Killer Klowns From Outer Space
Harlem Globetrotters ain't got nothing on us
I specifically remember being a little boy and seeing parts of Killer Klowns From Outer Space. It was usually after watching Saturday morning WWF wrestling and American Gladiators. For whatever reason, FOX showed KKFOS multiple times on Saturday afternoons. I also specifically remember being scared of the movie. I wasn't scared of clowns or anything like that, I guess I just was scared of giant monsters killing people. Looking back, it seems pretty silly to be afraid of such a silly movie, but I can still see why it would scare a little kid. Its also easy to see why it has become a cult classic.
Killer Klowns From Outer Space is a 1988 horror/comedy starring Grant Cramer (New Year's Evil, Hardbodies) as Mike Tobacco. A small town is invaded by aliens that look like demented, nightmarish clowns. Their clothes and faces all look like they belong on real clowns, but they are much larger and far more terrifying. Their spaceship looks just like a big top circus and lands in a farmer's field. He goes to investigate with his dog and they are both wrapped up in a cocoon that looks like pink cotton candy. Mike and his girlfriend also investigate the circus tent and discover that its really a spaceship and the clowns are aliens. They try to explain what happened to local police, but the crotchety old police chief doesn't believe them. The clowns terrorize people in town through various and hilarious means; popcorn guns, riding invisible motorcycles, shadow puppets, and balloon animals. They gather up the bodies in cotton candy cocoons. Mike and his friends decide to take the fight to the clowns. Armed with their ice cream truck and a young police officer, the group head into the spaceship. Will they be able to defeat the clowns and save the world?
Limp Bizkit: The Later Years
Everything about this movie is 80's. The concept is crazy, the execution is over the top, and the acting is silly. It even has it's own theme song by The Dickies. All that being said, it's a fun movie. It never takes itself too seriously, almost to a fault. The movie tends to focus more on how many ways the clowns can kill people. And man are there some fun kills throughout the movie. When you watch a movie called Killer Klowns From Outer Space, you know you're not going for a cerebral horror thriller. The story is coherent enough and gets the audience from point A to point B and that's all that's really needed.
The clowns are the true stars of the movie. They look great especially when you know that the budget for the movie was pretty small. Their faces are particularly twisted and horrific looking as if they came a twisted fever dream from a mental patient. The set design for their spaceship is pretty cheap, but they make do with what they have. The Chiodo Brothers, who wrote, produced, and directed the film have stated that they are planning a sequel for 2013. I'm not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, it would be fun to revisit the evil clowns, but on the other, it might cheapen a beloved cult classic. I suppose if they can make toys based on the movie, a sequel can't cheapen the legacy much more.
Dr. Klown, DDS
I can safely say that I am no longer scared of Killer Klowns From Outer Space. If you suffer from Coulrophobia (fear of clowns), though, you'll probably be terrified. If you don't, you'll have a great time laughing along and at the movie. The clowns look fantastic, their outfits are fun, and the story is easy to follow. You know exactly what you're going to get with Killer Klowns From Outer Space and there's nothing wrong with that.
7.5/10