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She Freak
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She Freak
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBryon Mabe
Written byDavid F. Friedman
Based onFreaks
by Tod Browning
Produced byDavid F. Friedman
Starring
CinematographyWilliam Troiano
Edited byByron Mabe
Music byWilliam Castleman
Production
company
Sonney-Friedman Pictures
Distributed byProducers Releasing Corporation[1]
Release date
  • May 3, 1967 (1967-05-03)[1]
Running time
87 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$75,000[2]

She Freak (sometimes stylized as She-Freak)[3] is a 1967 American exploitation horror film directed by Byron Mabe and starring Claire Brennen, Lee Raymond, and Lynn Courtney. It is an unofficial remake of the 1932 film Freaks.[2] An alternate version of the film, titled Asylum of the Insane, was also released, and features inserts shot by Donn Davison.

Plot

[edit]

Jade Cochran is an incredulous, cynical waitress who works at a rundown cafe. Determined to escape her lowly life and earn extra money, she agrees to take a second job serving meals to the workers of a traveling carnival sideshow that has arrived in town. She soon makes friends with Pat, a stripper, and Steve St. John, the owner of the carnival and overseer of the freakshow exhibit.

Allured by Steve's wealth, Jade sets her intent on romancing and marrying him for his money. Jade manages to woo Steve, and the two eventually marry, though Jade continues to carry on an affair with Blackie Fleming, a gruff ride operator at the carnival. Steve soon confronts Blackie about the tryst, and the two get into a violent tussle in which Blackie stabs Steve to death. Blackie is convicted of Steve's murder, and Jade happily inherits Steve's assets, including the carnival.

Jade begins abusing her newfound power as the owner of the carnival, and fires Shortie, a dwarf in the freakshow who originally informed Steve of Jade's indiscretion with Blackie. In retaliation, Shortie and the other carnival freaks band together and corner Jade at the carnival, viciously attacking her. Some time later, Jade, grossly mutilated and without legs, is placed on exhibit in the carnival's freakshow as the 'Snake Woman'.

Cast

[edit]
  • Claire Brennen as Jade Cochran
  • Lee Raymond as Blackie Fleming
  • Lynn Courtney as Pat 'Moon' Mullins
  • Bill McKinney as Steve St. John
  • Claude Earl Jones as Greasy
  • Ben Moore as Ben Thomas
  • Vanteen as Al Babcock
  • Madame Lee as Snake Charmer
  • Marsha Drake as Olga
  • Felix Silla as Shorty
  • William Bagdad as Pretty-Boy
  • Elmer McCurdy as Movie Prop

Production

[edit]

Writer-producer David F. Friedman admitted the film was "an outright remake" of Tod Browning's 1932 horror film Freaks.[2]

She Freak was filmed on a budget of $75,000 at the Kern County Fair in Bakersfield, California.[2]

The film used the corpse of bandit Elmer McCurdy as a prop in the film, despite his death occurring more than 50 years prior.

Release

[edit]

She Freak premiered on May 3, 1967, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[1] It had its Los Angeles premiere on October 11, 1967, as a double bill with The Brides of Fu Manchu (1966).[1]

Critical response

[edit]

Robert Firsching of AllMovie notes: "This entertaining sexploitation update of Freaks from producer David Friedman and director B. Ron Elliott (using the pseudonym "Byron Mabe") has its moments for sympathetic viewers."[3]

References

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
  • Senn, Bryan (2015). A Year of Fear: A Day-by-Day Guide to 366 Horror Films. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-1-476-61090-0.
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

She Freak

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from Grokipedia
She Freak is a 1967 American exploitation horror film directed by Byron Mabe and Donn Davison, written by , Donn Davison, and Michael B. Druxman, serving as a loose of Tod Browning's 1932 classic Freaks. The story follows a waitress who joins a , marries its owner, but faces revenge from the sideshow performers after and . Produced by Sonney-Friedman Pictures with a runtime of 83 minutes, the film stars Claire Brennen as Jade Cochran, with supporting roles by as Blackie Fleming, as Steve St. John, Lynn Courtney as Moon Mullins, and as the dwarf Shorty, and premiered on May 3, 1967. Critically, She Freak has been panned as a low-budget, exploitative cash-in on its predecessor, earning a 3.7/10 rating on from 1,346 user reviews and a 7% approval score on based on 13 critic reviews, as of November 2025. Despite its poor reception, the film has gained a for its campy atmosphere and over-the-top plot, with modern restorations by the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA) and highlighting its place in 1960s cinema.

Synopsis and Characters

Plot

The film opens in a dingy roadside where Jade Cochran, a disillusioned played by Claire Brennen, endures the leering advances of her sleazy boss while serving customers. Expressing her frustration with her mundane life, Jade encounters Ben Thomas, an advance man posting advertisements for a , and impulsively quits her job to join the show. Upon arriving at the carnival, Jade is assigned to bus tables and shares a trailer with Pat "Moon" Mullins, a who becomes her confidante; Moon warns her about the rough carnival life, but Jade, ambitious and cynical, aims to marry into wealth. Jade quickly attracts the attention of Blackie Fleming, the charming but volatile Ferris wheel operator portrayed by Lee Raymond, sparking a romantic subplot amid the carnival's gritty atmosphere. She also catches the eye of Steve St. John, the wealthy sideshow manager and carnival owner played by Bill McKinney, whom she seduces and marries in a hasty ceremony, securing her social ascent. However, Jade continues her affair with Blackie in secret, confiding in Moon about her manipulative schemes while showing disdain for the sideshow "freaks," including the diminutive performer Shorty (Felix Silla), whose resentment toward her grows. This exploitation of her vulnerability in the male-dominated carnival world highlights the dark underbelly of transient show business, where ambition breeds isolation and betrayal. Tensions escalate when Shorty witnesses Jade's infidelity and informs Steve, leading to a violent confrontation between the two men. In a fit of rage, Blackie stabs Steve to death during a struggle, allowing Jade to inherit control of the carnival; unmoved by the murder, she callously grins at Steve's body and begins asserting her authority. Emboldened, Jade fires Shorty and severs ties with Moon, mistreating the sideshow performers and alienating the entire carnival crew, whose loyalty to the late Steve fuels a collective grudge. This arc underscores themes of moral retribution, as Jade's greed and cruelty mirror the very exploitation she once endured, inviting the carnies' vengeful backlash. In the climactic confrontation, the freaks—led by figures like Shorty and other deformed performers—ambush Jade one night, subjecting her to a brutal assault that mutilates her body, covering her in scaly, alligator-like skin and rendering her a figure. The film concludes in the present day with the transformed Jade, now billed as the "Alligator Girl" in the pit, her screams echoing as fairgoers recoil in horror, symbolizing the inescapable cycle of carnival retribution.

Cast

The cast of She Freak features a mix of character actors and real carnival performers, contributing to the film's gritty, authentic depiction of sideshow life and its exploitation sensibilities. Principal roles are portrayed by performers who embody the seedy underbelly of the , with many drawn from actual carnival backgrounds to heighten realism. Claire Brennen leads as Jade Cochran, an ambitious small-town waitress drawn to the allure of carnival excitement, evolving into a snake dancer within the ensemble. Lee Raymond plays Blackie Fleming, the charismatic yet manipulative operator whose charm masks a darker edge, central to the film's interpersonal tensions. Lynn Courtney portrays Pat "Moon" Mullins, a supportive and figure who adds camaraderie to the female performers' dynamic. Supporting the core trio, appears as Steve St. John, the affluent carnival owner whose presence drives the story's ambitions and conflicts. Claude Earl Jones is Greasy, the crude diner boss representing Jade's initial drudgery. The sideshow freaks are brought to life by performers like as the diminutive Shorty, emphasizing the group's tight-knit loyalty amid exploitation. William Bagdad plays Pretty Boy, a tattooed performer involved in the carnival's rougher interactions, while Ben Moore rounds out the ensemble as Ben Thomas. Cameos include producer as the carnival barker, whose booming announcements set the film's raucous tone, and director Byron Mabe as a . The use of non-professional carnival veterans in these roles enhances the film's raw, documentary-like feel, distinguishing it from more polished genre entries.

Production

Development

She Freak originated as a low-budget exploitation of Tod Browning's 1932 film Freaks, conceived by producer to capitalize on enduring carnival horror tropes amid the genre's popularity in the 1960s. Friedman, drawing from his own experiences working with traveling carnivals as a young man, sought to revive the original's themes of , , and outsider exploitation while infusing them with the era's sleazier sensibilities to appeal to drive-in audiences. The was written solely by , adapting the narrative for a modern context by emphasizing a female protagonist's ambition and moral downfall within the world, rather than the ensemble focus of the version. Direction was initially handled by Byron Mabe, a frequent collaborator in exploitation projects, though Friedman partially took over after a production dispute, ensuring the film's completion on schedule. During pre-production, prioritized authentic carnival immersion, securing permissions to film at two real traveling shows to document the gritty, behind-the-scenes life of sideshow performers and barkers. The project adhered to severe budget constraints of around $75,000, a standard for mid- exploitation fare, which limited special effects but allowed for extensive location footage that blended horror with voyeuristic sleaze. Released in 1967, She Freak captured the waning days of traditional American traveling s, which were declining due to shifting social norms, television competition, and legal restrictions on s, offering a raw reflection of 1960s culture on the brink of obsolescence.

Filming

Principal photography for She Freak occurred primarily in 1966 at authentic carnival sites, including seven days at the Kern County Fair in Bakersfield and opening scenes at the in Sacramento, to evoke the gritty atmosphere of traveling sideshows. Additional interior sequences were captured over three days on a soundstage in , allowing the production to integrate real fairground elements with controlled environments. The film incorporated genuine sideshow performers and workers, such as sword swallowers, snake charmers, and dwarf actor , to populate the ensemble and heighten realism without relying on fabricated deformities. These non-professional participants from the world contributed to the raw, unpolished dynamic of the on-set interactions. Byron Mabe's direction focused on exploitation conventions, blending suggestive , interpersonal , and a seedy underbelly of life, all rendered in a trashy, deliberate homage to Tod Browning's Freaks (1932). This approach prioritized atmospheric immersion over polished narrative, using location footage of ride assemblies and barker routines to immerse viewers in the subculture. The low-budget constraints necessitated a compressed 10-day shooting schedule and improvised scenes, compounded by tensions between Mabe and producer , who ultimately oversaw completion of the picture. Bill Troiano shot the film in color to vividly capture the chaotic fairground palette, resulting in an 83-minute runtime enhanced by Billy Allen's score to amplify the climactic horror.

Release and Distribution

Theatrical release

She Freak premiered on May 3, 1967, in , , marking its initial theatrical debut . The film was distributed by Sonney Amusement Enterprises, which handled its limited rollout to regional markets. As a low-budget exploitation production, it targeted drive-in and theaters, often programmed as part of double features to capitalize on the era's appetite for sensational carnival-themed horror. The marketing campaign emphasized the film's freak show elements, with posters featuring lurid artwork by Rudy Ecalera that highlighted horror, , and sideshow grotesquerie to draw adult audiences. Producer , renowned for his work in sexploitation , crafted promotional materials that played up the "monster midway" and barbaric intrigue behind the tents. These strategies aligned with Friedman's established approach to hyping low-budget independents through provocative visuals and taglines promising titillation and thrills. Box office performance was modest, reflecting the film's regional U.S. runs without a wide national release, as was common for such independents. Earnings came primarily from urban and rural drive-ins catering to adult viewers, where the content's mild and prompted restrictions to mature audiences in some locales. The low production costs facilitated a swift push to theaters, allowing quick recoupment through targeted screenings.

Home media

She Freak first became available on home video via releases in the early , followed by a DVD release in 2000 from Image Entertainment, in partnership with , marking one of the earliest titles in their collaboration to distribute exploitation films digitally. This edition presented the film in its original , accompanied by from producer and Something Weird founder Mike Vraney. In 2021, the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), in collaboration with and distributed by [Vinegar Syndrome](/page/Vinegar Syndrome), issued a Blu-ray edition featuring a new 4K scan sourced from the original 35mm camera negative, significantly improving visual clarity and color fidelity over prior transfers. The release includes an uncompressed DTS-HD MA 2.0 mono audio track, English SDH subtitles, an archival track, a vintage short subject, bonus footage from Asylum of the Insane, a promotional photo gallery, and a booklet with an essay by historian Lisa Petrucci. A limited-edition slipcover version was produced in quantities of 2,500 units. Internationally, distribution remained limited until 2022, when 101 Films released a Blu-ray edition based on the same AGFA 4K restoration, making the film more accessible to European audiences through specialized cult cinema channels. As of 2025, She Freak is widely available for streaming on free and subscription platforms, including , Amazon Channel, Screambox Amazon Channel, , Cultpix, Plex, and , reflecting its status that enables broad digital access. The film can also be viewed for free on , further enhancing its availability for modern viewers interested in 1960s exploitation cinema. Preservation efforts culminated in the 2021 Blu-ray's 4K scan, which utilized the surviving original negative to restore the film's gritty aesthetic without major alterations, ensuring higher-quality archival access for future generations.

Reception and Legacy

Critical response

Upon its release in , She Freak was largely dismissed by mainstream critics as lurid exploitation trash, typical of the era's low-budget offerings with minimal artistic pretensions. While specific contemporary reviews are scarce, the film circulated primarily on the exploitation circuit, where it was promoted for its sensational setting and tawdry thrills rather than narrative depth. In modern retrospectives, She Freak continues to receive low ratings, with an average of 3.7 out of 10 on based on over 1,300 user votes and a 7% approval score on from 13 critic reviews as of 2025. Critics frequently lambast the film's poor , sluggish pacing, and amateurish production values, with one reviewer noting "bad , an even worse script, [and] poor " that render much of the runtime tedious. However, it has garnered niche appreciation in communities, particularly through releases by , for its unapologetically sleazy vibe and authentic depiction of mid-1960s life. Key critiques often highlight unfavorable comparisons to Tod Browning's 1932 classic Freaks, positioning She Freak as an inferior, unofficial that dilutes the original's empathy and shock value in favor of exploitative elements like nudity and deformity for cheap sensationalism. Producer David F. Friedman's signature schlock style—marked by lurid marketing and formulaic tropes—is seen as emblematic of the film's flaws, with the revenge theme's handling criticized for lacking tension or emotional weight. In a 2024 retrospective, Moria Reviews described it as "sordid" yet "fascinating" for its trashy homage to vanished carnival culture, praising the real-life authenticity amid the narrative shortcomings. Similarly, a Senseless Cinema analysis appreciated its drama as an "educational exploration of the lifestyle," despite the overall lack of thrills.

Cultural impact

She Freak contributed to the exploitation subgenre of 1960s-1970s cinema by blending authentic footage with lurid narrative elements, helping to popularize tropes of intrigue and vengeance that echoed earlier works like (1962) and influenced later revivals. The film has achieved cult status within horror fandom, particularly through home media releases that preserved its appeal, including Something Weird Video's DVD editions and the American Genre Film Archive's 2021 4K restoration, which revived interest among collectors and enthusiasts. It has been featured in documentaries exploring producer David F. 's career and broader culture, such as the 2001 film Schlock! The Secret History of American Movies, where Friedman reflects on his exploitation works, and ' 2022 Slumberground episode, which examines -themed horror. As an unofficial of Tod Browning's Freaks, She Freak is often viewed as a diluted homage that adapts the original's themes of and retribution within a low-budget context, prompting discussions on the challenges of reinterpreting landmark films in the exploitation arena. In the , She Freak continues to hold modern relevance through analyses in exploitation history, such as the Senseless Cinema retrospective, which highlights its role in documenting the gritty underbelly of traveling , and podcast episodes like the Free With Ads discussion, symbolizing the fading American carnival era's mix of spectacle and exploitation. Despite its initial poor critical reception, the film's cult appeal has endured, underscoring its niche impact.

References

  1. https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/89850/she-freak
  2. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062259/
  3. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/she_freak
  4. https://vinegarsyndrome.com/products/she-freak-agfa
  5. https://www.moriareviews.com/horror/she-freak-1967.htm
  6. https://www.senselesscinema.com/2022/10/she-freak.html
  7. http://www.coolasscinema.com/2009/03/she-freak-1967-dis-list-review-2.html
  8. https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/30935-she-freak/cast?language=en-US
  9. https://www.fandango.com/she-freak-36715/cast-and-crew
  10. https://thebedlamfiles.com/film/she-freak/
  11. http://atomiccaravan.blogspot.com/2011/05/she-freak-1967.html
  12. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/26/welcome-to-gibtown-the-last-freakshow-town-in-america
  13. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062259/trivia/
  14. https://www.mondo-digital.com/shefreak.html
  15. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062259/releaseinfo/
  16. https://www.grindhousedatabase.com/index.php/She_Freak
  17. https://keyframe.fandor.com/fandor-focus-grindhouse-cinema/
  18. https://www.ebay.com/itm/277340293208
  19. https://www.emovieposter.com/agallery/archiveitem/2160575.html
  20. https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/promotional-poster-for-the-film-she-freak-directed-by-byron-news-photo/50836605
  21. https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/18308
  22. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062259/parentalguide/
  23. https://www.rockshockpop.com/articles/movies-aa/383079-she-freak-agfa-something-weird-video-blu-ray-review
  24. https://101-films-store.com/products/she-freak-agfa-1967
  25. https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/she-freak
  26. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOJo1VXXUF8
  27. https://moviesandmania.com/2014/10/02/she-freak-1967-exploitation-horror-movie-overview-cast-plot-review/
  28. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062259/reviews/
  29. https://blueprintreview.co.uk/2022/04/she-freak/
  30. https://www.americangenrefilm.com/home-videos/she-freak/
  31. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FxR2iuKtFE
  32. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/she-freak/id1731039010?i=1000702680746
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