“Freaks” is a film that arguably defies the criteria for a normal review. Originally released in 1932, this film caused quite a stir and was even banned in the United Kingdom and parts of the United States. It features real circus ‘freaks’ so it’s hard to know whether it should be viewed as exploitative or not. It’s certainly an ugly and unpleasant film.

Hans (Harry Earles) is a dwarf, who falls for a trapeze artist (Olga Baclanova “The Man Who Laughs”). They both work in a circus and she decides to marry him after learning that he is set to inherit lots of money. However, the other sideshow performers turn on her when her motives for marrying Hans and her true opinion of the other performers are revealed.

It’s pretty horrifying seeing all the different deformed performers. We have people without limbs, people with deformed heads and somebody with no clear sex. Sideshows may have once been a staple of circuses but society has since come to view them as cruel and exploitative. I don’t know if any of these performers were in pain due to their conditions. It is certainly uncomfortable to watch them. The other characters are not particularly interesting to me.

Maybe “Freaks” is a brilliant horror movie because it is unsettling to watch and maybe it gave sideshow performers the chance to be the stars of a Hollywood movie but it’s not a film I remotely enjoyed watching. Some may find it an interesting piece of cinematic history and others may be intrigued by seeing an insight into the life of sideshow performers. To judge as just a normal film seems unfair because so many questions around the morality of watching it are not easily answered. I felt queasy watching “Freaks” and I don’t really think anybody else would feel particularly great watching it.