We all have our comfort media, from books to music, from films to games, and since it’s Halloween here at Geeks WorldWide, I must come forth and bring to light all the horror mediums that comfort me (and others… I hope!). And what will I start off with? (Just ignore the title for a few seconds).
I am starting off with my absolute favorite film of all time. The 1980’s B-film made by the illustrious trio of Chiodo Brothers, with the kick-ass song by the Dickies… Killer Klowns from Outer Space.
Yes, this is my comfort film. I have the DVD, and I’ve watched it to the point where I’ve lost count, and I fear I may be wearing out the disc! I even recite the dialogue. But why, prey-tell, is this MY favorite film, when I’ve viewed many of the classics? Well, first off, while I grew-up with them all, this film was the earliest. My mother introduced it to me, and has created a monster.
The film starts off with a bang… er. The awesome song by the Dickies, of the same name as the film – it was written without even viewing anything from the film! They just wrote it based off the title, and oh boy, it’s an awesome song. The opening? Chilling! Do I have it on a few playlists on Spotify? Why yes, yes I do, and I get excited everytime. Sure, the acting is… something. It’s better than most so-called “B-films” of the era, so you gotta give credit where credit is due. And if you’re looking for something that SCREAMS the 80’s, this film has it in spades, from the lovely hip sweaters to the hair. Have you seen Debbie’s hair? Confession: I actually wanted her hair. My hair is curly, but I never grow it out. I would love to reach Debbie’s splendor one day… minus the poofy bangs.
While the song, the score, and the decent acting is enough to draw my interest, what really pulls me in again and again, are the freaking Klowns! When I was younger, I thought they were creepy, but really cool looking; something different where killer clown designs have already been done. But as I grew older, I appreciated the Klowns and their designs even more. Did you know all the budget went to the Klowns? And boy does it show! Those animatronic puppet heads are amazing, and never fail to amaze me. The Chiodo Brothers really knew how to make them look alive, and even knew how to modify the heads to get particular motions from the faces. And their language? So weird. The laughs? Creepy as Hell! But my gosh, the Klowns are the best part of the film… even Klownzilla! I mean, the Terrenzi Brothers make the film, too. You need a slapstick duo in the film like this, right?
Now, there’s been talk of a sequel for quite some time now, with an interesting premise, and I sincerely hope it comes to fruition some day, even if it’s “straight to video.” I just hope, truly hope, they don’t make the Klowns CGI. If any films are made under the Killer Klowns name, the Klowns have to be people in suits, with animatronic puppet heads, or else it won’t work, and the flavor of the film will be ruined.
I highly recommend this film. Even if you’re afraid of clowns, you need to watch this film. It’s not Pennywise, it’s not Art the Clown, it’s not Twisty… they’re freaking aliens from outer space that do quirky clown-like things in deadly ways. You don’t even need to buy or rent it! You can find it for free on most apps, and even for free on YouTube with ads.
Just, uh, stay away from ballons, shadow puppets, cotton candy, and popcorn for a while… lest the Klowns came to Earth!