Clownhouse Review

Clownhouse (1989) - Review

Who doesn't like a good clown themed horror flick? Although I love them, very rarely are they any good. Killer Klowns from Outer Space, IT...and...um...that would be about the extent of the good ones. Well folks, here is the third clown movie to be added to that exclusive list. Clownhouse.

This film directed and written by Victor Salva (Jeepers Creepers I & II) and is a somewhat run-of-the-mill slasher movie with a special clown twist. How many movies out there are based on mental patients escaping from the institution to kill random people? How many are actually good? I can't count too many, but this is one that fits that classification. Although it includes cliché themes and unoriginal character development, it breaks the mold in terms of suspense and creating an uneasy feeling atmosphere.

The story is about three brothers that go to a circus, even though the youngest one is scared to death of clowns, and are left home alone in their creepy house while three escaped lunatics stalk them dressed as clowns...how convenient!

The characters are very poorly developed, the youngest one (Casey) is scared of clowns, wets the bed and is protected by his older brother (Geoffrey) who continually comforts his younger brother and sticks up for him against the oldest brother Randy (Sam Rockwell). Randy is the cliché asshole bother that torments them at every given moment and beats on each of them for no reason.

Screw the brothers though, the cool part of the movie are the killer clowns. The three escapees from the mental institution kill the three clowns at the circus and take over their persona. The best part of this scene is that the kill scene is not shown but the ominous tension is built by watching the lead lunatic apply make-up to his face becoming Cheezo the clown.

The atmosphere of the movie is very dark and the clowns are never over-used. You only see them in the background and in reflections from time to time for the majority of the movie. One particular kill scene I find very amusing is when Cheezo finds this farmer and takes his finger and blows into it like a balloon. He then starts to twist the guy's head, trying to make the man into a balloon animal. Nice!

I liked that the clowns (Cheezo, Bippo and Dippo) don't look abnormal. They look like regular clowns from a circus, which I believe, make the movie more realistic. One other scene I would like to point out is one that takes place in the basement. Geoffrey is sent to change a fuse in the basement, could be attic, I don't remember exactly. Either one, it was dark, dusty, and dingy. There were also stairs involved. Anyway, you know there is a clown in there and you know there is going to be a scare, but the way it was done was brilliant. When Geoffrey changes the fuse, a strobe light effect is used while the clown moves from one side of the room to the other.

The ending could have been a little better but overall I give this movie a high recommendation. This is kind of hard to find, I haven't seen it at any blockbuster or Hollywood videos in the past ten years so I would suggest trying to find it elsewhere.

Psychopathic Killer Clowns rule!!!