Killer Klowns from Outer Space

Killer Klowns make the world a merrier place.

Continuing with trascendental horror films we jump forward from 1963's The Birds to 1988's Killer Klowns of Outer Space, a personal favorite, a timeless piece with that 80's vibe only the 80's could deliver to make a movie an entertaining experience for everyone interested enough. Killer Klowns from Outer Space is fun and very well crafted crossover satire between sci-fi aliens, a la 50's style and teenage horror a la 80's styles, a perfect blending. The story is basically dealing with outer space martians that look like clowns and fly in a spaceship that looks like a giant circus tent. They come to earth and start killing everybody and wrapping them up in a cotton candy like cocoon in the shape of light bulbs in their space ship. They store them in a freezer like room on their spaceship and then when these cocoons become 'ripe' they stick a straw into them and suck their blood as if it was the best of the refreshing drinks around.

I guess it's all both unique and brilliant on how the film deals with the clown culture myth of having actual murderers and/or rapists dressed up like clowns (Something Stephen King would master on his It novel) wandering around your kids in your town,  and with the sci-fi style of the 50's, as above mentioned. There are shades of movies like INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, WAR OF THE WORLDS, and THE BLOB just to name a few.

"We aren't your average clown kids"

"Care for a candy little girl"

"Who the fuck are you sonny"

In many ways this film is an improvement over those above mentioned, a complete update featuring only the best elements. Everything is fast paced with a very inventive mind set. It takes all those things that were always considered harmless and childlike and then turns them into very threatening and scary things. My personal favorite is the old balloon dog that here becomes a very vicious little beast.The special effects are outstanding. For a low budget picture this may actually be the best you will find on its kind. The circus tent spaceship is impressive especially when it takes off at the end. The popcorn ray guns and the shadow figure of a hungry tyranosarus are also good. You also have to love the clowns themselves. They have all the features of a regular clown, but they are distorted and made to look genuinely frightening. Even there bodies are misshapen and grotesque. You really start to feel that these are actual creatures and not people inside a costume. 

"Our heroes find the truth about the cocoons"

"Jesus, how can we have some privacy here"

"Anyone care for some icecream"

Probably the one thing about the film that sucks, is having some very bland looking, bland acting teens as the main stars. They seem to be taken from other 80's B movies of minor success. It even starts out with the very cliched scene of having them making out in their cars at some secluded, wooded area. Outside of the clowns John Vernon has the only interesting part. He plays a hardened and slightly corrupt cop who has seen it all and doesn't fall for anything. He is both edgy and funny and gives it some added spice. His death scene is good (like most of the others) but it still would have been better had he been the one to carry the lead role in the picture.

Overall this is a very clever and creative picture. It is sure to click with those that have a warped sense of humor, besides the mains song by The Dickies is awesome punk rock meets 80's pop.

Here's the movie trailer:

And here the main song by The Dickies: