# Freaks **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 10, 2008, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501 "2008-12-10T03:41:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/21 "2008-12-10T15:32:10Z")
Everyone loves _Freaks_ but _The Terror of Tiny Town_ gets no respect. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/22 "2008-12-10T15:38:37Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Rolled, perhaps, but not by handā€¦ From what Iā€™ve read, Prince Randian (sp?) really could roll his own cigarettes, by himself. A funny aside: Johnny Eck (the legless guy) had a twin brother, who was born with all his limbs intact. They used to do a magic show, where the brother would be the magician, then switche places with Johnny when they put him in a box to be sawed in half. A little person would be in the bottom half. When they cut him in half, both ā€œhalvesā€ would get out of the box, and the bottom half would chase Johnny around the stage. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/23 "2008-12-10T15:41:28Z")
I will say this: When youā€™ve got a guy with no limbs coming after you with a knife in his teeth, youā€™ve really done something wrong. Unique movie. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/24 "2008-12-10T16:18:36Z")
One of my favorite movies of all time!! ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/25 "2008-12-10T16:31:15Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > You invited a guy to go see ā€œFreaksā€ on a _date_?? šŸ˜• > > Anyways, great movie. Really memorable. I would LOVE a woman to ask me to go see ā€œFreaksā€! ---
**Author:** ![Labtrash](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/labtrash/32/528_2.png) [@Labtrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labtrash)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/26 "2008-12-10T16:37:15Z")
> [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](#): > > Best weed movie ever made, if youā€™re into that. slight hijackā€¦ Iā€™d nominate \*Eraserhead \*for that title ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/27 "2008-12-10T16:41:32Z")
> [@labtrash](#): > > slight hijackā€¦ > > Iā€™d nominate \*Eraserhead \*for that title Yes; Freaks, Eraserhead, An Andalusian Dogā€¦ all good weed movies ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/28 "2008-12-10T16:51:29Z")
Also note that the actors playing Hans and his fiancee Frieda are brother and sister; this, aside from, of course their not being professional actors, will account for their lack of romantic chemistry. It would have be quite difficult to have cast the roles and find similar-size actors. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/29 "2008-12-10T19:46:49Z")
Good movie - the ending wasā€¦odd. I have to admit, I spent a lot of time wondering about scatalogical aspects of many of the actors. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/30 "2008-12-10T19:56:04Z")
**Bladwin** : Thatā€™s the scene I was thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/31 "2008-12-10T19:56:38Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Everyone loves _Freaks_ but _The Terror of Tiny Town_ gets no respect. šŸ˜ƒ Oh, I loved \*Tiny Town. \*But I saw it so long ago, all I remember is the sheriff coming into the bar through the bottom half of the doors.šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/32 "2008-12-10T20:03:13Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > You invited a guy to go see ā€œFreaksā€ on a _date_?? šŸ˜• > > Anyways, great movie. Really memorable. Dude, if a guy took me to see ā€œFreaksā€ on a date (hell, if a GIRL took meā€¦), theyā€™d be so golden. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/33 "2008-12-10T20:09:04Z")
If you didnā€™t, be sure to watch the special features on the DVD. Fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/34 "2008-12-10T20:09:08Z")
The ending was edited. Original ending had the woman and her male accomplice doing a show. He sung in a very high voice. Apparently, after all they showed, implying castration was just too much. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/35 "2008-12-10T20:15:09Z")
> [@badbadrubberpiggy](#): > > From what Iā€™ve read, Prince Randian (sp?) really could roll his own cigarettes, by himself. Thatā€™s the coolest scene in the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Finally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/67e7ee/32.png) [@Finally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finally)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/36 "2008-12-10T20:50:51Z")
Every. Single. Person Iā€™ve watched my copy with has gone on to buy one of their own. So, **Diane** donā€™t keep us in suspense, whatā€™d you think? ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/37 "2008-12-10T21:17:20Z")
Iā€™ve had the pleasure of seeing it on a big screen, twice. Completely bonkers but excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/38 "2008-12-13T04:09:27Z")
> [@Finally](#): > > Every. Single. Person Iā€™ve watched my copy with has gone on to buy one of their own. > > So, **Diane** donā€™t keep us in suspense, whatā€™d you think? So ummmmm. . . I really liked it, but I am still trying to decide how I feel about it. On one hand, I think it is commendable that the movie makers put these people in the film and I liked the message - that a person can be beautiful on the outside, but a monster on the inside and visa-versa. But on the other hand, the movie seemed a bit side-showish exploiting and I think the movie makers went back a few steps after making these people seem ā€œnormalā€ then turning them into scary freaks as they crept up on Cleopatra. Did that make any sense? I am really sleepy. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/39 "2008-12-13T04:14:01Z")
> [@Diane](#): > > then turning them into scary freaks as they crept up on Cleopatra. Ya gotta love Prince Randian (the limbless man) in that scene. Itā€™s almost worthy of a Zen koan. šŸ†’ ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2008, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501/40 "2008-12-13T05:37:24Z")
> [@Diane](#): > > On one hand, I think it is commendable that the movie makers put these people in the film and I liked the message - that a person can be beautiful on the outside, but a monster on the inside and visa-versa. Browning was a circus person and had worked with some ā€œextraordinary people.ā€ He knew that, after a while, you get used to their differences and start seeing their real selves. > [@](#): > > But on the other hand, the movie seemed a bit side-showish exploitingā€¦ Think of how they made a better living exploiting their differences than they could otherwise, and were surrounded by people who loved them as they were. Schlitzie, one of the microcephalics, was temporarily confined in an institution after his keeper died and almost pined away before he was ā€œrescuedā€ and put back on the road. He missed his friends, his fans, and the life. > [@](#): > > ā€¦and I think the movie makers went back a few steps after making these people seem ā€œnormalā€ then turning them into scary freaks as they crept up on Cleopatra. Well, a guy has to make a movie that sells, too. And could you blame them? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/freaks/476501.md?page=3)