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Is Freaks exploitation or art? I consider it as art or an interesting tale of love, relationships, and revenge. But I do not believe that by putting sideshow freaks as the avengers of their betrayal and abuse that Tod Browning was exploiting them or making them look hideous and evil. Yes, that may be the interpretation. But I think that Browning was presenting the actors as surpassing others and establishing some dignity and respect for people who are usually dismissed as worthless and incompetent. Freaks has been generally called a horror film but I would rather think of it as a drama with elements of infidelity, revenge, and murder. Does Freaks have to be a horror film just because it stars sideshow freaks? Definitely not!



There has always been a fascination with the unusual. Several magazine and websites feature people with deformities and people who do bizarre acts. But lately these mediums have been blending violence and sex with deformities; therefore, warping the original intention of these magazines and sites. This intermixing is historically not a recent idea. People have always made the Unusual synonymous with the Macabre. In one way this idea is similar with blending rock music with sex, as in the 1950's. By judging the unusual with the macabre from this standpoint is how people judged the film Freaks: as a horror movie.

Freaks was banned for several years and was highly edited by distributors. In the 60's William Burroughs and Antony Balch were on of the first people to reshow Freaks in theaters. Freaks was shown in Europe alongside two of Burroughs/Balch pictures. However, it took a while for America to catch on but now here it is finally on DVD.

It is interesting why films get banned for certain reasons and why people want to suppress them from viewers. Freaks was looked at in this way but now is considered tame by most moviegoers. For those who are interested in sideshow freaks (if you would call them that) and their history check out Being Different and Freaks Uncensored. Both films bring up my same argument and go in-depth about their abuse and finally their acceptance by the majority.

Not to sound trite but this performance was indeed one of Hendrix's mediocre concerts. However, (still sounding trite) this is a must see film for die-hard Hendrix fans and others considering that he died 18 days after the show. One reviewer mentioned that The Isle of Wight had scheduled Hendrix to perform early in the morning. Yes, that is true but also at this time Hendrix was consuming a large amount of drugs which eventually led to his state of depression and respectively accidental death. This latter factor had also played a part in his inability to play as well as his previous shows --ie, Monterey Pop and Winterland. Nevertheless, the lineup had considerably worked with enough energy to crank out some of Jimi's new compositions, some that already appeared on Band of Gypsies, and others that were about ready to be put on New Rays of the Rising Sun, Hendrix's next album. Some of this new songs "Freedom" and "In From The Storm" and "Machine Gun" were presented hastily and rough compared to there polished studio versions. In addition, some old songs (All Along The Watchtower, Spanish Castle Magic) were performed as well. Unfortunately, Jimi died before the releasing of his new album New Rays so producer Alan Douglas distributed them in several posthumous collections. Alan Douglas, the "butcher" as some Hendrix historians called him, had released several rearranged (and rerecorded) tracks that Hendrix left unfinished. In other words, some studio musicians was ordered by Douglas to taped over some of Jimi's guitar tracks and add other wall of sound instruments in order to fool fans that they were buying unissued gems. Douglas's name is featured in credits of the Isle Of Wight video as producer. It's not surprising to me that he took his little carving knife and embellished some of what we're watching as well. These embellishments were apparently (I had to listen clearly) added audience cheers, double vocals and backstage chatter, and edits of long songs, ie Machine Gun. My suggestion for the die-hard fans is to seek out the posthumous LPs Live at the Isle Of Wight vol. 1-2 and compare to difference of the record from the video. All in all, Isle of Wight could have presented more accurately but check out the film anyway considering it being a part of rock n' roll history.

Variety Lights is Fellini's debut film. The film consists of ideas and motifs that would succeedingly appear in movies like 8 1/2 and The Clowns. However, these traits are still undeveloped but we can see how they would be used as personal metaphors for the director. Running under an hour, the film is shown in black and white with legible subtitles and moving at a smooth pace. The story follows a variety show troupe and an female audience member who is so inspired by one of their performances that she asks to join their group. We are then presented with the rise of the performer's act and how mistakes like having her dress fall off soon attracts the attention of the audience. Soon the variety show begins displaying a more racy repertory all which is fronted by sexy novice. Some images in the film like large behinds and women in bikinis may have been provocative for its time in America --although Italy's standards tended to be more shocking. Nevertheless, as discussed in the documentary Rated X, Fellini's movies was generally restricted to Adult theaters due to subject matter, although much more provocation was soon to come. Variety Lights features Masina, Fellini's wife, in a supporting role as a dancer with few scenes, although she still gives a good performance nevertheless. Masina would soon gather more attention to her acting in succeeding Fellini films like Night of Cabaria and La Strata. However, the focus of this film is directed at De Filippo for his role as the impresario and Poggio as the desperate actress. Veriety Lights is not the best Fellini production but still worth a look.