While watching this film I believed this film was trying to show the equality of people with deformities and not exploit them or show them as monsters, which is what I think most people thought of these kinds of people when the film was released. HOWEVER, the final scene when the get revenge on Hercules and Cleopatra I believe this exploits them and shows them as monsters. The way they crawl through the mud towards Hercules and the looks on their faces, or the way they chase Cleopatra through the woods after her and turn her into a freak. I was almost disappointed because it was like they were playing into the stereotype of being monsters and acted exactly the way people expected them to act. Don't get me wrong I believe Cleopatra and Hercules deserved the punishment they received, but showing the Freaks this way would not help people be more tolerant of them or treat them equally.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Freaks: A Horror Film
Throughout the film Freaks, the audience is aware that Cleopatra and Hercules are playing with the emotions of Hans and plan to poison him and take his fortune. I found myself waiting for the other characters in the film to discover their plan and see how they would react. There are hints given throughout the film such as when Frances says Cleopatra will be in trouble if she does anything to "one of us" referring to Hans. I believe the entire film is building to the scene when the characters become wise to Cleopatra and Hercules plan and seek revenge on them. The building to this final scene as well as how the revenge scene is shot with creepy camera angles to me is what makes this film a horror film. When the little person throughs the knife to stab Hercules when he is fighting Phroso, and he walks toward the camera with another knife in his hand it reminded me of when Jason walks toward the camera with his long bloody sword in one hand with his hockey mask on his face in those horror films. Also seeing the other freaks crawl through the mud towards Hercules was extremely creepy and reminded me of more modern day horror films like The Grudge. This revenge scene and the building to it throughout the film is why I believe Freaks should be considered a horror film.
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I absolutely agree with the terror that the final scene brought. I actually had to stop watching it and I just looked past my computer for a while. I am certainly one of those girls that can't handle horror films. I didn't think about how the camera angles added to the terror in that scene. I think that was a very good point to bring up.
ReplyDeleteI agree and disagree with your final paragraph. I can understand how they could be seen as monsters at the end, but at the same time, Cleo and Herc were clearly monsters, too. I thought the terror scene was more a portrayal of how destructive life can get when we start to reject a certain "type" of people- whatever that may be. No one is truly alone. These "freaks" had each other. So if you mess with one you mess with them all.
I felt this was a really great- but sad- example of why the world is so angry. We all want to be accepted for exactly who we are and what we are and when we aren't- the natural response is anger and revenge. I think Frieda was a beautiful example of what it looks like to NOT be a monster.
This movie had a lot to unpack, we could go back and forth forever!
Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a good point about Frieda being the character who is not a monster, I had not thought of this while watching the film but it is true she is the only Freak not to participate in the revenge scene. I also agree that Cleo and Herc were monsters while writing my final paragraph I had a hard time deciding whether this film was trying to show equality or not, since I really believe that it shows both. Thanks for your input.
Best,
Graham