Freaks (1932) dir. Tod Browning - Blu-ray Forum

JupiterMission · 10-04-2016, 04:23 AM

Is there a reason this hasn't come out on blu-ray yet? I wasn't even able to find much of a discussion of it anywhere. (Maybe I missed the thread?) It seems weird that one of the most highly regarded films of the 1930s hasn't seen a proper release on the format. Any info?

ianungstad · 10-04-2016, 04:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JupiterMission

Is there a reason this hasn't come out on blu-ray yet? I wasn't even able to find much of a discussion of it anywhere. (Maybe I missed the thread?) It seems weird that one of the most highly regarded films of the 1930s hasn't seen a proper release on the format. Any info?

Rumor is that Criterion is releasing this. (eventually)
Tod Browning phantom page on criterion.com :

https://www.criterion.com/people/124225-tod-browning

JupiterMission · 10-04-2016, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ianungstad

Rumor is that Criterion is releasing this. (eventually)

Nice!!! Do you know how long that page has been up? I know sometimes they don't add them until right before an announcement.

(Also, sorry for posting in the wrong section of the forum. Still learning the ropes.)

Rubium123 · 05-11-2018, 11:39 AM

I absolutely cannot believe this films not made it onto bluray yet...its easily one of the best early horror films I've ever seen! and it's only release is atrocious! I really hope someone picks this up soon...

TripleHBK · 04-01-2019, 03:50 AM

Watched this for the first time tonight and I have to throw my name in with the others above me expressing my disbelief that this hasn't made it's way to Blu Ray yet. Such a great film. I'm hoping that the old rumor that Criterion has it is true as I would purchase it in a heart beat.

Michael24 · 04-01-2019, 05:56 AM

I would be down for this on Blu-ray. From what I understand it was heavily cut by the studio after test screenings and all that footage is now lost, so Browning's original cut could never be restored, unfortunately. Would love to see his original version.

DNSK · 04-01-2019, 11:16 PM

This was a pretty good movie. Different and unique.

Nightman04 · 06-07-2019, 12:12 AM

This needs a bluray release.

BucketheadPikes · 09-23-2019, 04:08 PM

Airing tonight on TCM @ 10PM EST & again on Oct. 31st @ 6:45AM EST.

Sabatino90 · 10-25-2019, 03:18 PM

I don't understand why no one bother to restore this movie in Blu-ray... such a shame.

Pecker · 01-19-2020, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ianungstad

Rumor is that Criterion is releasing this. (eventually)
Tod Browning phantom page on criterion.com :

https://www.criterion.com/people/124225-tod-browning

No longer working.

However, it is available to stream in HD here:

https://www.amazon.com/Freaks-Wallac...t-video&sr=1-2

This is relatively unusual. In my (fairly limited) experience, titles which Warner are restoring for a WAC release usually don't appear to stream in HD like this until after the physical release.

Are they possibly farming it out to Scream Factory?

DirrrtyJoe · 09-02-2020, 11:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JupiterMission

Is there a reason this hasn't come out on blu-ray yet? I wasn't even able to find much of a discussion of it anywhere. (Maybe I missed the thread?) It seems weird that one of the most highly regarded films of the 1930s hasn't seen a proper release on the format. Any info?

There's an unofficial Blu-ray floating around on IG that has a new 4K transfer of the film. Looks gorgeous.

tangerinewolf · 09-02-2020, 11:56 PM

According to WAC in a very recent podcast, it was stated that they only have a fourth generation master and are looking for better elements, but are definitely interested in getting Freaks onto blu-ray.

JT1138 · 09-24-2020, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangerinewolf

According to WAC in a very recent podcast, it was stated that they only have a fourth generation master and are looking for better elements, but are definitely interested in getting Freaks onto blu-ray.

What podcast? I'd love to listen.

Shane Rollins · 08-09-2021, 12:49 AM

Semi-breaking news: the MOD version of the 2004 DVD is now out of print. Everyone is still selling the same transfer digitally, but no physical copy is available. This may finallt mean a Blu-ray is coming...

Shane Rollins · 08-09-2021, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DirrrtyJoe

There's an unofficial Blu-ray floating around on IG that has a new 4K transfer of the film. Looks gorgeous.

Link please?

Raven_Sky · 07-02-2022, 04:05 PM

Any new information regarding a "Freaks" blu-ray release? Thanks

drownsoda · 07-07-2022, 09:23 PM

I still can't believe this has not made it to Blu-ray. It's such an important film, both historically and artistically speaking. I still have the Warner DVD that I bought from a Barnes & Noble when I was in high school. I remember there being rumblings (or suspicions) that Criterion would one day release it. When they started licensing Warner titles some years back, I hoped that a Freaks Blu-ray would surface from them, but no dice.

Hammerlover · 07-07-2022, 09:40 PM

Elements issues are probably causing the delay.

Shane Rollins · 04-03-2023, 04:49 PM

They need to stop kicking the can down the road. Today they have bad elements. In ten years they’ll have worse elements or no elements. That or the restoration cost will mushroom. Look at The Alamo and Raintree County.

As for the lost original cut of the movie, they could do something like London After Midnight, Greed, or Lost Horizon, but for some reason no one wants to.

10-04-2016, 04:23 AM	#1
JupiterMission Power Member Member since:Sep 2016 Trading Score:2	Freaks (1932) dir. Tod Browning Is there a reason this hasn't come out on blu-ray yet? I wasn't even able to find much of a discussion of it anywhere. (Maybe I missed the thread?) It seems weird that one of the most highly regarded films of the 1930s hasn't seen a proper release on the format. Any info?

09-23-2019, 04:08 PM	#9
BucketheadPikes Blu-ray Knight Member since:Oct 2016 Location:Quixote's Coop at Bucketheadland Trading Score:1	Tcm Airing tonight on TCM @ 10PM EST & again on Oct. 31st @ 6:45AM EST.

05-11-2018, 11:39 AM	#4
Rubium123 Member Top contributor Member since:May 2016 Blu-ray collection:316 DVD collection:561	I absolutely cannot believe this films not made it onto bluray yet...its easily one of the best early horror films I've ever seen! and it's only release is atrocious! I really hope someone picks this up soon...

04-01-2019, 03:50 AM	#5
TripleHBK Blu-ray Duke Top contributor Member since:Aug 2012 Location:Lincoln, NE Home Theater Gallery:52 4K collection:249 Blu-ray collection:3649 DVD collection:742 Blu-ray reviews: 17 Trading Score:47	Watched this for the first time tonight and I have to throw my name in with the others above me expressing my disbelief that this hasn't made it's way to Blu Ray yet. Such a great film. I'm hoping that the old rumor that Criterion has it is true as I would purchase it in a heart beat.

04-01-2019, 05:56 AM	#6
Michael24 Blu-ray Champion Top contributor Member since:Nov 2009 Location:California 4K collection:11 Blu-ray collection:552 DVD collection:164 Trading Score:2	I would be down for this on Blu-ray. From what I understand it was heavily cut by the studio after test screenings and all that footage is now lost, so Browning's original cut could never be restored, unfortunately. Would love to see his original version.

04-01-2019, 11:16 PM	#7
DNSK Senior Member Top contributor Member since:Feb 2015 4K collection:162 Blu-ray collection:1113 DVD collection:83	This was a pretty good movie. Different and unique.

06-07-2019, 12:12 AM	#8
Nightman04 Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Mar 2010 Location:California 4K collection:1220 Blu-ray collection:4441 DVD collection:6 Trading Score:33	This needs a bluray release.

10-25-2019, 03:18 PM	#10
Sabatino90 New Member Member since:Oct 2019	I don't understand why no one bother to restore this movie in Blu-ray... such a shame.

09-02-2020, 11:56 PM	#13
tangerinewolf Blu-ray Guru Member since:Aug 2019 Location:Massachusetts, USA Trading Score:1	According to WAC in a very recent podcast, it was stated that they only have a fourth generation master and are looking for better elements, but are definitely interested in getting Freaks onto blu-ray.

08-09-2021, 12:49 AM	#15
Shane Rollins Banned Top contributor Member since:Jun 2020 Location:In James Cameron's Mother's Basement 4K collection:8 Blu-ray collection:93	Semi-breaking news: the MOD version of the 2004 DVD is now out of print. Everyone is still selling the same transfer digitally, but no physical copy is available. This may finallt mean a Blu-ray is coming...

07-02-2022, 04:05 PM	#17
Raven_Sky Senior Member Member since:Nov 2018 Location:The Raven's Lair Trading Score:45	Any new information regarding a "Freaks" blu-ray release? Thanks

07-07-2022, 09:23 PM	#18
drownsoda Power Member Member since:Dec 2018 Location:Oregon 4K collection:288 Blu-ray collection:1725 DVD collection:105 Digital collection:16 Prime collection:5	I still can't believe this has not made it to Blu-ray. It's such an important film, both historically and artistically speaking. I still have the Warner DVD that I bought from a Barnes & Noble when I was in high school. I remember there being rumblings (or suspicions) that Criterion would one day release it. When they started licensing Warner titles some years back, I hoped that a Freaks Blu-ray would surface from them, but no dice.

07-07-2022, 09:40 PM	#19
Hammerlover Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Jul 2020 Location:Hammer House	Elements issues are probably causing the delay.

04-03-2023, 04:49 PM	#20
Shane Rollins Banned Top contributor Member since:Jun 2020 Location:In James Cameron's Mother's Basement 4K collection:8 Blu-ray collection:93	They need to stop kicking the can down the road. Today they have bad elements. In ten years they’ll have worse elements or no elements. That or the restoration cost will mushroom. Look at The Alamo and Raintree County. As for the lost original cut of the movie, they could do something like London After Midnight, Greed, or Lost Horizon, but for some reason no one wants to.

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