DVD Review: SHE FREAK (1967)

SHE FREAK
Directed by:  Byron Mabe
Distributed by:  Cheezy Flicks

  I had heard about the movie SHE FREAK for many years, but have just never had the chance (or made the time) to watch it.  I really didn't know anything about it, but I was very intrigued when I heard it was a loose interpretation/remake of the 1932 Tod Browning film, FREAKS.  

  FREAKS is one of my all time favorite films, so I knew I had to check out SHE FREAK.  Here is the basic plot from the Cheezy Flicks website:

Claire Brennen stars as a discontent waitress working in a small-town greasy diner, and looking for something more. When the circus comes to town, she finds herself attracted to its excitement - and secures a job with the traveling show as a food service worker. As the circus moves on, and she with it, life seems to be going well - new friends, steady work, a romance or two, and eventually a new husband - but she discovers that she despises the freaks and human oddities of the side shows, and uses her marriage to the Circus' owner to take control of the carnival. Now she must strike a balance between profit and patience, as the carnies and side show freaks set out to exact revenge on her for her Gestapo-like management techniques -- FREAK STYLE!

I enjoyed this film a lot, mainly for it's nostalgic feel, as it was filmed in 1967.  Be warned, though....do not go in to this film expecting another brilliant masterpiece like Tod Browing's film.  You will be disappointed.  This is a very watered down version of the film and doesn't really even use that many real "freaks" like Browning's film did.   While not nearly as good of a film overall, I think this film actually improves on the ending when the carnies get their revenge on the owner's wife.   In FREAKS, they turn the lady into a some sort of chicken like creature if I remember correctly.  In this film, they turn the woman in a half burned/scarred thing with one bugling eye.  Very creepy image and very good makeup effects for this time period.

This is a fun film that I would recommend...especially at the crazy price that Cheezy Films is selling it for over on their website  ($2.99!!!).  Not sure how long that price will last, so visit Cheezy Flicks to buy this film or any of their other great films they sell. 


CLICK HERE to watch the trailer
CLICK HERE to purchase the DVD

CD Review: CARNIVAL ARCANE by MIDNIGHT SYNDICATE

Some of you might recognize the band Midnight Syndicate from the 4H review of their film, THE DEAD MATTER a while back  (see review here).  Well, Midnight Syndicate is back with a brand new CD entitled, CARNIVAL ARCANE. For those of you not familiar with Midnight Syndicate, here is a little bit about them from their official website:

For the past fourteen years, dark music pioneers Midnight Syndicate have been creating Halloween music and gothic, horror, fantasy soundtracks for the imagination. Formed by composer/director Edward Douglas in 1995, their music has become a staple of the Halloween, gothic music, haunted attraction, and role-playing game industries. With a catalog of CDs that blend dark, orchestral horror and fantasy movie score-style music with sound effects, the band consisting of Edward Douglas and Gavin Goszka has had its soundtracks to imaginary films featured in everything from Hugh Hefner's infamous Halloween parties, Barbara Walters specials and Monday Night Football to X-Box games, tracks by the Academy-Award winning rap act, Three Six Mafia, as well as concerts by dark music pioneers The Misfitsand King Diamond. The music has also been featured on countless television shows and documentaries relating to horror films and the supernatural.

Midnight Syndicate's latest CD, CARNIVAL ARCANE, is the band's fourteenth studio album.   The theme for this album is a dark carnival theme and the band does a wonderful job of capturing the sounds of the carnival, well, all the spooky sounds of the carnival at least!  

I like that in the description it says they create "fantasy soundtracks".  That is a perfect description of this CD.   Listening to CARNIVAL ARCANE is like listening to the soundtrack of a cool horror film.   As I listened to the CD on my way to and from work today, I couldn't help but imagine in my head a scene that would fit the sound of the song that was playing. 

The CD is mainly just instrumental music, basically like a score to a horror film.  A lot of the songs I can picture being the opening song of a film as the credits are displayed, or the end song as the credits scroll.   The song Welcome To The Carnival would be a perfect opening song for a film.  One of my favorite songs, the perfectly titled Dr. Atmore's Elixirs of Good Humor and Fortification, is a catchy fun tune with a beautiful background melody. Lights Out made me picture a woman being chased through the woods by a masked killer, and Kiddieland is just totally creepy!  Never have kids laughing and singing sounded so scary!   This is just a few of the great tracks on this CD, there are 26 tracks total, so you are definitely getting your money's worth with this one!

While some are just cool, spooky sounding songs, some are very beautiful songs that could easily be used as  title music for a big budget, blockbuster film.  Yet even in the songs with a nice classical sound,  the band still manages to sneak some creepy things into it...whether it be a creepy whisper or voice, or just a creepy chord or sound. 

I highly recommend you go check out Midnight Syndicate's homepage and pick up a copy of CARNIVAL ARCANE and some of their other CDs.  I think all horror fans will enjoy this music for sure!


CLICK HERE to visit Midnight Syndicate's official website
CLICK HERE to purchase Carnival Arcane and other CDs and Merchandise
CLICK HERE to visit Midnight Syndicate's official Facebook Page