The early '90s had a very specific aesthetic, and while many films and TV shows have tried to recreate that look and feel, it's just never quite right. Something is just “off”. As such, getting to see a film from that time period that hasn't been widely seen is a real treat for audiences, as it offers a window into the zany, neon, but ultimately very odd feel of that time period. Freaked is perfectly emblematic of that time, with a crazy story and look that could only have been made in the 1990s.

Freaked follows the story of child actor Ricky Coogin (Alex Winter), who, as an adult with his career on the slide, decides to become the spokesperson for a shady fertiliser/toxic waste company, Zygrot, after they offer him a massive amount of money to go to South America on their behalf. Naturally, things don't go to plan, and after attempting to impress Julie (Megan Ward), who is protesting against Zygrot, he ends up at a freakshow with Julie and best friend Ernie (Michael Stoyanov) where all four end up captured and experimented on by a mad scientist called Elijah C. Skuggs (Randy Quaid), leading to some major physical changes. As the three attempt to escape, they discover that there's more going on than they first realised as they try and find an antidote for themselves and the other captives.

That description of Freaked might make it sound like a horror film, and on one level, it is certainly designed that way. The plot feels straight out of a low-budget 1980s Troma movie. The special effects are really surprisingly good, and it has all the hallmarks of a creature feature. However, it is all done with its tongue very firmly in its cheek, landing somewhere between satire and a comedic sketch fever dream. It's inherently weird, and it's easy to see why it was not received well on release. Equally, with the benefit of hindsight, there's an odd time capsule, surrealist quality about Freaked that is really endearing. It's genuinely funny and witty in places.

Freaked was directed and co-written by Winter, and there's definitely a feel to the film that suggests this was a passion project. He is very good in the leading role, and there's definitely a Nicolas Cage parody being referenced there, if not fully explored in his role as Ricky. The journey Coogin takes from egotist to well-rounded person via a traumatic lesson is a well-trodden one, but it's a lot of fun. Ward provides a strong love interest, but it does feel as though, for reasons that are clear in the film, that story is underdeveloped by simple logistics (to say any more would be verging into spoiler territory). Quaid is unhinged as Skuggs, adding a great pantomime element to proceedings, while Stoyanov (who would have been a reasonably big name at this time due to his role in Blossom) provides some excellent comic relief. There are some big cameos, too. Keaunu Reeves, Brooke Shields, Bobcat Goldthwaite, Mr T and several others appear, which really adds to the feeling of this as an early-90s freeze frame.

Freaked might not be for everyone. It's part parody, part dreamlike episodes of weird offbeat comedy. The acting and effects are very good, but it is very much a film of its time. It encapsulates the feeling of the MTV output of that era, with some nods to Winter's other big hits, like the Bill and Ted films and The Lost Boys. It's unique, it's out there, and in that respect, its cult appeal is very easy to appreciate, even if it might be just a bit too weird for some viewers .

Freaked is released on digital platforms on 7 October, with the Collector's Edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray editions available on 5 November