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FREAKSHOW DELUX
Produced and Directed by Andrew CoppFeaturing:
Reverend Tommy Gunn
The WolfFREAKSHOW DELUX, from Dayton underground filmmaker Andrew Copp, is the perfect companion piece to his early experimental horror film THE MUTILATION MAN. In that film, a performance artist traveled an apocalyptic wasteland inflicting self-mutilation for the amusement of others. In FREADSHOW DELUX, two men do virtually the same thing - for real.
More a performance piece then an in-depth examination of the subjects, FREAKSHOW DELUX follows Reverend Tommy Gunn and The Wolf (stage names, of course) as they prepare for and present a modern freakshow. This isn't your father's freakshow, with bearded ladies and pinheads. No, we see a man pound a nail into his sinus cavity. We see a man lie on a bed of nails as a woman stands on his chest. We see a man lift weights with his pieced tongue. We even see a crazy son of a bitch use his neck as a cutting board.
Reverend Tommy Gunn is the carnival barker. It's his job to excite the crowd. And yes, he speaks with the classic tone we've all heard in the movies. The Wolf is the straight man, a large, imposing straight man. Together, they posses an odd chemistry that boarders between fear and trust. Existing in the fringe freak culture, both men find a sense of self-fulfillment in these theatricalities.
Through on-the-spot interviews, viewers learn the history and training of these two men, and the whys are hinted at, but we never get a sense of place. What I mean by that, is we, as viewers, never get to see how the freakshow affects their lives, or how their loved ones feel about their antics. This would have been interesting avenue to pursue as it would help provide context to the stunts.
Filling in many of the blanks is Copp's director's commentary. He provides the history of the freakshow as well as the modern freakshows brought about thanks in part to the Modern Primative movement. Much of what Copp discusses would have made for a more well-balanced Discovery Channel-style documentary. I think Copp was trying to illuminate the shock more than anything. He captures the show as it happened with just enough interview footage so that the audience will empathize with the performers as a substitution for the thrill of being there live.
The most interesting aspect of the film comes when Gunn discusses the perspective of watching the show live versus on tape. There's an excitement present during a live act that you can't capture on film. Despite his best effort, Copp's subject tells him he's bound to fail. About this point on the commentary, Copp discusses his views of shows like JACKASS, which I've always found to be in a similar vein to freakshow performance art. No matter how much you tell someone not to copy you, someone is going to. I agree with his sentiments as kids always feel they're indestructible, and wonder at what point must the performer take responsibility for the example they put on display. Granted, they might not have forced the child to cut a cucumber on their jugular, but they certainly provided the idea. And no matter how exciting it is to watch someone do these stunts, the biggest rush of all comes from doing it yourself...in front of your adolescent peers.
Also on his commentary, Copp is quick to point out his own movie's flaws, most of which stem from the rushed production and harsh shooting conditions. His movie isn't bad by any stretch of the imagination, but it is rough around the edges. Hopefully, that won't deture anyone from experiencing FREAKSHOW DELUX.