SHE FREAK

Directed by Byron Mabe
Something Weird DVD

THE FILM
This is the perfect example of a film that isn’t about what it seems to be about. For years, I had though that this was nothing but David F. Friedman’s late-60s remake of Freaks. Nothing could have been less appealing to me, apart from H.G. Lewis’s remake of Intolerance. So, I ignored it. I went about my business and enjoyed other films.

Then, in November of 2004, I went to an all-night Film Festival. Movie #2: She Freak, with a visit from Mr. Friedman afterwards. To my surprise, the film is barely about Freaks. That’s just the linking material to the far more interesting portions of the films: The Carnival World.

The film tells the story of a young lady named Jade who is sick and tired of working at a small roadside café. She joins the carnival. She’s a bit conniving. And, if you know the story of Freaks, it’s pretty much like that up until the shock ending. The actual scenes of drama in this film are just OK. Claire Brennen is decent as Jade but there are occasional moments where I didn’t quite believe her. The Cooch Girl, Moon, is more convincing.

But, this isn’t really all that important. The film is really about the people in the carnival. The life they live. Their own little world that extends into towns and cities every weekend. The constant hard work in setting it all up and taking it all down. The joy of living on the road and traveling America.

And, there is a large amount of footage doing just that. One of my favorite shots is near the beginning. The camera is on a Ferris Wheel. It goes way, way up to the apex of the ride…and we see down…to the very edge of the carnival. We see all the carny’s trucks and then a road, a rather busy road. Across the road, there lies Suburbia! It’s so awesome. The trucks and the field have caged in this weekend of wonder so close to the homes of the people enjoying it.

Where I grew up, we had an Annual Mayfair in the field behind Christ The King school. It was several blocks away from where I lived. You could hear it from the house. All around was regular Rochester. But, once you stepped in the field, it was a whole new world.

And, She Freak is Friedman’s valentine to these people and this world. And, for what it shows us, it is superb. The plot is OK but it’s like the musical numbers or romantic scenes in Marx Brothers films: You sit through them knowing that the cool stuff is only moment’s away.

I’m one of those kids that always wanted to be a Carny. This movie is as close as I’ll probably get. Although, Bookkeeper to The Freaks? Hmmm…

AUDIO AND VIDEO
The audio is nothing spectacular but I heard it all. The print SWV used is superb. When I saw this in the theater, the print was turning pink. This print looks so good. Very colorful. Fits the carnival setting to a tee.

EXTRAS
God, do you remember how great all those Something Weird DVDs were? It was about 10 years ago that they started and now they’re done. People are still hunting down and going after 30-year-old VHS tapes but the SWV DVD age has passed. It’s too bad.

Suffice it to say, this is another great DVD. The commentary is David Friedman and Mike Vraney talking about the carnivals and the Life. It’s Heaven.

There’s also a trailer and some Carny footage. Charming stuff. I could have watched more.

FINAL THOUGHTS
As I said, if you watch it as a Freaks remake, it is another Friedman film. Take that for what you will. If you watch it as a Gift to the Show Folk, it is something altogether different and worth treasuring.

I once did a temp job in a warehouse with a guy who ran the Tilt-A-Whirl for a Carnival Group. It was during winter and he was making some extra cash. I asked him about 1,000 questions about the ride. I found out that you can make those things go very fast. He said if anyone ever gave him trouble he would speed up the ride to get him or her sick. After about Question # 37, he looked at me and said “Why are you asking me all these questions?” I said, “Well, when people find out that you run the Tilt-A-Whirl, don’t they all ask you these questions?” Turns out I was the first. I think I may have overstepped the boundary with one or two of the questions. I quietly segued to the question of whether or not to go out for lunch but I retained everything I learned. She Freak is that fascinating. So are carnivals.

02/25/10