type of movie but I'm sure that will change in the following weeks. I found the analysis of the actual shots to be very interesting and hope we learn more about those type of things.
ReplyDeleteOverall I thought "Freaks" was an interesting movie. It at times provided humor due to how outdated it seemed, but it also had a good moral that is still relevant today. I did enjoy some of the shots that Browning got throughout the movie especially during the final showdown scene. I also found it interesting how he started it with a freak show, told the past story and then came back to the show. Now days with movies there are so many flashbacks and cuts to previous times and places that it can be confusing. I also liked how the whole thing was about a freak show but at the same time to the viewer it was a freak show;however, I feel that he accomplishes his goal of getting the audience to feel pity by the end of the movie and realize that they aren't freaks. I probably won't watch the movie again but I will now be more aware of how more recent movie use the same basic moral and techniques to add emotional appeal.
ReplyDeleteSo let me first state that the site messed up, and I lost everything I originally had written.
ReplyDeleteWith that being said, I agree with all who have said the film was intriguing. Then again, I've always been a sucker for old black and white movies!
The message that "Freaks" delivered (the idea that "freaks" will band together for the general well being of other "freaks") was one that indeed proves to be important, and meaningful. Ridicule of those who are different from the stereotypical "norm" has been prevalent in society since the conception of society. Thus, the message "Freaks" put forth still stands relevant in today's time.
While the film itself was probably viewed as "advanced" for it's time, today, the movie looks like a toddler in a grown up's world. However, by seeing this movie, I understand the progression of film throughout the last however many decades it's been. Thus, this film is crucial to the understanding of movies today. I believe that "Freaks" set forth a stable foundation on which movies could gradually progress, yet the techniques of shots, and angles, and cuts are still used today.
I look forward to watching more films in this class, and hopefully they are all as interesting as "Freaks".
I liked this film, i especially loved the end when the tables got turned and homeboy pulled that knife out i cracked up laughing. It kept me interested throughtout the whole film. it showed even people that are different deserve respect and are not as weak as people my think. Don't judge that book by its cover!!!
ReplyDeleteI think this movie was a terrific example of the struggle between good and evil. The extremely unusual "freaks" got a lot of sympathy from me, and this only made me hate the villans more. Despite the fact that the technology used in this movie is extremly dated, you can still identify with the charecters, care for them and cheer for them. This is a sign that the movie is well put together and can transition across generational and technological bounderies. I loved it.
ReplyDeleteThe movie Freaks, in my opinion, was very interesting. The undertone it gave off through visual as well as other aspects got the message across to viewers in a clear but unknown way. I got emotions from the movie through subtle effects that I normally wouldn't consciously recognize which I thought was a very strong point of the movie. Maybe it was just the black and white that gave it the extra chill factor, but I think the people behind this film knew what they were doing as far as lighting and angles, which makes all the difference in the end. The plot wasn't really the attention grabber for me, but my overall impression of the movie was a good one due to the simple effects and lighting used in this old classic movie. Another aspect that keeps this movie known through so many years is the relatable theme it has. All around this movie get two thumbs up from me, for not so obvious reasons.
ReplyDeleteI think the movie Freaks was a really interesting intro to our class. Throughout the whole movie I couldn't help but feel a tad bit uncomfortable- how did these people get chosen to be in the film? Did their family members feel as if they were being exploited? Even though the movie's agenda isn't to put the "freaks" down, rather to raise them up, it's still a touchy subject. Clearly Tod Browning isn't out to poke fun and laugh at those who are different, but any idiot could easily think so. I think the archetypes were really strong, ya know the "good vs evil" and "weak vs strong", etc, but the story line was also fresh. The plot kinda dragged on in the beginning, but the end was worth the wait for sure.
ReplyDeleteWhat interests me the most about films from this era (1930's) is how the general feeling for a particular scene is conveyed mostly by the director's setup, rather than the special effects that almost all modern films rely on to get you in the mood of the scene. The film instead relies on camera angles, lighting, and cuts to get the message across.
ReplyDeleteI think its remarkable that Tod Browning was so drawn to the circus life from such a young age, and then was later inspired to do direct this film. He had the perfect cast available to him, and I don't think any modern director would be able to recreate this film without using cheesy special effects. Tod Browning was working with the real deal, which is something that is never easy to duplicate.
I really enjoyed the film and was a good way to start off the class. I didn't think I was going to enjoy it as much as I did. It was difficult to follow along with but was a great way for the class to see the differences of film from the 30s and present day. It was the typical good vs. evil type story and was an overall great movie that displayed an incredible example of lighting and angles for that time.
ReplyDeleteClark, I laughed out loud when you said that it was a christmas tradition to watch Freaks. Not in a judgemental way, I just thought it was really funny, because the film is somewhat disturbing.
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