“Freaky Tales,” a whimsical new film showcasing a vision of the Bay Area in the 1980s, opened on April 4th nationwide. The movie weaves together three stories with a common theme- celebrating the success of an underdog who wins against impossible odds.
Although set in a fantasy version of the 80s, which is now 4 decades ago, the film is quick to remind viewers that the challenges the film’s heroes face still exist today. From fighting white supremacists, to misogynists, to police corruption, the characters repeatedly stand up to those in power and win (to the backdrop of fantastically gory music montages.) As a teenage girl reminds us in the first story, when the attendees at a punk show are trying to decide if they should confront the Nazis overtaking their club, we’ve got them outnumbered, we just have to decide if we’re ready for the fight.
Packed to the gills with Bay Area references, from Oakland’s Grand Lake Theater to Berkeley’s Gilman, “Freaky Tales” is both supernatural and nostalgic, and shares the always-inspirational vision of the underdogs standing up to those in power.
