Camera Angles In Freaks

In 1932 Tod Browning released, Freaks, a movie that is centered on telling the story of circus people and the challenges they face; it shows their everyday struggles among themselves along with their interactions with the “normal” people in the circus. I think it was in Browning’s interests not to make fun of these people, but to show the harm and hurt that “normal” people in society are capable of doing. The movie revolves around, Hans, a dwarf and his lust for the beautiful normal Cleopatra. Hans willing to throw everything away for this woman, even his engagement to his finance when the entire time Cleopatra is in a relationship with Hercules. These two characters take advantage of Hans in order to take his fortune of money. It’s clear that
During the beginning of the movie, the camera angles Browning used were always shot from a bird’s eye view. The camera is hardly ever eye to eye with the freaks and instead gives the audience the feeling that they’re being looked down upon. I think this helped Browning give the impression that the normal population in society was looking down rather than looking equal. However, this completely changes in the ending of the movie when the camera angles being to be at eye level. When all the freaks come together in the end to put a stop to Cleopatra and Hercules, the audience is now looking from the perspective of the freaks that they are equal. The movie ends with having the beautiful people that society looks up to being punished and outlawed as the monsters. The lighting also plays a huge role in this idea of good and evil. Throughout the movie, the lighting is bright and centered around Cleopatra while the freaks are hidden in the dark and covered with shadows. It isn’t until the end this use of lighting in completely reversed to show who the freaks really