Tonight the people of Cove Crescent are in for a treat they’ll never forget. A grotesque parade of intergalactic, candy coloured, hooligan freaks are about to march their big red shoes through town leaving a twisted trail of death and destruction. Armed with flesh melting custard pies, lethal pizza, rabid balloon animals and laser firing puppet shows, they’re about to turn this town into a bizarre funhouse of murder and mayhem. They’re clowns, they kill people, they’re from outer space and they need feeding. So whatever you do stay away from the popcorn and don’t go near the candyfloss.
Directed, written and produced by The Chiodo Brothers, the special effects team behind Team America: World Police, Elf and Critters, Killer Klowns From Outer Space successfully mixes fifties b-movie weirdness with a late eighties sensibility. Highly inventive and colourful, Killer Klowns manages to trapeze from surreal humor to creepy, nightmarish horror-sci-fi. It’s all the fun of the fair, with a bit more blood and guts thrown in.
Starring: Grant Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, John Allen Nelson, John Vernon, Michael Siegel
Directed by: Stephen Chiodo
Runtime: 88 minutes
Studio: MGM
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Directed by Stephen Chiodo, Killer Klowns from Outer Space is one of those films that doesn’t require much explanation given its title. The locals at Crescent Cove, California, witness a comet or meteor falling to earth and first a farmer and later a young couple Mike (Grant Cramer) and his girlfriend Debbie (Suzanne Snyder) go to investigate. They find a circus tent and inside is what looks like the colourful interior of a spaceship. Yes, there are clowns on board or should I spell that klowns? I’m not sure. Anyway, these clowns are not E.T. friendly, more Alien or Predator friendly and immediately target Crescent Cove and begin causing havoc.
The clowns have a variety of ways to kill people including zapping them until they are engulfed in candy floss cocoons or firing popcorn at them. This isn’t ordinary popcorn though, it’s deadly popcorn that comes to life and bites you. Poor Mike and Debbie have trouble convincing people that clowns are on the rampage in town. Debbie’s ex at the police station, Dave (John Allen Nelson), isn’t overly keen on being near Mike but he’s happy to get some quality time with Debbie. These law enforcers, eh? Anyway, the clowns are rounding up the unsuspecting locals and taking their cocooned bodies into their spaceship. It is down to Mike, Debbie and Dave to save the day but how can they stop the clowns. Telling jokes doesn’t seem to be the answer.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space is one of those films you watch with your friends for a laugh, when the beer is flowing and you’re in search of poor quality rather than compelling view. Riddled with bad acting, poor effects and a Chevy Chase lookalike, this takes one very low indeed.
Verdict: 1/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
Film Review: Killer Klowns from Outer Space | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave
