Movie Review – Killer Klowns From Outer Space

Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)
Written and directed by the Chiodo Brothers

The Chiodo Brothers (Stephen, Charles, and Edward) had been absorbed by making movie special effects since they were kids. They had worked in the industry for a few years, selling their skills to productions like Critters, Faerie Tale Theater, and UHF. One of their most well-known works was the Large Marge effect in Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. Puppets, stop motion, make-up, they loved it all. Ironically, in their first feature film, most of the special effects work was done by other artists they had befriended over the years. The Chiodos spent most of their time directing, producing, and playing some Killer Klowns. The result is that the film is less interested in the plot and more about the spectacle of the movies.

The couples are active at Lovers’ Lane one night outside of Crescent Cove. Mike and his girl Debbie are distracted when they spot a glowing object falling to Earth. Debbie wants to investigate; Mike is a little reluctant but goes along. The object came to rest on the land of farmer Gene Greene (Royal Dano), who got to the crash site first. A large circus tent has been placed in the middle of the woods. When they arrive, Mike and Debbie find the same thing, but no Greene. Inside, the couple discovers it’s a spaceship, and the inhabitants look like nightmarish versions of clowns. They even wrap their victims up in a cotton candy-like substance. The pair flee, but the Klowns are in pursuit, wreaking havoc on the small town all night with a series of circus-themed weapons, from killer shadow puppets to popcorn that’s actually the larval form of these invaders.

This is a type of movie we just don’t really get anymore. Despite having a paper-thin narrative, it’s a candy-colored horror-comedy that is still entertaining to watch because of the inventive sequences and skilled craftspeople at work. It’s a more adult version of something like Pee-Wee or UHF, live-action cartoons that became popular cult classics in the mid to late 1980s. The budget was only $2 million, and with that relatively small amount, the Chiodo Brothers were able to produce something that could stand toe-to-toe with most big studio special effects extravaganzas of the day.

While Mike seems like he’s going to be our central protagonist, the film is more interested in finding fun opportunities to showcase a crazy effect. This means that after the main conflict is established and the Klowns start heading into town, Mike and Debbie get pushed to the side until the story needs a conclusion and for the enemy to be defeated. The film leans into camp with actors who are clearly much older than the high school students they are portraying and violent gags like acid pies in the face & turning a cop (played by John Vernon) into a human ventriloquist dummy.

Horror and comedy have often been cited as genres that share a lot of traits. People’s tastes in both are very subjective, as what scares or makes me laugh may not be the same for you. I wouldn’t say I’m a huge fan of gore for gore’s sake, and I like horror that leaves a lot of mystery on the table even when it concludes. Not every horror fan thinks that way and may prefer other tropes and genre elements than I do. In many ways, Killer Klowns is a series of horror-comedy sketches that use the framing device of a classic science fiction invasion flick from the 1950s/60s. The characters in the world are taking the events seriously, but the film is giving signals to the audience that they don’t have to.

We have a film that takes a very simple premise – “clowns are scary” – and then figures out every possible angle on that idea that you could imagine. In many ways, this feels like another live-action cartoon where they go hard on the gags. They were brainstorming and spitballing in the writers’ room and on set so that all 86 minutes of this economical horror movie are packed to the brim with stuff to make you laugh, cover your eyes, and have a genuinely fun time with a film.