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Tod Browning, who directed Bela Lugosi in the original Dracula, stepped into even eerier territory with this 1932 story of betrayal and retribution in the circus. Evil trapeze artist Olga Baclanova seduces and marries a midget in the circus sideshow, hoping to inherit his wealth. But in doing so, she has crossed the wrong folks: the tightly knit group of nature's aberrations, who stick together like family--and who set out to avenge their little pal. Browning brought in some of the most famous sideshow attractions of the era, include Siamese twins Daisy and Violet Hilton and Johnny Eck the Legless Boy, as well as Zip and Pip, microcephalics whose appearance in this film inspired cartoonist Bill Griffith to create his comic strip, "Zippy the Pinhead." So disturbing that it was banned for 30 years in Great Britain. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (71)

An unsettling, yet human, masterpiece.
Tod Browning's Freaks is a prime example of what films used to be and a sad reminder that they will never quite be like this again. Based on the short story 'Spurs' by Tod Robbins, the movie tells the story of a circus midget who falls in love with a beautiful, 'normal' trapeze artist. When she and her strongman lover try to poison him for his money, the 'freaks' exact their revenge on them. Browning, a former circus performer himself, treats his unusual cast of real-life circus freaks with genuine sympathy. They are the true human element of the film. In most ways this is the first truely compassionate horror film ever made. But upon it's release, censors flipped, audiences ran in horror, and the film was yanked from the screen and banned in Europe for 40 years. A shame, indeed, as the film is a true triumph for Browning. A film that makes a convincing argument about our expectations of beauty and humanity. Sure, it's creepy and frightening. But it's also very sad. It shows you that it's not what we look like that makes us human or that we don't have to be beautiful to be respected. A strange argument for a 'horror' film to make. The only downside to this long-lost and vastly underappreciated film is that the sound can sometimes be rather muffled and a few of the actors have thick accents that sometimes make understanding the dialogue a chore. But it's a minor complaint and doesn't really distract from the wonder up on the screen. If you're in the mood for something a little... uh... different... definitely check this one out. You will be thankful you did.

A Must See Movie
Freaks will always be a unique film. The film is a mix of a fictional story brought to life with real life oddities. The story takes place with a traveling Circus. The Circus people are very much their own community. The "Freaks" of the circus stand out even from the other circus folk. They are still made fun of and lied to. Olga Baclanova plays Cleopatra, an evil trapeze artist. She takes advantage of a midget named Hans, stealing him away from his fiancé and taking his money. Unfortunately she did not consider the loyalty and capabilities of these abnormal people. She and her lover pay a great price for there ignorance. The "Freaks" of the circus eventually live happy and Cleopatra the fate of those she tormented. The Director Tod Browning has brought some the most famous sideshow attractions of that time, including Frances O'Connor (armless girl), Peter Robinson (human skeleton), Daisy and Violet Hilton (siamese twins), and Johnny Eck (boy with no legs), to name only a view. He brings this incredible cast of real-life sideshow freaks for this bizarre and fascinating film. The epilogue was clearly added to the film after its creation by its conflicting words. It made points that were later proven false by the story. It said that the oddities longed to become beautiful but this was never promoted in the film. The story was well based but not acted well, possibly due to the fact most of the cast where not professional film actors. The scenes were often over acted most of the time with more then enough enthusiasm from the characters. The visual scenes themselves where quite pleasing. The sets did a good job of bring out the conditions that the circus people lived in. There was also little make-up and special effects needed to show the audience how real these people are with their genuine flaws. Overall it is a movie that must be scene at least once. It brought to film the lives of the deformed and unwanted for the first time. It has a good point of not taking advantage of those that can not help who they are and the consequences you mite face.

You Will Never See Another Movie Quite Like Freaks
Creepy. Disturbing. Difficult to sit through. Compelling. Thought provoking. Touching. Maybe even a little bit brilliant. Only a simpleton could watch this movie and come away completely unaffected. The freaks are a clan and they stick together and look out for each other and woe to the person who harms one of them. The freaks know that, for a normal person, the greatest punishment is to be made a freak. They use this to their advantage in a climax both compelling and frightening. Will stay with you for days.

browning; an auteur of the most interesting order
todd browning's films too often get compared to james whale's films and, consequently, come up short.
while i am the first to agree that browning's 'dracula' artistically pales to whale's 'frankenstein', i think the point is rather mute.
the quintessential browning film is here in 'freaks' and it does indeed contain the blazing, unique, twisted visison of todd browning.
yes, the film also has his flaws, the main one beingt he stilted dialogue.
browning was a 'silent director' and this film's major flaw
(like 'dracula' )is the fact that it isn't a silent.
in only scene does the dialogue work and that is in the chorus like 'we accept her' scene; a scene to send chills down yuor spine even today.
but, to harp on the flaws, detracts from what this so obviousely is; a flawed masterpeice from a true auteur.
it's history is well knwon.
thalberg ordered browning to come up with a film to outdo frankenstein and dracula.
much to thalberg's chagrin, browning delivered freaks and mgm promptly shelved it.
i recall reading much about the film as a child. when the day of vcrs came round blackhawk films announced they were carrying this for a hundred dollars and i promptly ordered it.
it was one of those films that after reading about it for so long i was a little bit dissapointed and at the same time, floored, which i expected to be.
if you accept the flaws of the film you will be as well.

Holds up as a disturbing masterpiece...
Too bad there isn't an affordable way to own the DVD of this incredible film. It still manages to shock and disturb nearly a century after its release and has timeless lessons about human compassion, or the lack thereof. For anyone who has ever experienced rejection...for anyone who has ever rejectED, this brilliant "little" movie will haunt you always. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A pleasure to watch!
I can only echo what others have already said about this excellent silent movie made in 1928, when techniques and styles were well developed - only to be abruptly ended a year later when sound arrived. So for anyone a bit reluctant about silent films, or simply new to them, then "Docks of New York" is a great place to start. It is a simple yet touching story of true love in an unlikely setting: the rough dockyard neighbourhood with its drunken barroom brawls and 'ladies of the night'. It moves at a comfortable pace and takes in much visual detail, while building a certain suspense about what happens next, making this film a real pleasure to watch. Definitely worth having!

ONE OF THE BEST SILENT FILMS EVER MADE
If you want to get into silent film, don't start with the unbearable Griffith movies. Start here with this unpretentious, entertaining classic from Von Sternberg. It's wonderful -- and you can buy it for about the price of a movie ticket.

Give me another cigarette.
Josef Von Sternberg was one of the great mis-en-scene directors of the silent/early talkie era. In 1929, at the close of the silent era, Paramount commissioned him to direct George Bancroft in the murky "Docks of New York". Frankly lost in audience's new love affair with "sound" movies, "Docks" is one of Sternberg's most visually successful films. Slow-moving and thoughtful, it's the story of grimy New York dock workers, and the on-and-off love affair of one couple. Laced with heavy cigarette smoke, the camera dollies in out of dingy bars and dark waterfronts. Several scenes are still considered near classic for their moody ambience(including Bancroft's rescue of a woman's near-suicide on the docks). Promoted to stardom by Sternberg, George Bancroft's career would slowly fade out after this picture. Ten years later, he was a supporting player in 1939's "Stagecoach". "Docks of New York" is not an exciting picture, but cinema lovers here can relish the magnificent visual powers of Sternberg in his prime, just before he entered his popular 6-picture series with Marlene Dietrich.

A great silent film
You may never have heard of this silent film, but you will love it! A simple story is very well told with great acting, realistic atmosphere and great camera work. One of the best made films of the twenties! ... Read more

Reviews (8)

PERFECTION FROM BEGINNING TO END
Everyone has already said it better than I, so simply drop everything...and purchase this remarkable film.

And thank you, again, KINO, for allowing us the chance to behold these masterworks.

Visual Eloquence
Baes on Victor Hugo's 1869 novel, "The Man Who Laughs" is the morbid tale of Gwynplaine, an English clown doomed to a life adorned with a perpetual grin. His surgical smile was implanted on him by devilish gypsies. Gwynplaine is raised beside lovely Dea, whom we rescued as a baby. Dea is blind and can see only the beauty of his soul. As a complication, the sexy Duchess Josiana is attracted to, and repelled by Gwynplaine, all at the same time. A sensual, robust epic, "The Man Who Laughs" involves court intrigue, secret scandals, and a simple boy's enduring true love. Conrad Veidt played the lead in 1919's "Cabinet of Dr. Caligari". Lured to America in 1926 by actor John Barrymore, Veidt co-starred with him in the classic "Beloved Rogue". Then Universal's Carl Laemmle tapped him for the lead in "The Man Who Laughs". Years later, in 1941, Veidt played Major Strasser in "Casablanca". Just 6 months after it's release, Conrad Veidt died of a heart attack playing golf(8th hole) in Los Angeles, Calif.. The director of "The Man Who Laughs" was also a German import. Paul Leni's production of "Cat and the Canary" installed him as Universal's reigning terror-director. In Leni's "The Man Who Laughs", light is not so important as shadow. Backgrounds unveil misty fog and swirling smoke. Paul Leni finished one more film before an infected, ulcerated tooth caused his early death from blood poisoning. Kino's exceptional DVD of "The Man Who Laughs" represents the successful American-Italian joint restoration of the 75-year-old movie. Slowed by a creaky second-half, "The Man Who Laughs" bogs down in a final melodramatic chase. But don't misunderstand. Silent horror-film fans will relish Leni's macabre art design and relentless animal passion. Just 3 years later, Universal once again photographed a tall, mysterious black-caped stranger; strolling European streets through a dark, swirling fog. This time they called it "Dracula".

Amazing!
This has to be one of the most amazing silent films ever made! Tragically, it appeared in l928, right at the end of the silents and was quickly forgotten for generations. Thanks to a masterful restoration by Kino International, we're able today to get an idea of how this magnificent work of art must have looked in the eyes of audiences nearly 70 years ago. Conredit Vedit is astonishing as the tragically deformed Gwynplane, but matching him is a once-in-a-lifetime cast: Olga Baclanova as the nymphomaniacal siren, Mary Philbin as the glowing love interest. Camera work, lighting, decor is all astonishing. This is a movie to be cherished and viewed again and again.

An Unusual and Memorable Film
"The Man Who Laughs" was made to capitalize on the success of "The Phantom of the Opera," made three years before. Mary Philbin, the object of the Phantom's love, stars in this film as Dea, a bind orphan who is loved by the title character played by Conrad Veidt. She would marry Veidt but he is reluctant thinking that if she knew what he looked like she would laugh at him. Although this film was made by Universal it has the feel of the films made in Germany during the silent era and is directed by Paul Leni.

The story is set in 17th century England. King James II condemns the father of the title character to the Iron Maiden and his son, Gwynplaine, is horribly disfigured by a band of gypsies so that his face has a permanent grin. Conrad Veidt plays Gwynplaine. "The Man Who Laughs" is a sympathetic character who finds happiness of a kind in a traveling show as a clown where people seeing him find they laugh uncontrollably. Little do they know that his smile is permanent! Gwynplaine is seen by a jaded Duchess (seductively played by Olga Baclanova) who takes a bizarre interest in him until the secret of his identity is revealed.

The film has the original soundtrack that includes music, sound effects and some voices. This film was made after "The Jazz Singer" so its influence is evident. Conrad Veidt is outstanding in the title role. He must literally act with his eyes and he conveys the emotions of his character with great expression. One must admire Conrad Veidt for his superb acting abilities. His silent film performances in the "Cabinet of Dr Caligari" and "Waxworks" are particularly excellent but he also turned in great performances in smaller roles, such as King Louis XI in "The Beloved Rogue." It is sad to think that all he is usually remembered for is as Major Strasser in "Casablanca."

The print issued by Kino is first-rate and the original sound has been re-mastered expertly but, of course, it does not come close to the THX of today. Although I enjoyed the film I could not help wondering what if the character of Gwynplaine had been written with a more sinister twist. He is a sympathetic character because of his inner goodness and tortured soul, and we feel sorry for him. But what if he was bitter about his disfigurement and sought to kill those who wanted to use and humiliate him instead of simply seeking to cover his face?

Rediscovering a Universal 'Super-Jewel'
My previous exposure to Paul Leni's 'The Man Who Laughs' probably coincides with the experience of many others: the knowledge that the central figure was the inspiration for Bob Kane's villain The Joker and a number of atomspheric stills printed time and again in magazines such as Famous Monsters of Filmland. When I learned that Kino would be releasing this on dvd I eagerly awaited viewing it. What I expected was a good film and an interesting addition to the Universal's horror classics. What I received far surpassed my highest expectations. This is a masterful piece of cinematic art. Every aspect from camera work and set design to screen performance (the scenes with Conrad Veidt and Mary Philbin are magical) secure this film a seat alongside other great silent films such as Sunrise or Metropolis. From the opening scenes in the royal boudoir and secret torture chambers I was captivated. Each minute brought new characters, some beautifully sad, some contemptibly corrupt, but always fascinating, their expressions superbly captured by the silent camera. I cannot recommend this film highly enough. ... Read more