{"id":2833,"date":"2007-03-30T14:18:05","date_gmt":"2007-03-30T21:18:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2833"},"modified":"2021-01-17T19:28:39","modified_gmt":"2021-01-18T02:28:39","slug":"carny-1980","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2833","title":{"rendered":"Carny (1980)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;A carnival ain&#8217;t even a real carnival without a sideshow &#8212; everyone knows that!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Poster-197x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"197\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-31412\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Poster-197x300.jpg 197w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Poster-84x128.jpg 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Poster.jpg 497w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 197px) 100vw, 197px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nAfter falling for a carnival worker (Gary Busey), 18-year-old Donna (Jodie Foster) decides to run away from home and join the troupe.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Carnival and Circuses<\/li>\n<li>Elisha Cook Jr. Films<\/li>\n<li>Gary Busey Films<\/li>\n<li>Jodie Foster Films<\/li>\n<li>Love Triangle<\/li>\n<li>Runaways<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nJodie Foster turned in her second powerhouse performance of the year &#8212; see also <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1781\"><em>Foxes<\/em> (1981)<\/a> &#8212; in this cult favorite about carnival life behind the scenes. Gary Busey is equally compelling as Frankie: he recognizes that his new relationship with Foster is troublesome to his longtime friend (Robbie Robertson), yet isn&#8217;t sure how to handle the &#8220;love&#8221; triangle that emerges. Director Robert Kaylor does an impressive job portraying both the authentic seaminess of carny life (carnies are shown openly conning customers), and the mundanity (we see workers pacing out where to set up stalls). Yet <em>Carny<\/em>&#8216;s script leaves much to be desired. There are countless subplots which are never developed, and the film&#8217;s denouement is unsatisfying at best. Plus, unlike in Tod Browning&#8217;s masterful <a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=1845\"><em>Freaks <\/em>(1932)<\/a>, Kaylor doesn&#8217;t provide the remaining sideshow performers with well-rounded humanity; they seem present simply for atmosphere and &#8220;authenticity&#8221;. Despite its flaws, however, <em>Carny <\/em>makes for oddly compelling, visceral viewing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Jodie Foster as Donna<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Foster2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Foster2-1024x538.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"336\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47780\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Foster2-1024x538.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Foster2-300x157.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Foster2-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Foster2-768x403.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Foster2-1536x806.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Foster2.png 1865w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Gary Busey as Frankie<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Busey.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Busey-1024x543.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"339\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47779\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Busey-1024x543.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Busey-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Busey-128x68.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Busey-768x407.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Busey-1536x815.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Busey.png 1853w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>An authentic look at the seediness of carnival life<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Still.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Still-1024x536.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"335\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-47781\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Still-1024x536.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Still-300x157.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Still-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Still-768x402.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Still-1536x804.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/03\/Carny-Still.png 1863w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Alex North&#8217;s appropriately creepy score<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though it&#8217;s worth a look simply for its status as a cult favorite. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0080500\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.rogerebert.com\/reviews\/carny-1980\">Roger Ebert&#8217;s Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.timeout.com\/film\/68888.html\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;A carnival ain&#8217;t even a real carnival without a sideshow &#8212; everyone knows that!&#8221; Synopsis: After falling for a carnival worker (Gary Busey), 18-year-old Donna (Jodie Foster) decides to run away from home and join the troupe. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Carnival and Circuses Elisha Cook Jr. Films Gary Busey Films Jodie Foster Films Love Triangle Runaways Review: Jodie Foster turned in her second powerhouse performance of the year &#8212; see also Foxes (1981) &#8212; in this cult favorite&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2833\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2833"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2833\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63973,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2833\/revisions\/63973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}