Freaks

Is Freaks a Horror movie or not?

      While watching this film I could not help but notice the similarities Freaks had with the 1980's film The Elephant Man. In The Elephant Man there is also a disfigured man that is treated horribly and must make a living as a side-show "freak." I used The Elephant Man to help come to a conclusion about whether Freaks is a horror film or not. Personally, I do not think Freaks is a horror movie. The Elephant Man has been described as a drama, and I feel that Freaks should be in the same genre. I believe the only reason Freaks has been categorized as a horror film is because of the way society viewed disfigured people during the 1930's. I would find it very surprising if a screenwriter attempted at making a script similar to Freaks in 2014 and considered it a horror movie. So I ask you, how would society react to Freaks if it was produced in the 21st century?

-Jake