DON’T JUDGE A MOVIE BY IT’S TITLE
Movie Review – Freaks vs the Reich
Review by Ray Schillaci
So many films get passed on because of misleading or bad titles. Tom Cruise’s Edge of Tomorrow was very confusing when it added the tagline Live, Die, Repeat. The film was a great piece of sci-fi action fun. Yet, the title turned many off and some associated it with his previous sci-fi bomb, Oblivion. For me, the most memorable was a little sci-fi horror film titled Alien Raiders. The title conjures up thoughts of lower grade Roger Corman schlock. But, once again the film is fun, frightening and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Neither director Ben Rock or his writers were responsible for the title. It was put upon them by less creative folks. Which brings me to Freaks vs the Reich, its title outside of the U.S. market is Freaks Out. Neither title does this wonderful film justice.
The only reason I decided to check it out was because of the trailer that gave a hint of stepping into Guillermo del Toro territory with it’s fascinating production design and unusual characters. The film did not disappoint. Writer/director/producer/composer Gabriele Mainetti whizzes us through a world of wonder with an Italian historical fantasy drama taking place in 1943, the middle of WWII, and a small group of entertainers known as Circus Mezzapiotta run by an old Jewish man whose name is Israel. He travels village to village displaying his performer’s unique talents.
These are not ordinary performers, they are Israel’s endearing adopted family that consists of four freaks. Matilde is a girl who creates electricity from her body and cannot touch anyone for fear of electrocuting them. Fulvio is known as the man-beast, suffering from hypertrichosis (excessive hair growth on the body), he also has super human strength. There is the highly unusual albino boy, Cencio, who has the ability to control insects. And, the bizarre dwarf, Mario, who appears to have a mental disability and can manipulate metal objects.
While putting on a magnificent show, the village is attacked by Nazis and the survival of the circus is threatened. Israel suggests they travel to America while Fulvio is insistent on joining the Berlin Zircus, a spectacle show stopper put on by the Nazis in Rome and run by a famed six-fingered pianist, Franz, a German clairvoyant. He also has visions of future inventions like the iPhone, Playstation and a frightening outcome of Germany’s end, Hitler’s suicide.
Franz has seen ahead in time to four beings with super human powers that could save the fate of the Third Reich. He’s been on a desperate search for them and why he created the circus to travel all over to gather freaks. He tortures them to find the four beings.
In the meantime, Israel convinces his people that they should head to America. He collects all their money and takes off to make arrangements, but is eventually captured by Nazis. While waiting for him to get back, the three men grow impatient and decide to fall in with the Berlin Zircus while Matilde insists on trusting Israel and sets out to search for him.
Their separate treks through the war torn countryside, the extravagance of the Nazi circus and the stark military confines is a fascinating journey that is both dark fun, sad and frightening. Gabriele Mainetti’s vision of the world he has created is as breathtaking as the world director del Toro paints, where ugliness and the unusual can rise to an art form, but the evil in men is the darkest of visions.
Although the trailer has wonderful glimpses of fantasy, Freaks vs The Reich is a hard “R” with violent imagery and some sexual situations that may offend, and others could get a good laugh out of the antics of one member of the group. The freaks in Mainetti’s film are not superheroes. They are misfits who want to be accepted under the worst of circumstances and have a tremendous care for one another. For a fantasy film that has quite a bit of action, the writer/director manages to infuse a lot of deeper themes delivering a poignancy to the whole affair that goes way beyond the average Marvel movie. All the more reason to catch this wonderful piece of filmmaking.
Freaks vs the Reich is available to rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video and VUDU.
Visit Ray’s blog at themonsterinmyhead.com
Directed by: Gabriele Mainetti
Release Date: April 28, 2023
Run Time: 141 Minutes
Country: Italy, Belgium
Distributor: VMI Releasing
