At times it isn’t all that necessary to tell an engaging story in order to amuse the audience. If you combine two universal irrational fears in an odd scenario that is so outlandishly awkward, you’re gonna make your audience squirm. The title of the ‘Killer Klowns from Outer Space’ should be the best part of the movie but it really isn’t. If over the years the movie did turn into a cult classic, it is because it has plenty of clowns that kill a lot of people but in a peculiar way. I know it’s odd, but allow me to elaborate.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space is a very straightforward film. Friday night deeply in rural America, Mike (Grant Cramer) and Debbie (Suzanne Snyder) were busy in kissing. A race of pernicious alien lifeforms know as clowns crashes at the Crescent Cove where Mike and Debbie were. Yes, there’s a spaceship stacked filled with what seems party supplies, glittering lights and a tent. But turns out the larger than life octagonal raised tents hide an extraterrestrial cannibal clown cult who’ve turned the small town into cotton candy. So Mike, Debbie and her former boyfriend Dave (John Allen Nelson) sift around the alien incident in a bid to save their town.
This particular film is analogous to Snakes on a Plane in the sense that it is what it is and there is no other way of looking at it. It is apparent from the very beginning what is about to go down. All of the characters are villains in their own respect except for the clowns who win the Oscar for the most creative brutal murders. In a film of this genre where the viewers are cognizant of the plot right from the beginning even before the actors are, I consider the only impropriety they can make is not to act confidently with the plot of the film. In the case of Mike and Debbie, this is not the case as they are able to suspect the presence of a spaceship and a funfair tent and a few human beings made of cotton candy.
But officer Curtis Mooney (the famous what’s-his-face who is John Vernon), for instance. He is one of those few whom he calls a small town despot and self made civilian law and order enforcer. Consequently, he is given the treatment that is arguably the worse and the most horrifying of any character in the film. I would say what it is but this treatment is worse than death for him but at least for some time. Which leads me to that odious question: is Killer Klowns from Outer Space a stealths Christian movie?
I mean: the characters who “believe” are the ones who are cognizant of the threat and take precautions the ones who don’t are the ones who die in some catastrophic event of biblical proportions, and the ones who do not believe (which here would be Mooney) are literally bloodied by demons and in the end cowardice and valour are rewarded. The Chiodo brothers never struck me as jesus freaks but then again, the year was 1988, America was in its conservative era. There are Strong Judeo Christian principles in Killer Klowns from Outer Space movie but all that is trivial, the emphasize is on the Clowns only.
Thanks for asking; actually Stephen, Charles and Ed Chiodo who Co Directed “Killer Klowns from Outer Space” are creative artists. They have further specialized in clay motion, stop motion as well as animatronics. These three brothers were employed in several renowned films including all four of Critters, UHF and Team America World Police. Killer Klowns From Outer Space appears for them, as some sort of very long demonstration tape. Remember I told you the only thing that counted were the friggin clowns? Well, I wasn’t making shit up.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space has emerged and still is a cult movie giving great business card for the Chiodos mainly because it is a technically competent and sound movie cohesive with its aim and does not overreach. All other characters except the clowns simply are narrative devices enabling one of the creative kills Chiodos monsters had. It is a B movie but then it is a tongue in cheek style of movie such as now there are not enough around. It is entertaining because the entire audience knows it is a comedy.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space has aged well enough, I suppose. It’s not the best film to watch in every setting, but it’s a great movie for a night out drinking with friends especially if one of them is watching it for the first time. In terms of frights, there isn’t really much to say, apart from the bewildered look on your loved one’s face when they witness what these bizarre alien clowns can do to you. It can possibly work as a movie for a drinking game as well. Anyhow, I’m happy it still exists, but it’s a once a year film for me at best.
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