Killer Klowns from Outer Space

Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)

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Written by: Charles Chiodo, Stephen Chiodo
Directed by: Stephen Chiodo
Starring: Grant Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, John Allen Nelson, Christopher Titus
Rated: PG-13
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Plot
Aliens who look like clowns come from outer space and terrorize a small town.

Verdict
This is very '80s horror, but it is light on gore which opens it up to a wider audience. It's a creative concept that uses clowns in the scariest ways possible. Is this Jaws for clowns?
It's not good, but it's not that bad. The fact that it is a cult classic makes it worth considering, provided you can stand a less than scary horror movie and creepy clowns.
It depends.

Review
A sequel was planned for 2012 at one point. While the director envisioned the franchise as a trilogy, in 2016 he stated he was considering developing a cable television series.

I'm honestly surprised this isn't older. I've heard of it, seen images, and I know it's a cult classic. The movie just seems like it should have been around longer due to the reach.

Are we watching teens, young adults, or middle aged adults? The situation makes them seem like teens, the local college is mentioned frequently, but they look much older. That issue is nothing compared to the coincidence that the aliens look like clowns, their ship is a circus tent, and all of their weapons are clown themed. It's highly unlikely. The coincidence defies logic, and all this movie had to do is show a circus postcard from the '50s in the ship. I just wanted to know why. While I realize it's just to take fear of clowns up a notch, a quick explanation would have gone a long way.

This opens with a 'comet' and an old man overacting. He somehow thought he could make money off the comet, and then decided to buy a ticket when he first a circus tent. Thankfully the teens that explore the 'comet' realize the circus tent should not be there, though they still explore it because this is a horror movie.

 

This movie is fun because it's so weird. The concept is creative even if the acting is rough. There's a lot of over-acting. It adds to the cheese factor, though the effects are notable. The klowns/clowns look good, scary but good.

The kids/adults go to the cops and aren't believed. We're introduced to the hard nosed cop you just know will get killed. This cop, Mooney, is a villain. He drinks on the job, ignores citizen complaints, and is ready to shoot who he thinks is a civilian. While it's a klown, Mooney didn't know that, and he later hits the clown in the head after he has handcuffed the clown. It's wild, but not good.

The ending throws a lot at you. I appreciate the characters wonder what's going on and why. They and we don't get an answer, but I like that the writers at least included some theories.
It seems the klowns are cocooning people in cotton candy to consume them. Debbie is encased in a balloon, and the movie never answers why. I assume it's for breeding. Two of the characters are willingly seduced by female clowns which seems rather odd. There's a klown-zilla and a happy ending, well the main characters live. Everyone else ostensibly dies.