Carny

"Carny" is of those rare films that is truly unclassifiable. It's fiction, with actors and actresses playing scripted roles, but it almost comes closer to a documentary since there really isn't much of a plot, merely the intent to deep-dive into the daily lives and routines of traveling circus members. The one film "Carny" reminds me of the most, and I'm actually surprised that no other reviewers mentioned this, is Tod Browning's cinematic landmark "Freaks" (1932). Partially because, well, many of the supportive characters are human anomalies that make a living of their appearances, but mostly because both films zoom in on a secluded community of people that don't tolerate outsiders and behave skeptically towards newcomers. Coincidentally, both stories also revolve on a (female) newcomer breaking into the community, although the trapeze artiste in "Freaks" had evil intentions whereas Donna (the amazing Jodie Foster) in "Carny" is genuinely looking to become a part of the group.

Writer/director Robert Kaylor was obviously obsessed with the concept of traveling carnivals and the people who run them, but he sure didn't draw an attractive picture of them. "Carny" is dark and bathes in a manic & moody atmosphere. The characters are grim and unsympathetic, most notably the resident con-artist and all-round purpose fixer Patch (sublime role for "The Band" icon Robbie Robertson) and the face-painted Frankie, who - as the foulmouthed clown Bozo - sits in a cage above a water tank and goads carnival visitors into throwing shots at him. Gary Busey is fabulous in the role, and the film nicely stands out at the peak of his career, shortly after "The Buddy Holly Story" and "Big Wednesday". The decors and photography are sinister, yet beautiful, and Alex North's thoroughly unsettling score makes the wholesome even more unique. I personally found the final plotting and twists rather unnecessary, but still, a great cult gem for cinema fanatics to seek out.

Hopefully a cult-classic by now, this '80 beautiful little gem passes muster. Robbie Robertson (who I think produced it) gives a fathomable, realistic performance for a GREAT MUSICIAN, Jodi Foster is wonderful as usual (the main character), and Gary Busey, a couple of years after THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY wipes the floor of the sideshow. A fascinating delving-into slice of "somebody's life" on the road with great supporting characters. An 8 out of 10. Best performance = Gary Busey.

Little-known then, it courses the veins without trapping you into bog-ville for a small flick. Find this one for sure and you won't be disappointed. A jewel!

This is one of those movies that doesn't really have a story, the characters and their lives are the story. If you are ok with that then this is a pretty decent drama. It has the drama, a bit of action, tragedy, romance.

I think this might have been Gary Busy's best performance, Jodie Foster puts in a good one too. All the characters even the non actors (not sure they used real circus folk or not) seemed to do an ok job. It is cheesy and dated but it works. I felt for the characters by the end.

It doesn't really have much of an ending and you kind of don't expect one since it's about the characters and their stories don't really end.

I saw this in the theater in winter/spring on 1980 -- haven't seen it since (geez, 25 years!) until these showings on the Canadian movie station. a lot more risqué than i remembered it!

it's sure captivating,engrossing, hypnotic, alluring, inviting. jodie's in her young hottie period, and robbie's the eye candy for the girls. he's sort of playing a sequel to The Last Waltz's "it's a god-damn impossible way of life." busey's fabulously enraged and possessed -- pre-wacko period. the music and soundtrack is superb. and GREAT casting. Fred Ward's a great surprise! never seen him give a bad performance.

seems like the most real circus movie i've even. i remember these traveling ferris-wheel freak-show ball-toss circus from my childhood, and it looks exactly as i remember it. (also, Movie Connection! this real traveling midwestern circus is captured briefly in Festival Express, a documentary about a 1970 train trip across Canada with Janis Joplin as Jodie Foster, Rick Danko as Gary Busey, and Robbie Robertson in his other role as a band-leader! :-) i'm certainly not bothered by the "lack of a plot" or whatever people seem to complain about -- a lot of my favorite art is not plot driven. say, Catcher in The Rye, for another young runaway story.

Pull a string! Enjoy the ride!

Carny is an interesting low-key film. It doesn't really have much of a plot. It works far more on atmosphere. The story is about a direction-less teenage girl (Jodie Foster) who runs away with the carnival after she meets a clown there. This leads to some friction between the manager and the clown; while later the carnies have to deal with some vicious local officials. As I say, it's not really much of a story and in order to appreciate Carny you need to find something in the feel of the movie.

I guess you could describe the set-up as a love triangle but only to a certain extent, as there really isn't a lot of emotion invested in the romantic side of the story; at the same time, there is a thriller element introduced towards the end and while that was quite good fun, it doesn't really fit all that well and could easily have been omitted. But as I say, the film still makes a mark and that is probably a result of the gritty recreation of carnival life and the good performances underpinning it. Best of the actors is Gary Busey who steals the show in his role as the abusive clown; moreover, the film begins very memorably with close-ups of him applying his clown make-up like it was war paint. In a sense it is, as he is extremely confrontational and goads his audience into throwing balls at him in sheer anger. In fact, the film depicts the carnies in general as primarily fuelled by a desire to fleece whoever enters their lair as they travel from town to town.

Carny is an interesting character-driven mood piece. It definitely falls into the cult movie side of the spectrum, as its unusual setting and dynamics will always mean it'll not appeal to everyone but will definitely connect with quite a few who are lured in to sample its wares.