5 Most Terrifying Horror Movies About Killer Clowns if You Liked Terrifier 3
They smile and they kill.
On October 11, Damien Leone's slasher Terrifier 3 was released in theaters. This is the third film in the gory franchise about Art the Clown, a silent and cruel sadist.
In honor of the horror film's release, we have chosen other bone-chilling horror films about killer clowns that fans of the genre should check out.
1. Stitches, 2012
Richard "Stitches" Grindle is a failed clown who works at a birthday party for a boy named Tommy. However, during the performance, the kids begin to harass him cruelly. This leads to a tragic incident – the clown dies after falling on a knife. Years later, when Tommy is a teenager, Richard returns from the grave to take revenge on everyone involved in his death.
The film combines elements of dark humor and classic 1980s slasher tropes, giving it a cult following among fans of the genre.
2. Gacy, 2003
This is not just a slasher about fictional events, but a biographical horror about the infamous serial killer John Gacy. The man killed young people and hid their bodies under his house. Eventually, the stench got so bad that neighbors started complaining.
John Wayne Gacy had long been a respectable citizen, involved in politics and working as a clown at children's parties. It was this fact that made his personality particularly frightening.
3. 31, 2016
The movie takes place on Halloween night in 1976. A group of carnival workers – Charly, Venus, Panda, Levon and Roscoe – are traveling through the countryside. During the night, they are kidnapped by people dressed as scarecrows and taken to a dark building.
There, the captives are told that they must participate in a brutal survival game called 31. For 12 hours, they will have to fight with sadistic clowns.
The film was financed through crowdfunding, and director Rob Zombie, known for the films House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects, communicated with fans on social media, telling them about the filming process. The idea for the movie itself came to the director when he learned that, according to statistics, most people go missing on Halloween.
4. Killer Klowns from Outer Space, 1988
A flying saucer lands on Earth and aliens disguised as circus clowns emerge. The main characters, Mike and Debbie, witness their invasion. They try to save their friends and townspeople from the terrifying clowns, who use various toy devices to trap people in cotton candy cocoons.
Although the film was made on a shoestring budget, the visual effects and clown makeup were so impressive that the film quickly gained cult B-movie status among horror fans.
5. Clown, 2014
The plot centers on Kent, a loving father who dons a clown costume to please his son on his birthday. Little does he know that the costume is cursed. Gradually, Kent begins to lose control of himself and becomes a devourer of children's souls. Now he must fight the growing desire to devour his own son.
Initially, a humorous fan trailer for a horror movie with Eli Roth as director was released. The producers liked the idea so much that they decided to actually make such a movie. The director was Jon Watts, whose career took off after this project.