David F. Friedman, one of the few great exploitation kings (and the man behind many a HG Lewis gore-fest) wrote and produced this slice of 60's sleaze that for me just didn't seem to appease (I'm a poet and I didn't even know it). It may not deliver on what it promises until well into the final act but I'll give credit where credit is due, eventually it does deliver (well, sort of). Preserved on DVD by Something Weird Video (one can only wonder why) She Freak is presented in an extremely handsome transfer with a few tantalizing extras. It may not be a must have but it stands as an interesting slice of exploitation presented for the die-hard fans or the down right curious.

After an extended opening sequence in which we're presented with over 5 minutes of random carnival footage we're introduced to Jade, a waitress at a real "classy" roadside diner. Jade's not too happy with her current employer so when she gets wind of a carnival heading to town, she decides to see if there are any openings available. Jade gets the gig (waiting tables natch) and enjoys the clientele much more than her previous gig. Well, one day Jade decides to roam the carnival on her break, and she gets a little "freaked" by the Freak Show. She's consoled by her stripper friend and then the two head home for some idle chitchat and a quick bubble bath. After a few more brief montages of random carnival footage (including the setting up and breaking down of tents of all things) we discover Jade's true agenda. She's looking for a sugar daddy and sets her sights on Steven St. John owner of the Freak Show (friend to the very freaks she despises, hello ironic twist!). The two are eventually hitched and it's the start of one of those beautiful loveless marriages. Through all of this Jade still finds time to sneak around with Blackie, the seedy Ferris Wheel operator that nobody seems to trust (but man does he look like he satisfies!). Things only go from bad to worse from here on out as jealous hubby Steven finds out about Blackie and Jade and ultimately it's Steven's loyal freaks that wind up with the ultimate revenge in the end, muuuwaaahhhh!

Well, in case you haven't figured this one out yet, She Freak is really not that great of a film. Whereas exploitation gems like Blood Feast or Color Me Blood Red truly have their merits (as bad as they may be), She Freak really has little to none of said merits. It looks cheap, it sounds cheap, the acting is cheap, the effects are cheap and the payoff is so slight, if you blink you're likely to miss it. Now, this isn't to say that the affair is a total loss. If you're a fan of cinema so bad, that it's, well bad then She Freak could be a truly enlightening experience. In any event, all of the vintage Carnival footage is very cool (even if it does seem to go on endlessly), as the film was shot at a real carnival after all. There are a few moments of inspired gore and the "payoff" I spoke of earlier is so bad and unconvincing, that it's kinda actually good in it's own bad way (does that make ANY sense?). Speaking of the "payoff" it's not much of a surprise after all since it's plastered all over the packaging and menu design (so much for surprises). The shocking reveal winds up not being all that shocking after all. Much of the rest of the film plays off as a series of unconvincing set pieces that aren't really tied together. In one sequence Blackie gives Jade a free ride on the Ferris Wheel (if you know what I mean) and the scene plays off more like an Herbal Essences shampoo commercial than anything else. In this respect, Friedman was way ahead of his time, right? Think of it as a how NOT too guide of filmmaking. David Friedman is one of the true pioneers of exploitation filmmaking done right, so I'm not slighting the man in the least. He's made some great films, along with some bad films that are still extremely enjoyable. The man is a genius, plain and simple. However, it's a well known fact of life that they can't all be winners.

While the film may be a dud, the presentation by Something Weird Video most certainly is not. She Freak is presented full frame and simply put; this film looks gorgeous. Colors are so sharp and vibrant; She Freak almost looks like a real film (almost, but not quite). There are really only minimal amounts of print damage (mostly where reel changes would have occurred) and a few moments of discoloration in a few frames. About 45 minutes in there is a few second black out as well (by black out I mean you don't see shit), once again this is a case of blink and you'll miss it (just like the films payoff) so no biggie. The unexpected and outstanding quality of the feature itself almost helps to make the film itself seem more enjoyable (once again folks, I said almost). There's no doubt in my mind that this film has not looked this good since it played at a drive-in in North Carolina on a busy Friday night circa '67.

Sound is presented in Dolby Mono and is less impressive than the outstanding picture quality. Many scenes suffer from background noise and some hiss if you will. Dialogue is fairly clear if not a bit low, so be prepared to crank up the volume a bit more than normal (you'll also hear more of that famous hiss this way as well, neat!) so be warned. You'll have to try and strike a fair balance between the two. You're on your own with this one. This isn't so much as a complaint as it is an observation. Although I'm fairly sure that the audio could have been cleaned up a bit, one really can't complain much when considering the title at hand.

Extras are most impressive for what they're worth. We start things off with a feature length audio commentary with Mr. Friedman himself. The commentary is quite interesting as with many of Friedman's other Something Weird commentaries, he certainly has a lot to say. Next up is about 10 minutes of archival footage of Freak Shows from days gone by. This footage is priceless in its historical context and fans of the sideshow and carnivals should definitely dig it. Finally we have a great theatrical trailer that also happens to be in very sad shape (this alone makes you value the quality of the feature itself even more) and a gallery of exploitation artwork that runs for about 4 minutes (these are always great fun).

Well, what can I say? You won't find a blanket recommendation here. If you're curious, dig in cause you can get this title for under 12 bucks since Image's recent price reductions went into effect. The film is a bit stale (but not a total loss at that), the quality is top notch (except for the audio, which is certainly lacking) and the extras are fun (if not a bit brief), you do the math.