Post by StevePulaski on Jan 6, 2011 16:17:20 GMT -5
A Klown in Killer Klowns from Outer Space.
Rating: ★★★½.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space is a creepy, and unique horror film that's budget is quite small, but scares are quite large. With only a PG-13 rating, this film delivers some scares I haven't seen in a R movie. I could've sworn that the number of times I jumped the first time viewing this a few years back is larger than the number of jumps in a recent Horror film I watched. Just goes to show that just because something is rated a certain way, doesn't mean it still can't be scary. But this rule was WAY more true to that statement in the eighties. Not the present.
The effects in this movie are done by "The Chiodo Brothers" who are absolutely amazing in that field. The budget for this film was around $2,000,000. The brothers also wrote and directed this masterpiece, and I believe the budget was independently funded. I always hoped for a sequel, but because of financial backing the Chiodo's can't make it. They were also behind the effects in Critters, Team America, and Ernest Scared Stupid. They havent done anything since Team America which is a shame. If Michael Bay can continue filmmaking, so can the Chiodo's.
The plot: Strange, clown resembling creatures land their circus tent shaped ship in the town of Crescent Cove. Young couple Mike (Cramer) and Debbie (Synder) are the first to spot the creatures, and investigate the ship. After nearly being kidnapped, the teens scurry along to safety, but trying to warn the town is no good. I guess policemen over in my town wouldn't be so happy if I told them mutated clowns landed nearby. Regardless, the Klowns are now killing everyone off one by one.
It's B movie horror at it's finest, but sometimes the scares aren't just because of the cheesy nature of the film. Sometimes, I was really getting scared. I hate clowns. Hate em, hate em, hate em. I can't stand the looks, voices, or appearances of any clown. Which is why this movie can be frightening. Seeing it on the Chicago based show Svengoolie brought mild comical relief to the film, but not a whole lot.
Killer Klowns goes off in a non Hollwood manner, but there's pro's and cons to that. Kids nowadays will lampoon the film for it's silliness and, to them, poor special effects. Someone needs to tell them not everything can look Inception pretty. Being fourteen, I know how kids act towards these movies. I've had friends say any film made in the eighties isn't even qualified as a film. Don't get me started.
Starring: John Allen Nelson, Grant Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, and John Vernon. Directed by: Stephen Chiodo.
