Killer Klowns from Outer Space (R1)

Introduction

Whilst drinking champagne at the 'Top of the World' make-out point, Mike and Debbie see a shooting star land nearby. Debbie wants to go and see it, but Mike isn't so keen. Not wanting to annoy his girlfriend, he drives her there and, bizarrely, they find a Circus Big-Top, which is actually a spaceship containing dead humans cocooned in candy-floss.

They are chased out by one of the Killer Klowns wielding a popcorn gun and they flee to police station. By now the town is full of these crazy alien clowns and the senior policeman around thinks that the calls are pranks. The other cop, Dave, agrees to help by taking Debbie home and driving Mike to see the tent. All they find is a smoking hole in the ground, but everyone at the 'Top of the World' is dead and the cars are covered in candy-floss.

Written, produced and directed by the Chiodo brothers as their debut film in 1988, Killer Klowns from Outer Space has become a cult favourite.

Video

The picture is very good, though slightly soft, showing both dark and bright scenes equally well. The puppets, which probably didn't look amazing twenty years ago, show their age but, for me, that's part of the charm.

Audio

The Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack is fine, with clear dialogue and a great opening song.

Extra Features

The commentary with the three Chiodo brothers, Stephen, Charles and Edward is a really enjoyable listen as they give a detailed account of the challenges of making a debut film and laugh about the mistakes, characters getting in the way of matte paintings and visible crew members.

The five featurettes are hosted by the brothers and together make an informative and revealing piece:
The Chiodo Brothers and the Making of the Film
Behind the Scenes and On the Set
Komposing the Score
Visual Effects with Gene Warren Jr.
Chiodo Brothers' Earliest Films

In addition there are:
Deleted scenes with optional commentary by Stephen Chiodo
Bloopers
Storyboard gallery
Photo gallery
Theatrical trailer

Conclusion

I've never understood the appeal of clowns, I find them creepy and weird - definitely not the sort of entertainment for young children - so it's no wonder that they have spawned great horror characters like Pennywise in It and the Klowns here.

Everyone must have their own cult films that they love, yet no-one can understand why, and this is one of mine. Killer Klowns from Outer Space is one of those films I stumbled upon by accident and instantly fell in love with. The acting, writing and direction leave a lot to be desired, as do the effects, editing and soundtrack, but it's a film that's almost impossible to dislike.

It's a testament to the film's cult following that Midnite Movies have given it such a good package, with a decent transfer, good soundtrack and a wealth of extras. If you're a fan of comedy horrors, this is worth a blind buy.