With the release of “IT: Chapter Two”, you may be craving more Killer Clown action; here are 10 more films to fuel your love — or fear — of clowns.
So you saw It Chapter Two and are feeling hungry for more killer clown carnage? Well, you are in luck! In no particular order, here is my own personal list of top ten films with show-stealing, unforgettable, wonderfully creepy clowns to keep you company until Pennywise rises again from the sewers.
1. Clown (2016)
For his son’s birthday, Kent and his wife, Laura, ordered a clown for the clown themed party. Unfortunately, the clown cancels last minute. So what does Kent do? What any good father would do in that situation; he finds some clown costume and puts it on to perform as the clown for the party. He discovers later that he cannot remove the costume, and as the movie progresses, finds himself turning into an actual clown, with the red ball nose and all.
This is definitely one of the more creative film plots on this list.
This movie is produced by Eli Roth, so based off that name, you already know you are in for a treat. When just reading the plot, it may sound a bit silly or childish, but as you watch it, it becomes creepier and creepier.
One of the scenes that really stood out to me was when Laura was trying to remove the red ball nose from Kent’s face, only to accidentally remove some of his actual nose. By the end of the film, the once family man Kent is fully transformed into a child eating monster clown.
If you want to watch a film that shows the dangers of birthday party clowns, this is the film for you.
2. Stiches (2012)
To continue with the theme of birthday party clowns (and why they’re never a good idea), let’s talk about the movie Stitches. During a birthday party for Tom, Stiches the Clown is tormented by the children that are at the party and accidentally slips and falls on a knife, resulting in his death. Tom sneaks to his funeral and watches as a group of clowns that are part of some clown cult discuss Stiches’ death. Six years later, for Tom’s 16th birthday, Stiches the Clown returns from the dead, seeking revenge for his death.
Out of all of the films on this list, this one is by far the most intentionally funny one.
It is a comedy horror film that does not take itself too seriously. Unlike some of the cheesier films discussed on this list, this film does not have to try too hard to be scary and gruesome. It involves some pretty awesome kills along with plenty of humor that enhances those deaths.
It is a great film to watch when you need a good laugh, but are also craving blood and guts.
3. Killjoy (2000)
This choice might cause some arguments, but hear me out. Whether you like the movie or not, you have most likely, as a horror fan, heard of it at least once or read about it. It has a cult following and is one that is still talked about today.
This film’s premise revolves around a boy named Michael that summons the clown Killjoy to get revenge on his tormentors. He is shot and killed, but returns a year later as Killjoy, killing off those responsible for his death one by one.
This film is not that great.
It is the first in the Killjoy franchise, so of course, there were several areas for improvement. Over the years, the sequels have done a better job of making the character Killjoy a much more menacing character and even giving him a darker, creepier look than in the first film. I personally believe that as cheesy as the first film is, it did establish who the killer clown is pretty well.
Whether you want to see this first film in the franchise or watch one of the more recent sequels, it is a film I would recommend watching at least once.
4. 31 (2016)
On October 31, 1976, a group of carnies passing through town are kidnapped. In order to be let free, they must survive the 12 hours of the game with “The Heads.” This film was written and directed by Rob Zombie, so that could help explain the plot a little more.
In true Rob Zombie fashion, this film is filled with plenty of gore and truly gruesome scenes.
The carnies are hard to root for, because The Heads are much more interesting characters. My personal favorite is Doom Head. Watching him put on his face paint and give his monologue gave me chills. And who could forget his iconic line, “In Hell, everybody loves popcorn.”
If you are a Rob Zombie film fan and are aware of just how much gore is in his films, check this film out, you will not be disappointed.
5. Blood Harvest (1987)
This is the oldest film on this list, but I wanted to make sure my list included both modern and older films. Tiny Tim plays Marvelous Mervo the Clown, a psychotic murderous clown that is responsible for the murders and disappearances of everyone in town.
This is another film that not many horror fans love, but I personally enjoyed it.
Tiny Tim does an excellent job of conveying the creepiness of this clown in such a way that actually made me uncomfortable at times. What drew me in before even watching the film was the song that played in the trailer for the film. The film is not perfect, because there are parts that were poorly written and acted.
However, despite the issues that people may find in the film, it is of course a classic and another killer clown film that I would recommend any horror fan watch at least once.
6. Jingles the Clown (2009)
In case you never saw it, this movie was a remake of the movie Mr. Jingles (2006). In this version of the story, Mr. Jingles was a notorious child murderer. He murders the parents of Angie Nelson and then murders her sister, Amy, in front of her. She is the sole survivor of that tragedy and is able to escape after the cops arrive. Everyone believes that Mr. Jingles is dead, and 15 years after this incident, a TV crew goes to the estate to document the occurrences that took place in the house that Mr. Jingles murdered his victims.
This movie has a much different feeling to it than the original.
It feels much scarier than the original and tries a little bit harder to actually fit in the horror genre. That is not to say it doesn’t have it flaws. Similar to the original, it is filled with cheesy acting. However, as far as killer clowns go, Mr. Jingles is an overall creepy guy and will make you feel uncomfortable whenever he is on the screen. However, if you do want to see just how bad the original Mr. Jingles is, definitely watch that and compare it to this one.
You will either find it entertaining despite how horrible it is or you’ll hate me for wasting your time.
7. Terrifier (2018)
In this sequel/spin-off of All Hallow’s Eve, we follow Art the Clown and watch as he terrorizes three girls on Halloween night. Art does not discriminate against anyone when killing and will kill anyone that gets in his way. The quietness of Art makes him ten times creepier and adds to the suspense of what his next move will be.
This is possibly my own personal favorite on this list.
While the film does not have a solid plot, we get the see pretty brutal killings for no rhyme or reason, and I honestly kind of love that. It adds to the sickness of this film and the insanity of it. Art is good at being funny and creepy at the same time. He also is such a nasty clown (the scene at the diner when he made the “art” on the bathroom walls was just sickening). Even Art’s costume is one that is unique and memorable.
If you aren’t afraid of seeing some blood along with other nasty things, check out this movie!
8. Drive Thru (2007)
In this film, we are introduced to Horny the Clown, who kills his victims at the restaurant Hella Burger. Several years prior, he was murdered, so now he is seeking revenge and killing the children of the parents responsible for his death (sounds kind of familiar…).
This is another cheesy slasher film.
It is filled with plenty of cheesy dialogue and kills that makes any killer clown movie so bad that it’s good. The costume that Horny the Clown wears is pretty cool and unique, and I loved that the speaker box is where his mouth is. I find this film to be a little bit underrated.
It is another one with generally negative reviews, but is one that I enjoyed watching.
9. ClownTown (2016)
A group of kids finds themselves lost on the way to a concert. One of the girls loses her phone and they stop at a diner on the way. They are given directions and end up in a seemingly deserted town. However, they discover that when the night falls, it isn’t such a ghost town after all and are terrorized by people dressed up like clowns.
The clowns in this film really stole the show, like the majority of the clowns on this list.
From the makeup to the mannerisms, these clowns are truly terrifying and draw the audience into the scene as if we’re in that moment with them. There are moment that it feel so read and scary, you might want to check over your shoulder to make sure no one is watching you.
This movie is a great lesson in why you should never go into a ghost town and stay there.
10. Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)
Would any list including killer clown movies be complete without this classic film? In this film that is popular among many classic horror fans, a space ship in the form of a circus tent lands on earth. On it, a group of killer clowns begin harvesting humans in their cotton candy cocoons so they can drink their blood. The clowns cause mayhem around town in search of more humans, while a young couple, Mike and Debbie, along with the help of their friends attempt to stop these clowns and save their town.
This is such a fun and colorful movie.
While it is still a horror movie, it was another one that was not meant to be taken too seriously. It is a little bit cartoony at times, but there are pretty of creepy shots for any horror fan to enjoy, like when the bodies are first revealed to be in the cotton candy cocoons. It was a film I am glad that I finally got the chance to see.
It might not be as “scary” as some of the other films on this list, bit it did pave the way for killer clown films and is still something to reference when discussing modern killer clowns (along with IT, of course).
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