KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE. One of the best B-movie sci-fi horrors ever made

I’ve never been to the circus, never attended a birthday party where a clown would show off clichéd tricks, and painted circus performers have always been associated with dark intentions hidden under a thick layer of sugar. This was the case with Her Majesty’s agent dying in the first scenes of Octopussy, with Violator from the Spawn comic, and of course, with Pennywise. The idea has become so deeply rooted in pop culture that today, clowns can be mentioned alongside zombies, vampires, or werewolves as prominent figures in the pantheon of horror creatures. The case of Killer Klowns from Outer Space is exceptional, as even the cassette publisher, emphasized: “A shocking film with clowns in the role of murderers. This time there are no surprises arising from the double nature of the circus jester. Clowns love the taste of human flesh wrapped in cotton. Nothing will stop them from gaining their favorite delicacy.”

Low-budget productions often entice with descriptions highlighting a few interesting tidbits, which usually translates into a quarter of screen time and plenty of boring fillers. Here, the situation is the opposite – the Chiodo brothers exceeded all expectations that viewers could have after reading those few sentences. Their vision has incredible scope, considering the budget of just under two million dollars, and it all started with playing around with imagining the scariest situations a person could find themselves in.

One of the brothers considered a night drive on an abandoned road, during which a clown equals with the car and then pushes a crazy clown onto the roadside. The other immediately added that it would be a space clown, and his vehicle would be invisible. This conversation laid the groundwork for the script, and the scene itself indeed made it to the screens and still looks fantastic to this day. The sense of sight is literally fed every few minutes. There’s a giant candy with bloody corpses inside inspired by Invasion of the Body Snatchers; a living dog made of balloons; a puppet show with a laser gun; a spring-loaded glove decapitating heads; a puppet made from a human; or my favorite – a shadow theater where viewers end up devoured in the finale.

Practical special effects, thanks to which these crazy scenes can still impress more then three decades after Killer Klowns from Outer Space ‘s premiere, were a crucial element on set. Despite the modest amount the brothers had at their disposal, there was no scrimping in this regard, whether it was rubber costumes or a popcorn-shooting gun – the most expensive (and indeed functioning) prop used, which cost seven thousand dollars to produce. Maintaining realism was also crucial, and for example, in the execution scene using pies, it was necessary to use real baked goods, not shaving cream. Years later, the brothers recalled how shocking it was to discover that being hit by a home-baked pie from a close distance is very painful…

The creators of Killer Klowns from Outer Space  stand out precisely because, unlike similarly budgeted comedy-horror films from the infamous Troma studio, they take absurdity very seriously. Shortcomings, improvisations, winking at the audience – you won’t find that here. Each actor approaches their role with full seriousness, which only enhances the comedic effect, and the duo of main characters had no equals at the end of the 80s. Characters Mike and Debbie were conceived as opposites to the horror stereotype – he was to be the “not very bright blonde,” and she the brave initiator of the fight against the invaders.

I could write about the tidbits for a long time. The atmosphere of those times is quickly summoned by the first scene of Killer Klowns from Outer Space with a song performed by the punk rock band The Dickies; the local police officer constantly reminds us that we are dealing with an adult movie and throws remarks like: “I should shoot you immediately, without warning, you scum with a red colander instead of a nose”; and in the finale, about forty clowns, including one giant, stand up for the fight… It looks spectacular and brought in revenues exceeding forty million dollars. So, why haven’t we seen any sequels yet?

Plans for a continuation of Killer Klowns from Outer Space were grand. The first ideas for a sequel emerged the day after finishing work on the original, and the Chiodo brothers had ambitions to shoot a total of four parts and a television series, but thirty years after the premiere, we still haven’t even seen a trailer. Reasons? Nothing original – finances and legal complications. According to some sources The Return of the Killer Klowns from Outer Space will hit theaters, but I won’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes. For now, I recommend revisiting one of the best B-movies ever made.