History YMMV / Freaks

* MemeticMutation: "One of us! One of us! Gooble-gobble gooble-gobble! We accept you, we accept you!"

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: Roscoe to Violet: "If it's not your dress I'm hooking up, it's something else" (said while Violet and Daisy are making the bed).

* MemeticMutation: "[[OneOfUs One of us! One of us! Gooble-gobble gooble-gobble! We accept you, we accept you!]]"

* VindicatedByHistory: At first dismissed as a horrific ExploitationFilm, ''Freaks'' has since earned a cult following in the sixties counter-culture movement and is today recognized as a classic, particularly for its [[FairForItsDay sympathetic portrayal of the titular "freaks."]] While reviews at the time are [[ValuesDissonance extremely cringe-worthy]] by today's standards in how it condemned the film as grotesque and used [[KickTheDog dehumanizing language in regards to the freaks]].

* VindicatedByHistory: At first dismissed as a horrific ExploitationFilm, ''Freaks'' has since earned a cult following in the sixties counter-culture movement and is today recognized as a classic, particularly for its [[FairForItsDay sympathetic portrayal of the titular "freaks."]] While reviews at the time are [[ValuesDissonance extremely cringe-worthy]] by today's standards in how it condemned the film using [[KickTheDog dehumanizing language in regards to the freaks]].

* VindicatedByHistory: At first dismissed as a horrific ExploitationFilm, ''Freaks'' has since earned a cult following in the sixties counter-culture movement and is today recognized as a classic, particularly for its [[FairForItsDay sympathetic portrayal of the titular "freaks."]]

* FairForItsDay: The titular Freaks ''are'' presented as off-putting and creepy in their way, particularly at the signature "One of us" scene and at the ending when they enact their revenge. Cleo's fate of becoming a freak herself is treated as a horrifying punishment. But at the same time, they're unquestionably portrayed good, friendly people who attempt to stay upbeat and positive in spite of the prejudice they have to deal with every day. The villains of the story are two traditionally handsome, gorgeous, "Normal" people whose beauty is quickly revealed to be only skin deep.

** Generally, all the freaks here are UglyCute. Johnny Eck is uncommonly handsome.

* {{Squick}}: The actors playing Hans and Freida are siblings. Knowing this makes the fact that they end up together sort of uncomfortable for some viewers.

* MemeticMutation: "[[OneOfUs! One of us! One of us! Gooble-gobble gooble-gobble! We accept you, we accept you!]]"

* MemeticMutation: "OneOfUs! One of us! Gooble-gobble gooble-gobble! We accept you, we accept you!"

* MemeticMutation: OneOfUs! One of us! Gooble-gobble gooble-gobble! We accept you, we accept you!

** Angeleno, another of the little people, is the top half of [=MasterBlaster=] in ''Film/MadMaxBeyondThunderdome''.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Harry Earles (Hans) would go on to play one of the Lollipop Guild dancers in ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'' (the one in the blue shirt).
** Angeleno, another of the little people, is the top half of Master Blaster in ''MadMaxBeyondThunderdome''.

** Generally, all the freaks here are UglyCute.

* AmbiguousEnding: It's unclear whether Cleopatra's ultimate fate was inflicted on her by the circus troupe, or by Mother Nature getting in on the act.

* PlayedForLaughs: The scenes involving the conjoined twins and their romantic laugh were intended to be CringeComedy to some degree.

* VindicatedByHistory

* TrueArtSticksItToTheMan

* UncannyValley: Oh, sweet sacred Buddha...

* CrowningMusicOfAwesome: The loving cup song - not a masterpiece of composition, maybe, but it will haunt you, and what more can you ask?
* FetishFuel: The scene where a man kisses one of the conjoined twins and the other one closes her eyes and shudders with pleasure -- an earlier scene having established that each can feel what the other feels.

* UncannyValley: Oh sweet sacred Buddha...