Freaks

Individuals characterized by physical deformities and/or mutilations, possibly associated with cognitive alterations such as mental retardation, deficits in executive functioning, or other neurodevelopmental disorders. Whatever their level of affective-relational impairment - anything ranging from John Merrick's touching empathic sensitivity in "The Elephant Man" (1980) to Belial's violent rage in "Basket Case" (1982) - all characters falling into this category possess a pronounced physical deformity. Although in the majority of these cases, this physical deformity is the unfortunate result of hereditary/genetic factors, stories abound where the deformity results from deliberate human action. Such is the case in Victor Hugo's 1869 novel "The Man Who Laughs", when a band of hardened criminals ("Comprachicos") mutilate and disfigure children, forcing them to beg on the street or be exhibited as carnival freaks.

Something of a mixed blessing for horror films, this sub-genre has often exploited the supposed link (inspired by the theories of Italian criminologist, phrenologist and physician Cesare Lombroso) between physical monstrosities and moral turpitude (no political correctness here). Fortunately, other works reject this childish "ugly = evil" equation, focusing instead on the misfit individual's dignity and the serious social-existential consequences caused by stereotypes, prejudices, and common misconceptions.