Sideshow backdrop
Sideshow poster

SIDESHOW

2000 US HMDB
July 11, 2000

While visiting a traveling carnival full of human freaks, high school students nearly join as permanent members.

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Crew

Production: J. Miles Dale (Producer)Charles Band (Executive Producer)Gary Schmoeller (Producer)
Screenplay: Neal Marshall Stevens (Writer)
Cinematography: Mac Ahlberg (Director of Photography)

REVIEWS (1)

Marco Castellini
Five young people decide to spend the evening in an amusement park just outside the city. Upon arrival, the group of friends decides to visit a sideshow where a "Freaks" (deformed beings) show is held; one of the girls gets lost inside the tent set up for the show and never comes out again. Her friends then decide to go back and look for her after the show closes, unaware of the fate that awaits them... Produced by Charles Band's Full Moon and directed by a semi-debutant director, "Side Show" is a classic B-movie (not in the pejorative sense of the term) that is fun and easy to follow, enhanced by some excellent special effects. The film certainly doesn't shine for its originality, "borrowing" here and there some ideas: starting with the Luna Park setting very similar to that of Hooper's "The Tunnel of Terror," and then the "twist" of wishes that backfire on those who expressed them, as in the series "Wishmaster," ending with outright "borrowed" sequences from classics of the genre, like the opening one clearly inspired by the final scene of "Freaks." In short, nothing new under the sun (or better yet, in this case, under the tent), but a bit of wholesome fun that never hurts!
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COMMUNITY REVIEWS (1)

Wuchak

Wuchak

6 /10

Direct-to-video carnival horror is worth checking out

Five teens visit a traveling carnival full of freaks in greater Los Angeles, but make the mistake of offending the ringmaster (Phil Fondacaro). Will any of them make it out?

“SideShow” (2000) comes in the tradition of "The Funhouse" from 19 years earlier, as well as the long amusement park sequence in the contemporaneous "Urban Legends: Final Cut." The future “Hell Fest” (from 2018) also comes to mind. This had a much lower budget, however, being a direct-to-video production that only cost $120,000 (which would be equivalent to almost $220,000 as of this writing).

Despite the micro-budget, it delivers the goods as an entertaining freakshow type flick. The make-up is fairly impressive and grotesque. There’s also a little top nudity concerning Digestina, played by Shyra Deland (just a heads up). Petite brunette Jessi Keenan stands out on the feminine front as Melanie; but Brinke Stevens as Madame Volosca and Curran Sympson as Aelita are worth a mention.

It’s short ‘n’ sweet at 1 hour, 14 minutes, and was shot at Ray Corrigan Ranch, which is a 45-minute drive northwest of Los Angeles (just before Semi Valley).

GRADE: B-

Reviews provided by TMDB