One of the most controversial and strange films in Movie History made
outside of time, and the 1932 world wasn't ready for it
but re-discovered in the 1960's it gained Cult and even masterpiece
status. It was banned in Great Britain and in Sweden for
decades and it was made before the 1934 US Hays Production Code, something
that even made it possible to make at all.
It's a drama thriller or horror from the World of
Circus, and where real physically deformed humans performs as "Freaks".
There's a famous "turning point" in the film where the "normies"
the physically unblemished beautiful on the outside but cruel
circus people (Cleopatra and Hercules) becomes the Bad Guys, the ugly
one's and the True freaks, and when the unlucky "ugly"
one's, the circus freaks becomes the Good Guys, the "beautiful"
on the inside humans.
The beautiful on the outside trapeze artist and something
of the Circus Princess Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova) marries the dwarf
Hans (Harry Earles) for his money and plans to murder him with poison
with the help of her lover, the strongman Hercules
(Henry Victor), but she gets her well earned come-uppance when the
circus freaks gather their forces.
There are different endings and some shot scenes are lost forever,
but Cleopatra is mutilated and turned into a Human Duck
and her lover Hercules supposedly would've been castrated. One of
the most unique and unusual films of all time.
The WB DVD presented the film in 4:3 fullscreen, black
& white, in mono english audio. Extra a documentary, alternative
ending