Freaks premieres in Los Angeles in 1932. Tod Browning’s horror exploitation classic remains controversial to this day because of its use of actual disabled circus sideshow performers as the stars of a tale about a scheming trapeze artist attempting to marry a sideshow performer for his inheritance.
This Day in Halloween: Tod Browning's infamous horror exploitation classic "Freaks" premieres in Los Angeles in 1932. / Illustration by Amanda White