One must understand clearly this is not your typical killer clown movie, no gimmicks here rather channel their lunacy and recklessness using the famous motto by John Wayne Gacy (quoted in the movie “Clowns can get away with murder”). The psychopaths do not lack any morals nor do they possess any decency, their characters each more bizarre and definitely prepared to send shockwaves down into anyone suffering from coulrophobia. For his first feature-film director Billy ‘Bloody Bill’ Pon delivers a very disturbing movie, something for true horror fans, the gore-hounds dance in celebration, because a budget of $150,000 deploys the raging insanity of Bill Oberst Jr.
Lately, a trend of clowns scarring and terrorizing extending into real life, most non-threatening, merely standing about, a wave, just staring at them, some carry around fake machete’s other teddy bears, none of them could compete with these crazy clowns. In addition, clowns more popular in movies ever since Freaks (1932) the entire group finding themselves exploited and others embrace the entire fear factor. Almost 100 feature films exist on the topic of clowns as a theme in horror genre, and It (2017) a remake of the television mini-series. However, clowns attack in many films from The Clown Murders (1976) to Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988), on to the infamous mass murder Gacy (2003), bogeymen in both Drive Thru (2007) and Stitches (2012). Perhaps two twisted perverse clowns to team-up and join this zany bunch, Sid Haig’s Captain Spaulding and Art the Clown.
Rejoice hardcore horror fans, slatterpunks and gore hounds, the horror returns with the circus! The film deals with morality, easily evil overpowers greatly good, by presenting menacing actions on the screen. Most of this actually thanks to actor Bill Oberst Jr.’s method acting performance as the murderous Papa Corn and of course the script, from Pon and Lee Ankrum, which takes Donald Johnson (Parrish Randall (Slaughter House [2008])) on a murderous ride of the night in order to prove his worth to rescue his daughters. One must mention the role of Tiffany (Chanel Ryan (Hell’s Kitty [2018]) who did a wonderful job) and her handling of terrorizing clowns very well orchestrated to the cameras. Just one small problem, this troupe of clowns doesn’t confine themselves to silly gags, rather they include a laundry list of sickness murders, kidnappings, carjacking, robberies, rape and other violent mayhem, honestly it doesn’t even get close to understanding the sadistic pleasures and disgusting behavior. Papa and his merry of clowns use a dirty dying circus as both a workplace and torturing base-camp, makes Leatherface’s home look like a daycare center, while they use a 1968 Camaro (good choice) and guns, knives, and shopping spree from a local hardware store. How much anarchy could they cause in a night, lots of death and blood through most incredible display of carnage, Mickey and Mallory known of Natural Born Killers have nothing on them. After all, watching beheadings, limbs cut off only duct tape back on, the average horror fans just bailed on the movie, only hardcore ones sticking around for this insanity.
A recap of seeing the film at the Bizarre AC II on June 13, 2014, had the opportunity to meet and speak with both Chanel and Parrish. Chanel mentioned, “Bill concerned and gentle before and after each scene, but after the call for action, he switches into character.” He nails the role, depraved and twisted, wonderful to watch, but meeting Papa Corn you might not enjoy him then. Parrish Randall during his final sequence, stated “…the scene really drove him further into his past, suffered a bit of psychological impact to pour into this role.”
Papa Corn really the only clown with the best lines, the rest merely wonderful players in the background, yes given screen time, and equal maniacs, they each have a name and different makeup. Oberst makes his character shine, going to extremes and it adds to freaky scenarios but at times overpowering in the roles to parents and less caring about terrorizing the children. Not the most brutalizing movie of the last few years, that likely mantel holder A Serbian Film (2010) a film rated NC-17. The gore and blood splattering all find themselves well executed by a team of special effects personal Matthew Ash, Heather Buckley, and Marcus Koch. The script filled with questions of so-called family values and even a few racist innuendos in the lines, all of it used to infuriate the audience.
The film is filled with scenes that will haunt and disturb, few films have reached make up for the simplistic plot I have nothing bad to say about 90% of the film, as these clowns exist to mess up people live royally in all forms of depravity including necrophilia (on Tiffany’s head only – gotta see it!). Their attacks include rape, torture, cannibalism and flat-out killing, and while some one-liners find black humor slipping out like intestine out of the belly, all the perverse creepy gleeful teaches all the wannabe horror films a simple lesson, push the boundaries of both good taste and decency. This movie lives up this reviewers’ motto: The Extreme has a Lasting Impression!
There’s an interesting close out song played during the credits, a song only fits this movie, a must hear.
TAGLINE:
- The circus is coming… Hide.
This review was originally published on the Rogue Cinema website in the final month of operation, which marked the 13-year in June 2017 with a view count of 1,572.
https://www.facebook.com/circusofthedeadmovie
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2782232/
IMDb Rating: 6/10
Baron’s Rating: 8/10