D-9! If from a young age clowns scare you, go your way, because here is a selection of horror films and series honoring clowns not as well-intentioned as those who make children dream!
it
It is impossible to present films about clowns without starting with the famous It ! The clown Grippe-Sou was created by Stephen King in his novel It, published in 1986 in two volumes. Every 27 years, this creature of unknown origin wakes up and feeds on the fear of humans. Easier to scare, children are a prey of choice for Grippe-Sou. First adapted into a TV movie in 1990 by Tommy Lee Wallace, it marked a whole generation of children and adults with its demonic smile and bloody balloons. He is certainly the most famous diabolical clown in the collective imagination. In this the remake of 2017 on the big screen, directed by Andy Muschietti is a beautiful reminder and especially a very nice tribute. As in the story of Ça, this one comes back to haunt us exactly 27 years after its first film adaptation. And to make matters worse, the clown Grippe-Sou returns full of new energy and knows how to be terrifying enough to be sure that the new generations will also know his name.
Trailer It (1990)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J40ZiEk14E0
Trailer It (2017)
Clown
Less known and yet even scarier than It : Clown. Directed in 2014 by Jon Watts, Clown tells the story of a father who will live a real nightmare. On their son's birthday, the clown who is supposed to do the animation does not come. Never mind, the devoted father had found an old trunk in a disguise in an attic (he is a real estate agent) and decided to make himself the clown to amuse his son. But when he tries to remove the clown disguise, it is impossible to take it off! It is his own skin that he tears off. Far from being just a second skin, this disguise also has a will of its own and the only way for this father to save his soul is to obey the entity that lives in the costume. Much darker than That, Clown is an extremely intelligent film in which every detail is worked with the utmost attention. From the play of light to the dialogues, through the music and the terribly dark atmosphere, Clown gradually but surely installs its hold on the helpless spectator.
Clown Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lcjy6gGAwRg
The house of the 1000 dead
In The House of 1000 Dead, it is not one but several clowns that you will be able to find! Wandering around on Halloween night in search of original attractions to write a tourist guide, four young people stop at a gas station. It is held by a gas station attendant obsessed with clowns, who will tell them about the legend of Doctor Satan. Intrigued, the four curious will go in search of him, guided by a hitchhiker they have saved from the temperate and who will offer them the lodging for the night, near the tomb of the famous Doctor Satan. But this young woman's family is nowhere near as welcoming as they hoped and their little getaway will turn into a one-way trip to hell. Directed in 2003 by Rob Zombie, The House of 1000 Dead is a particularly crazy film. With shots as crazy as the characters they show, The House of 1000 Dead is more fascinating than scary. The film even manages to arouse sympathy for these bloodthirsty monsters, which we have the opportunity to see again in the sequel The devil's reject, directed by Rob Zombie in 2005.
Trailer The House of the 1000 Dead
Killer clowns from elsewhere
A real firework of clownish pranks, The killer clowns from elsewhere is a totally delirious film. Forget the seriousness and chilling atmosphere of the Clown and other Clowns to come and have fun at the great killing organized by the alien clowns. The film is full of little nuggets such as the unforgettable ventriloquist scene. Killer Clowns from Elsewhere is a film that absolutely does not take itself seriously. The killer clowns land on Earth in their flying saucer circus and start spreading terror by killing humans just for fun. More or less convincing, the clowns do not cease to surprise us with their great imagination in the means they implement for their murders. If you are looking for a good movie to see with friends to have fun, Killer Clowns from elsewhere is a very good opportunity not to be missed!
Trailer Killer clowns from elsewhere
American Horror Story Season 4 – Freak Show
Season 4 of American Horror Story, released in 2014 and created by Brad Falchuk and Ryan Murphy, sets its plot in a circus. One of the central characters of the season is Twisty the clown, not necessarily ill-intentioned and very unfortunate certainly, but above all very murderous. Originally, Twisty was a "real" clown, one of those who make stars in people's eyes. Victim of the jealousy of his companions, he was driven to suicide, but failed. He ended up with his jaw torn off and decided to get the children back in order to watch over them and become their friend again. Unfortunately, with his scary costume, Twisty mostly scares away people who cross his path, which pushes him to kidnapping and murder. His character, however, becomes much less endearing when we know that he is inspired by a serial killer, John Wayne Gacy, nicknamed "the killer clown", who officiated as a clown in hospitals before raping and murdering many young people he hired to work for him.
American Horror Story Season 4 Trailer
American Horror Story Season 7 – Cult
The clowns return as a group this time in the seventh season of American Horror Story. Ally, played by Sarah Catherine Paulson, has a phobia of clowns. His relationship with his wife Ivy had eased his fears a little. However, the election of Donald Trump in the presidential election put her in shock and awakened her old phobias. Wherever she goes, whether it's shopping or at the restaurant she runs with Ivy, Ally sees scary clowns. Some ignore her, others pursue her, or even try to kill her. His fears even begin to have an impact on his son, who also begins to see murderous clowns. Between collective hallucination or manipulation, the line is tenuous and the series succeeds as usual very well in instilling doubt in the mind of the spectator. Whether these clowns are real or not, this time they hold a central place in the plot and clown lovers can only be delighted!
American Horror Story Season 7 Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-27J0sR9268
Masters of Horror Season 2 – Sins of Youth
And the next clown we're going to see is… Buster! The kind Buster, stuttering, a little simple, in love with children, at the same time ice cream shop, magician and distributor of joy and magic to the children of his neighborhood. Until the day he becomes a vengeful clown who distributes ice cream at night with the effigy of the parents of his clientele. Ice cream yes, but not just any, "the best ice cream in the world", ice cream that has a magical power, that of changing the person represented into ice when the child bites inside. The master of horror Tom Holland signs with this episode Sins of Youth, made in 2007, a touching film that encourages reflection on the consequences of our actions, even when we are children. And if even after you've finished watching the episode, you still hear Buster's sad litany freezing you to the bone, don't worry, we have a cure! All you have to do is warm up around the fire with the small troupe of the following episodes of Fais-moi peur!
Sins of Youth Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYZR4PCjN1U
Scare me! Season 1 – The Story of Zeebo the Clown
The story of Zeebo the Clown is one of the very first episodes of the series Scare Me!, specifically the second episode of season 1.Created by D. J. MacHale in 1990, the series is still presented in the same format: friends, members of the Midnight Society tell each night a scary story around a wood fire in the forest. That night, the story told is that of a young boy who tries to prove to his friends that he is brave. For this, he plays the braggart in front of the haunted house of a carnival and bets with his friends that he can steal the red nose of the clown who is in the attraction. An act that may seem stupid but harmless, but which is much less so when we know that the legend tells that the house is truly haunted and that Zeebo the clown is not a creation of the fairground but a very real creature… and that he holds to his nose!
Trailer The story of Zeebo the clown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vU_TIPiiB8g
Scare me! Season 3 – The Story of the Scarlet Clown
In episode 39 of season 3 of Fais-moi peur!, released in 1992, David is a particularly insufferable, disobedient, selfish, thief, liar, who leads the hard life to his older brother Pierre. In order to teach him a good lesson, Peter takes the stuffed animal of a witness clown by telling his brother that if he continues to do evil the scarlet clown would come for him. He didn't think he was saying so well! No sooner has he uttered these words than the scarlet clown makes it his mission to bring David back to the right path. Between dream and reality, The Story of the Scarlet Clown is the episode to show all the child-kings before it's too late.
Trailer The Story of the Scarlet Clown
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PXqcLrNnmM
The Joker
Finally, how not to conclude on the most famous clown of an American comic book saga that has had its adaptation in many films? Whether in animation or in front of a camera, Batman 's Joker is the embodiment of chaos. It's hard to choose among the many adaptations, but if we had to recommend only one, it would be The Killing Joke, released in 2016. This story tells us about the past of the bloodthirsty clown. She tells us how a failed comedian could become a terrorist who repeatedly undermined the vigilante of Gotham. Although this is a hypothetical genesis of the antagonist, it fits perfectly into the original story. The Killing Joke is made for the most seasoned fans of Batman but also for people who do not know much about it because the scenario is very simple to understand. Everyone will understand that the masked vigilante is in total opposition to the clown. Despite this simplicity, the themes raised by this film are very interesting. The Joker is a fascinating clown, as human as he is crazy.
The Killing Joke trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yZ9P_DXaNY
Thus ends our selection of films and series featuring evil clowns. After such an article, it seems essential to us to thank all the clowns of the world who dedicate their lives to make young and old dream. And we can only encourage you to go see them in show!
