Freaks

One of the most distinctive films in cinema history, Freaks was met with scandal upon its release and continues to spark debate to this day. Horror specialist Tod Browning crafts a clever narrative trap, drawing the audience into the world of a traveling circus troupe made up largely of individuals with physical differences. At first, the film provokes discomfort – an unsettling reaction that soon gives way to self-awareness. The so-called “freaks” emerge not as objects of pity but as deeply human, compassionate individuals bound by a strong sense of community. Their solidarity in the face of cruelty stands in stark contrast to the greed and malice of Cleopatra and Hercules, the troupe’s conventionally attractive yet morally bankrupt members. Browning subverts traditional notions of beauty and deformity, inviting a deeper reflection on societal prejudice. Over the years, Freaks has inspired countless interpretations, with one of the most compelling viewing it – shot during the Great Depression – as an allegory of class struggle, where the scorned and oppressed rise against the corrupt elites who underestimate them.

Piotr Czerkawski

Tod Browning (1880–1962) was an American director and a pioneer of horror cinema. He gained fame with Dracula (1931), starring Bela Lugosi, launching Universal’s classic horror era. His most controversial film, Freaks (1932), a shocking tale of circus performers, was heavily censored and hurt his career. Earlier, he collaborated with Lon Chaney on The Unholy Three (1925) and London After Midnight (1927). His dark aesthetic and fascination with outsiders made him a legend of the horror genre.