La galerie des monstres

A grim circus picture, with a bit of artistic edge. As in so many French productions of the period, much mileage is gotten from montage, here setting the whirling over-excitement of a teaming circus against the brutish menace of its leader (and those lions), and the put-upon couple caught up in it all. The film falls into repeating itself as it goes, but it is quite good at what it does. A well-received and influential representative of Impressionism internationally; even awarded in Japan.

This was a gem! Carnival atmosphere makes it feel freaky! This was tormenting with the scenes spinning in to a nauseating frenzy! The carnival outcasts perform to cheering and clapping crowds with smiles filling the screen by the dozens, edited intensely to create a sexual and creepy feel. The seemingly happy vibe is only a front for the dark and sinister going ons behind the scenes as the carnival boss full of evil tries to rape poor Lois Moran! A real oddity with a near gothic feel.