April 22, 2024 | Written by Nick Stuart

A Review of “Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers”

The recent DVD release by the Criterion Collection of three films by director Tod Browning is a highly welcomed release for fans of classic horror and cult films, giving some much overdue attention to one of the most interesting filmmakers of the Classic Hollywood era. At a time when movie studios exerted strong control over their output, Browning was unique in leaving a strong artistic imprint on his films.

Having left home as a teenager to join a circus, Browning’s art was heavily shaped by his experiences in the sideshow world, as reflected by the theme and title of the Criterion set, Tod Browning’s Sideshow Shockers. Browning’s films stood out amongst movies of the time with their dark themes of sexual obsession and psychologically damaged characters, and the new release is an excellent way for movie fans to introduce themselves to Browning’s strange worlds.   

The Films In the Collection

The Mystic

The earliest film included, The Mystic, is one of Browning’s less well-known titles. The story centres around a trio of Hungarian sideshow performers, led by the mystic Zara, convinced by the conman Michael Nash to travel to America and use their act to con socialites.

The Mystic showcases Browning’s delight in exposing the techniques used by sideshow performers (and by extension, filmmakers) to fool audiences. Treating his films as elaborate magic tricks, Browning loved to reveal the secrets behind his illusions.

In addition to showing how Zara is made to appear to have magic powers in the carnival setting; Browning also discloses the tactics of how spiritualists create the illusion of making contact with the dead during a particularly effective séance scene in which Zara summons a ghost (actually one of her companions in disguise). The film maintains its otherworldly atmosphere throughout, which combined with the twists the story takes, makes The Mystic feel like an illusion in itself. 

The Unknown

The second film in the set, The Unknown, is arguably Browning’s finest film and also stars Browning’s favourite actor Lon Chaney. Chaney rose to fame in the silent film era for his ability to portray a wide array of character types, often making himself unrecognizable through his skill with make-up, earning him the nickname “The Man of a Thousand Faces”.

Chaney and Browning shared many similar thematic interests, and the ten films they made together stand as some of the most bizarre productions in Hollywood history. Set in Browning’s favourite setting of a circus, The Unknown tells the story of a criminal named Alonzo (played by Chaney) who, to hide from the law, poses as an armless knife thrower in a circus. Alonzo develops an obsession with the circus owner’s daughter Nanon, who has a pathological fear of being touched by men as a result of the implied abuse her father inflicts on her.

Fearful that she will reject him if his secret is revealed to her, Alonzo undergoes surgery to have his arms amputated. Upon his return to the circus, Alonzo discovers that Nanon has overcome her fear and begun a relationship with the circus strongman. Enraged, Alonzo plots a revenge scheme that ultimately backfires and results in his death.

The film builds relentlessly towards its climax, sustaining the viewers’ attention until a brutal conclusion. With its strong focus on the darker psychological aspects of Alonzo’s and Nanon’s characters, The Unknown is one of the earliest examples of the psychological horror film. Browning’s exploration of themes concerning sexuality is also quite shocking for that time.

The film retains its power to disturb audiences, helped in large part by the power of Chaney’s performance. Chaney makes the viewer sympathize with a character who isn’t very likable, adding a great deal of depth and complexity to the character. 

Freaks

The final film and centerpiece of the collection is Freaks, a film that stands as arguably the most bold and daring movie made during the classic Hollywood era.

Focusing on the lives of a group of circus performers, Freaks balances a series of subplots dealing with the day-to-day experiences of the sideshow folk against the overarching narrative of a little-person performer named Hans who falls in love with the aerialist Cleopatra.

Cleopatra manipulates Hans’ feelings for her amusement. At the same time, she carries on a relationship with the circus strongman Hercules. Still, after learning that Hans is set to inherit a large sum of money, she and Hercules hatch a plot for Cleopatra to marry Hans and then kill him to get the money themselves.

Most controversially, Browning cast actual circus performers to play the roles of the disabled freak show performers. The film received significant backlash, and the ensuing controversy heavily damaged Browning’s reputation. To this day, Freaks remains one of the few Hollywood productions to have a principally disabled cast.

Although Browning’s depiction of disability in Freaks and his other films is not entirely unproblematic, at times treating disability as something unsettling which reveals a psychological flaw in a character, the portrayal of the circus performers in Freaks is also quite sympathetic in how it presents its disabled characters as victims of the conventionally beautiful Hercules and Cleopatra’s cruelty.

The film directly criticizes Hollywood beauty notions and raises questions about what it truly means to be beautiful or ugly. In a time when disabled characters in film are overwhelmingly played by able-bodied actors, Freaks feels especially relevant in today’s cultural climate.    

Final Notes

The three films included in the Criterion Browning set all make for fascinating viewing, and offer an insight into Browning’s unique creativity. Of special interest is the inclusion of footage from The Unknown previously thought to be lost and missing from earlier DVD releases of the film.

Other supplementary features include new musical scores for The Mystic and The Unknown, commentaries for Freaks and The Unknown an introduction to The Mystic by Browning biographer David J. Skal, and an interview with author Megan Abbott about Browning and early horror films. The set is a welcome release for anyone looking to explore Browning’s work.