So, I went to Hastings yesterday. It could have been the day before; I don't remember. I got two movies, two books, and three cds, but for the time being we are just worried about the first movie I picked up.

Originally I wasn't going to go into Hastings, but the person I was with at the time wanted to see if they carried Oliver and Company and I felt obliged since I was the one driving. We walked in, I found O&C for the friend and wandered over to the horror section, ah, my favourite part. Not really looking for anything in particular, I scanned the shelves looking for a title that really popped out at me.

And then I saw it.

There was only one there, almost hidden between Friday the 13th and some other movie whose name escapes me. I probably wouldn't have stopped if it hadn't had been for the bright yellow spine and those huge red letters that screamed out FREAKS.

I immediately stopped and shivers, literally, shivers went down my spine. So this was it. This was the movie I had heard so much about from my elders. The movie that scared the hell out of so many... And it was right there in front of me, practically begging to picked up. So I did. I picked it up. I picked it up, realizing it was the only one there, and that if I didn't take it, someone else would come along and snatch it up.

After that I was feeling pretty good and rather free with my money (which made me realize Hastings was rather expensive, but did I care? Of course not!). Walking out, I was happy with my purchases. All I had to do was get home and pull out my dvd player.

I arrived home a pulled the dvd out of the shopping bag. Like the spine, the background was a palish yellow with huge red letters. Then there were the people. On one side you have two "normal" people, more or less, and then on the other side you have a small group of odd beings, big and small, both sides glaring viciously at the other.

By now the dvd player and the tv were both turned on and running. I popped in the movie and prepared myself for the hour to come.

I was amazed. This movie was very surprising. The plot (for those of you who have no idea) is basically about a little person (as I must be politically correct), Hans, who falls in love with a big person, Cleopatra, even though he's engaged to one of his own stature, Frieda. Of course, Cleopatra is only toying with Hans until she learns of his grand fortune he has inherited. Then the two get married and Cleo begins to poison him, which doesn't go too well with the rest of the preformers. At the end there's this grand chase scene and Cleo get turned into a chicken! Or a duck. Either way she's been turned into one of the "freaks" she so horribly ridiculed. But what can I say, she had it coming.

All in all, you have to look at the deeper theme that runs through Freaks. A person is a person, no matter what they look like or how strange they are. It is how they are preceived that drives us away and greed that draws us near. I suddenly hear Dr. Seuss suddenly echoing in my ear: "A person's a person no matter how small." And I must ask, how was this movie so scary? Granted, this was made in the early 1930's; there weren't many horror films back then that really pushed the envelope. Maybe it's my generation. We've been pushed and hammered with all this gore, suspense, cheap thrills, and such, that we don't find the classics scary. They are good, yes, but not scary. Ok, maybe a little. I admit, I was on the edge of my seat towards the end. Yes, what they did to Cleopatra did freak me out. And I did scream in the 1960's 13 Ghosts, and I still can't sit all the way through The Exorcist, but those are whole other movies in whole other decades.

Perhaps I can answer my own question. There was certainly a shock in seeing this film. What other movie has its main roles made up almost entirly out of circus sideshow performers (who were fabulous by the way. I love them all)? So shocking it was banned from the UK for nearly thirty years! But isn't that going against everything that Tod Browning was warning of by directing Freaks? Don't judge by looks alone, otherwise you end up as a quacking mutant in a slideshow yourself? (Ok, so I added on to it, but hey.) Or was it offend one, offend them all? (Which I believe, is really not the case.) Either way, do you see my point? By being afraid of someone's appearance (as many were) you were kind of in the same category as Cleopatra and Hercules, cruel and ignorant. Sure, back then most people didn't know why these sideshow characters were different, but they were still people who had feelings. There is no need to be mean.

Maybe I'm being a bit preachy. I'll step down off my soapbox for a moment. All I'm saying is watch Freaks. It's a really great movie. It changed me, it really did. I don't know how to explain it. Let's just say it really opened my eyes.

Oh, and a bit of cool trivia I learned by watching the special features on the dvd: The man who played Hans, Harry Earles, was also in The Wizard of Oz. He's part of the "Lollipop Guild." He's the one wearing blue. Harry was also the brother of Daisy Earles, who played Frieda. She was also in The Wizard of Oz, I believe, but I'm not sure which part. I don't think it was a major part, but I could be wrong. My sources aren't that detailed.

Mmm, forgot to mention, this movie was based on a short story called "Spurs," by Tod Robbins. If you want to check it out here's a link I found: http://www.olgabaclanova.com/spurs.htm Quite different from the movie, but you can see the similarities. Much different ending too.

Now I want your opinion. What do you think?

BTW I'm watching the original The Fog tonight. I forget how much I love the zombies and their glowing red eyes. Well, the main one anyway. That is one of the best endings ever. Leaves you with a bang. Also The Puppet Master. Really neat score, I think. Blade was the best.