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Dark Carnival: The Secret World of Tod Browning

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Director Tod Browning, best known for his films "Dracula" (1931) and "Freaks," was a surrealist for the masses. In his films he used characters with mental and physical abnormalities to illustrate the plight of humanity diminished by modernism. He was one of the first horror auteurs in America, and filtered elements of the fantastic from European film makers like Robert Weine and F.W. Murnau. As an artist, he was uneven, and as the subject of a biography, he is all but unknowable, but David J. Skal does the best he can. Some sections of the book (especially the ones covering Bela Lugosi and the making of "Dracula") retread earlier work by Skal. Browning is also not the best subject for a biographical treatment, since he left almost no letters or personal effects. Instead of resorting to guesswork or pop psychology, however, Skal (with his collaborator Elias Savada, a film historian) wisely focuses on the content of Browning's films. The best sections of the book deal with Browning's frequent silent movies collaborations with Lon Chaney, Sr., and the making of, and subsequent furor over, the film "Freaks." This is a top notch book that should appeal greatly to film buffs, lovers of silent cinema, Hollywood historians, cultural critics, and horror fans of all stripes. (And compleatists and trainspotters will be happy to know that the filmography is both detailed and exhaustive.)

Tod Browning (1880-1962) was one of the most unusual of all Hollywood directors, and that's saying a lot when you consider the list of characters includes "Wild Bill" Wellman, John Ford, Sam Peckinpah, Alfred Hitchcock, etc.

Browning's peak was in the silent era, when he produced such classics as "the Unholy Three" (1925), "London After Midnight" (1927), and "The Unknown" (1927), but he is best known for the classic "Dracula" (1931) and for "Freaks" (1932). Browning was the first and truest of the American directors to adopt the German expressionist techniques and themes, and he embraced them to such an extent that he outdid the originals.

His films, especially the ones with Lon Chaney, can be hard to watch, since they involve mutilated and deformed people, with themes involving revenge, sexual exploitation, murder, and mayhem. He often set his films in carnival shows (where he had once worked) and often employed carnival acts as part of the plot.

"Dark Carnival" is an impressive attempt to capture the man and his films, an attempt made difficult by the fact that Browning, always publicity shy, was a recluse for the final 20 years of his life. But David Skal and Elias Savada leave no stone unturned in their search for the story of this man's life.

Fans of the silent film era will be particularly interested in this film, as will anyone interested in the economics of film making and the behind the scenes maneuvering. For fans of Browning films, it is essential reading.

Just finished this book and absolutely loved it. Being a Lon Chaney fan for years, I was always fascinated with Mr. Browning and wanted to know more about his upbringing, struggles, victories, and battles he had in Hollywood.
This book does an amazing job at detailing Browning's work and especially his struggles in both his personal and professional life. Many times I was reminded of another director who may not have had as much talent or budgets for his film but certainly had the passion, Mr. Ed Wood. In fact some of problems Browning faced with studios regarding pre-production and production of his films, Wood would go on to face as well. Lugosi worked with Browning multiple times and then eventually Wood.

I salute Skal and Savada for their research and work on this book. It is so well organized and makes the read so enjoyable. And what an amazing job on Browning's filmography as an actor and director. Thank you for this book.
Tod Browning would have been proud!

A fantastic insite into one of my favourite directors,the coverage on 'freaks'is superb,a lot of photos & a complex read-recommended highly!

Tod Browning remains one of the most enigmatic directors in Hollywood history.

Born and raised near Louisville, Kentucky (as was his early cinematic mentor, D. W. Griffith), Browning had an unusual life. His uncle, Pete Browning, was one of the best professional baseball players of the nineteenth century, but ended his life in a sanitarium. Tod Browning spent a significant period of time working in a carnival. These experiences prepared him for one of his most unusual films, "Freaks," which effectively halted his career in Hollywood thirty years later. After leaving the carnival circuit, Browning drifted into acting and eventually appeared in a few silent movies for Griffith. Having survived a nearly fatal automobile crash, Browning turned his attention to directing films of his own.

During the silent film era, Browning became closely associated with Lon Chaney. Chaney's willingness to endure severe make up preparations of his own design allowed Browning to cast him in tales of alienation, criminality, perversity and suffering. In stark contrast to the sunny films that were typical of the period, Browning depicted a world in which betrayal was commonplace and brutality, insanity, sadism and cruelty were the norm. Lon Chaney's sudden death due to throat cancer brought about the recasting of "Dracula" and made Bela Lugosi an iconic star.

During the production of "Dracula" the film's budget was repeatedly cut by the cash strapped executives at Universal Pictures. The final reels of the film are little more than a filmed stage play unlike the introduction to the picture which opened the Bram Stoker novel up considerably from its successful theatrical adaptation. Browning needed a hit film badly and "Dracula" did not disappoint.

Within a few years, however, Browning's career began to spiral downward. His directorial techniques were seen as dated and excessively stagy. "Freaks" was deemed to be objectionable by many people and one marvels that the film was ever approved for production by the studio and permitted to be exhibited by the censors. After the release of "Devil Doll" with Lionel Barrymore, Browning was effectively finished as a director.

The authors are to be commended for revealing something of an influential if almost inscrutable Hollywood pioneer.

Will you find this much detail about Browning. That alone gets Skal's effort the highest rating. Fascinating material.

It started off good then i started to loose intrest. it felt like it needed a few more adjitives.