Art the Clown returns to theaters in Terrifier 2 on October 6. Before we get to his latest horrific exploits…let’s take a look back at his last memorable outing in the film Terrifier.
Classic reviews will contain spoilers.
Terrifier
Directed by Damien Leone
Written by Damien Leone
Starring Jenna Kanell, Samantha Scaffidi and David Howard Thornton
Terrifier Review
Terrifier isn’t the first appearance of Art the Clown, but it’s the movie that elevated him to cult icon status. A silent, vicious killer dressed in a black and white clown costume; Art is a theatrical delight. At least, that is, if you delight in the most gruesome violence director Damien Leone can pack into an ultra-low budget feature. Terrifier’s imagery will shake you. David Howard Thornton’s performance as antagonist Art the Clown will keep you coming back for more.
It’s Halloween night and partygoers Tara (Jenna Kanell) and Dawn (Catherine Corcoran) run afoul of a creepy man in a clown costume. After finding their car’s tire slashed, they call Tara’s sister, Victoria (Samantha Scaffidi), for a ride home. Before Vicky can get to them Art the Clown (Thornton) follows them into an abandoned apartment building and does what serial killer clowns do. Victoria must fight to survive the night and escape Art’s gleeful killing spree.
Terrifier is a wildly entertaining movie. A lot of slasher movies trade in disposable violence, Terrifier earns its status by dealing out memorable violence. It isn’t just that the film provides a laundry list of (no pun intended) well executed kills…it’s the way Art so maniacally performs them that will stick with you. There is a wonderful pre-post-modern horror sensibility at play here. Terrifier is a throwback to 80s slashers…if those 80s slashers didn’t have to worry about the MPAA.
Decapitation, stabbing, shooting, head stomping, scalping, face eating…Terrifier has something for everyone. But there is one kill that stands out above the rest. A nude victim is tied upside down from the ceiling and sawed in half from groin to face, in impressively extreme detail, as her friend is forced to watch. If you’ve never seen Terrifier this is the part of the review where it either just became a must see…or made the list of movies that you will never watch. There’s no middle ground here. It’s one of the most brutal, and memorable, kills in slasher movie history.
While the bisection sequence may be Terrifier’s signature set piece, it’s also the line of demarcation where the film turns the dial from good to balls out great. It doesn’t slow down on the crazy or the gore from here on out. You never can be quite sure what Art is going to do next…but you are sure there is nothing that he won’t do…with a smile.
Leone cleverly leaves his movie open-ended enough to allow for a sequel…while still delivering a satisfactory conclusion. Now that his sequel is upon us you can’t help but wonder what direction it will go. Or perhaps, just how far it will push the envelope.
Look for the Scare Value review of Terrifier 2 later this week.
Scare Value
Featuring a crazy good villain and some of the most effective kill scenes in modern horror, Terrifier was always destined to become a cult classic to the people who experienced it. It goes further and harder than slasher movies generally try to go. That it does it so successfully, on its budget, is a testament to its cast and crew. With Terrifier 2 arriving this week, it’s a perfect time to revisit Art the Clown’s breakout film.
4/5
