FREAKS, GEEKS, AND STRANGE GIRLS!!!

[Crankie Avalon]

Sideshow banners: A great genre of American folk art. Garish, gaudy, over-the-top...and usually a bit of a cheat, truth be told.

Still, what's not to love?

[skylarmae]

1. these are great. Is the last guy from the movie FREAKS circa 1933? n/t

[Crankie Avalon]

2. Yes...

...his name is Johnny Eck. He was a VERY famous sideshow performer, as were a lot of the people in "Freaks."

[skylarmae]

8. wasn't the movie banned for a long time? I remember seeing it in

the early (very early) 70's. I cried for days and days after seeing that movie...

[Crankie Avalon]

9. It was banned for 30 years in England.

The poster:



A partial cast shot:



The dinner scene:



And, lastly, one more image of Johnny Eck:


More: http://freaks.cinephiles.net/

[MsAnthropy]

3. Very cool!

I remember them from the State Fair when I was a kid. They terrified me but I still had to see them. Still gives me shivers! I just saw the movie "Freaks" on television for the first time not long ago. Very creepy.

[jimbo fett]

4. Just what "talent" does Cleo, the Moon Girl have? She's made of cheese?

[Crankie Avalon]

6. Not sure...

...but from the force lines coming from her hands and the blue water represented in the background, my guess would be that she can "control" the movement of water, somehow, like the whole "moon and the tides" thing.

[jdots]

5. are these from a book ?

I love them,please tell where you found them.

[Crankie Avalon]

7. I took most of them...

...from here: http://www.joebates.com/joesfreakshow/banners1.htm

the rest from here: http://www.hammergallery.com/Banners/vintage_side_show_banners_1.htm

I'm lucky enough to own two books of sideshow banner art. The best one happens to be called "Freaks, Geeks, and Strange Girls." It's fantastic, but, unfortunately, I'm not sure if it's still in print. Well, here's the amazon link to it: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0945367198/qid=1100098619/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-3268734-1964628?v=glance&s=books



This one has ALL the images in the original post, above.

The other book is smaller and not quite as good, but it's still well worth buying: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/081180707X/qid=1100098867/sr=2-3/ref=pd_ka_b_2_3/103-3268734-1964628

[niwi]

10. i love circus posters!

my own paintings are very much influenced by them

[Crankie Avalon]

11. Just a few more before I let this thread go down for the count...