Clowns are the one sideshow attraction that have an ability to terrify us simply for their smile and friendly disposition. This fright is an actual phobia known as coulrophobia and so it only makes sense that the horror genre would delight in terrifying us beyond belief with sinister clowns. If you do not suffer from this disorder, then read on and discover the Top 15 Horror Movies With Clowns...you may have problems going to the circus afterwards.
15. It
It-Official Trailer
Stephen King’s immortal classic gave us the ultimate example of a horrifying clown in Pennywise the Dancing Clown. The fact that Pennywise is actually a version of an ultimate form of evil that can take the form of whatever frightens you the most just makes it all the more terrifying. Watching the movie will forever make it impossible to fetch a lost belonging out of a storm drain.
Pennywise-the ultimate scary clown
Shocker fact: Bill Skarsgard, who played Pennywise, was inspired by A Clockwork Orange, The Dark Knight, The Shining, The Silence of the Lambs, and Tim Curry’s performance as Pennywise in the 1990 TV miniseries.
14. Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Killer Klowns from Outer Space-Official Trailer
The cult classic that reminded us that clowns are galactically terrifying, is one of the finest examples of how scary clowns can be. After landing on Earth, a carnival of clown-alien hybrids make it their mission to mummify the human human race inside of cotton candy cocoons, and then drink their blood with really bizarre straws shaped like toy animals. The Big Top has never had it so colorfully macabre as this.
Killer Klowns from Outer Space-even aliens find clowns terrifying.
Shocker fact: Insane Clown Posse cited dialogue from this movie in their 2002 album Joker’s Card.
13. House of 1000 Corpses
House of 1000 Corpses-Official Trailer
Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses introduced us to Captain Spaulding, who dresses as a clown, and isn’t your ordinary fun loving circus attraction. Captain Spaulding runs a roadside gas station that also houses an exhibit that plays as a tribute to famous serial killers. Captain Spaulding shows us that murderous maniacs can become even more creepy by slapping on some clown makeup.
House of 1000 Corpses-sometimes all it takes is a little clown makeup and rotting teeth.
Shocker fact: The original rating for House of 1000 Corpses was NC-17, before being cut by Rob Zombie to please executives at Universal. Unfortunately, the cut footage has never been released.
12. Terrifier
Terrifier-Official Trailer
Art the Clown simply refuses to stay dead. After waking up in a hospital morgue, he begins a killing spree that includes some incredibly gory kills, that would make any fan of 80s slasher movies proud. Featuring a wickedly creepy performance from David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown, Terrifier proves that sometimes all it takes is a psychopath who cannot be killed, dressed in a clown outfit to terrify any clown-phobic horror fan.
Terrifier-Art the Clown simply refuses to die
Shocker fact: David Howard Thornton used his previous experience as a mime to give Art the Clown his horrifically accurate clown expressions.
11. Clown
Clown-Official Trailer
What would you do if you tried on an old clown costume that you found in your basement and found out that you couldn’t take it off? Also, the suit is actually the skin and hair of an ancient demon that ate children. Clown further takes the concept of clowns as lovable and entertaining kid attractions to horrific new heights. It will likely make you think twice of letting your kids play in the ball pit at Chuck E. Cheese…
Clown-who knew that trying on a clown costume could be so...permanent
Shocker fact: The movie’s official poster when released in Italy was heavily censored for being “too scary”.
10. Clownhouse
Clownhouse-Official Trailer
Clownhouse follows a simple premise: three young brothers are left home alone when their mother visits relatives, they attend the carnival that has just arrived in town, only to be stalked by three escapees from the local insane asylum who follow them home for a night of cat and mouse terror. This movie maintains its scare factor since it is a premise that could happen to virtually anybody. The creepiest kind of horror can be found in the most ordinary of situations.
Clownhouse-the criminally insane seem to like clowns
Shocker fact: This movie is even more creepy when it was discovered that the director of the film had been sexually abusing one of the underage male leads.
9. The Funhouse
The Funhouse-Official Trailer
Tobe Hooper was one of horror cinema’s master talents, even though most of his movies were unfairly overlooked. The Funhouse takes the premise of the carnival attraction from hell and tips it into another dimension of jump out scares gone berserk. It helps that many of the freak show carnival performers are dressed as clowns when they go on their gruesome killing spree.
The Funhouse-never spend the night at a carnival
Shocker fact: Director Tobe Hooper was nearly killed during the production when a flying cog-wheel nearly decapitated him.
8. Fear of Clowns
Fear of Clowns-Official Trailer
Clown phobia meets the art world in this movie, as an artist with coulrophobia begins to paint monster clowns which start to take on a life of their own. After exhibiting her artwork at a gallery, her monstrous clowns began to come alive and make her worst nightmares come true. Sinister and creepy, with plenty of horrific clowns on display, this movie will make even the most tame clown phobia go into overdrive.
Fear of Clowns-Meet Mr. Shivers
Shocker fact: The director decided against using CGI or elaborate costume design for the clown outfits, preferring to use minimal effects to make the clowns more creepy.
7. 100 Tears
100 Tears-Official Trailer
After being falsely accused of crimes he did not commit, a circus clown named Gurdy decides to get revenge. The killer clown on the loose storyline is nothing new, but director Marcus Koch adds just the right amount of clown horror with a revenge storyline that satisfies the need for justice in a cruel world. Because, clowns have it hard too you know.
100 Tears-this clown means serious business
Shocker fact: 100 Tears is the first horror movie centered around a clown to receive an uncontested NC-17 rating by the MPAA.
6. 31
31-Official Trailer
Let’s face it, Rob Zombie has a thing for clowns. 31 tells the tale of a group of carnival workers who are taken hostage by an eerie set of senior citizens, who like to dress like it’s still the 17th century, and taken to an abandoned building. Once there, the carnival workers are told that they will be playing a game called “31”, where the object of the game is to survive being mutilated by a group of psychotic clowns. Rob Zombie knows how to make a scary clown, and this movie doesn’t disappoint.
31-let the clown themed survival games begin
Shocker fact: Director Rob Zombie intentionally set the film during Halloween due to the fact that more people are reported missing on Halloween than on any other holiday.
5. Poltergeist
Poltergeist-Official Trailer
Clowns do not have to be real people to be terrifying. The remake of 1982’s Poltergeist features an assortment of toy clowns as sinister and evil relics of an evil spirit that has possessed the home of the Bowen family. Proving that not even toy clowns are safe from the clown phobia that terrifies us all.
Poltergeist-not even toys can escape clown phobia
Shocker fact: Parapsychologist Christopher Chacon was hired by 20th Century Fox to oversee the authenticity of the paranormal phenomena presented in the movie.
4. Blood Harvest
Blood Harvest-Official Trailer
What do you get when you combine one of music’s most famous ukulele players, Tiny Tim, with an 80s slasher flick about a homicidal clown? Pure clown horror heaven. Tiny Tim stars as Marvo the Clown in a slasher mystery that just may be the best clown slasher ever made. Is Marvo the killer? It doesn’t matter, since the sight of seeing the genteel Tiny Tim in a blood-soaked clown slasher flick is worth the 90 minute running time alone.
Blood Harvest-this clown is definitely not tiptoeing through the tulips
Shocker fact: Tiny Tim fashioned and created the clown suit he wears throughout the movie.
3. The Houses October Built
The Houses October Built-Official Trailer
Found footage horror is just plain creepy. It adds a level of reality to horror movies that is impossible to not be creeped out by. The Houses October Built takes this sub-genre and gives us a story to entice all of our clown fears, as a group of friends decide to explore some of America’s most famous haunted houses, all the while being stalked by a group of psycho-killer clowns.
The Houses October Built-clown stalkers never get boring
Shocker fact: It is theorized that the Clown sightings that dominated the media throughout 2016 were likely inspired by the events depicted in this film.
2. Gacy
Gacy-Official Trailer
There is nothing scarier than a psycho clown that was actually a real person. John Wayne Gacy was a notorious American serial killer who stalked, kidnapped, raped, and mutilated over thirty young men in the 1970s. He also buried their bodies under his house. Even creepier...he was a clown for hire for kids birthday parties for his day job. You don’t need supernatural elements to tell a creepy clown story, this one really happened.
Gacy-a real killer clown
Shocker fact: John Wayne Gacy said that he enjoyed hiding behind a clown outfit, as he felt that it made his desires and crimes seem immature and childlike.
1. Halloween
Halloween-Official Trailer
Sure, Halloween has nothing to do with clowns, but it cannot be ignored that Michael Myers’ first kill occured when he was dressed as a clown. After he brutally murders his sister in 1963, the irony of Michael Myers wearing a clown suit isn’t lost on the longstanding fear of clowns that has tormented many of us. Just seeing a young Michael Myers, bloody knife in hand, dressed as a clown, brings the horror clown chronology full circle.
Halloween-Michael Myers' first kill was as a clown
Shocker fact: Michael Myers’ original face mask that appeared in the script was actually a clown mask.
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