Neither Anna Boden nor Ryan Fleck, the writers and directors
of Freaky Tales, hail from the Oakland area where their
latest feature is set but Fleck grew-up in Berkeley and was eleven years-old in
1987 - when the film is set - indicating this is more a passion project for
Fleck and something more akin to a challenge or an insight for Boden.
Fittingly, the dynamic between the filmmakers - the homecourt advantage for
Fleck and visitor status of Boden - is imbued in the final project as Freaky
Tales fittingly straddles the line between being an underdog tale
while understanding domination is the more appealing perception in the real
world. Still, when it comes to the stories - or excuse me, tales - the
underdogs continue to stand as the more inspiring option with this line of
thought being present from the opening scroll of Boden and Fleck's latest.
Narrated by Too $hort with the film itself taking its title
from the MC's 1989 track, we're told that Oakland in '87 was "hella
wild"; the people, the culture, the music - it didn't matter - the
descriptor applied to all. $hort also informs us the reason for everything
feeling so fresh likely had something to do with a "bright green
glow" that felt akin to an electricity in the air but clarifies said
glowing green was not the same color as the city's "underdog A's
uniforms". What the "bright green glow" might symbolize or
represent is of course up to interpretation and will likely vary based on age and
relation to the time and place at the heart of the film but broadly, it's meant
to be something of a vibe incarnate; an embodiment of the attitude of Oakland
at the time that lends each of the characters in each of the featured vignettes
the swag necessary to convince us there's something a tad atypical or
"freaky" about these tales that are otherwise as old as time.
