There is something inherently direful abouthorror movie clowns . Many kids learned that clownswere their friends , as they often saw them at birthday parties and even McDonald ’s but once those kids picture their first buffoon movie , they most likely feel a modification of spunk . At a certain point , society modify its mentality on clowns and change the saint into a threatening one . For decennium , film producer took these previously barren , happy characters and turn them into something audiences dread .

This alteration was as a brainy plan , whether it was a ogre posing as a clown or a clown who turn out to be a passel - mangle serial Orcinus orca . There ’s something terrifying about child - friendly characters that suddenly deform dark and it has been a focusing of somegreat modern horror film . Filmmakers knew this was a right concept when they first stumbled upon it , which is why the fear of goofball is here to stick around . Whether they have a comedic twist or straight - up dismay intent , shuddery clowns remain horror icons .

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Gingerclown

House Of 1000 Corpses ( 2003 )

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Alien Klowns

Spawn ( 1997 )

Stitches ( 2012 )

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Joker ( 2019 )

Clown ( 2014 )

Killjoy ( 2000 )

A montage of Art the Clown and Pennywise

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Krampus ( 2015 )

Saw ( 2003 )

Poltergeist ( 1982 )

Clownhouse (1989)

Clownhouse follows three young brothers who find themselves terrorized by a sinister clown. The film, released in 1989, blends elements of horror and suspense as the children confront their fears and attempt to escape the unsettling threat posed by the menacing figure.

It ( 1990 & 2017 )

Terrifier ( 2016 )

commercial-grade interruption and low production time value are n’t enough to prevent a few made - for - TV horror flick from being as good as theatrical films .

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Cheezo, Bippo, & Dippo - Clownhouse (1989)

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Clownhouse follow three vernal brothers who happen themselves terrorized by a sinister clown . The film , released in 1989 , blend elements of revulsion and suspense as the children confront their fears and attempt to get out the unsettling threat posed by the minatory figure .

There is really nothing scary about the movie , and the clowns are not terrorize , but mostly forgettable .

There is some fun to see here , such as a very immature Sam Rockwell . However , when it amount to the clowns , this is a very low - budget repugnance film that no one can really see today thanks to outside issues during output . There is really nothing scary about the pic , and the clowns are not terrifying , but mostly forgettable . The film has a 33 % rotten score on Rotten Tomatoes , and while it has some fans , it does n’t compare to other movie in the horror subgenre .

Headshot Of Sam Rockwell

Gingerclown - Gingerclown (2013)

The job withGingerclownis that fans wanted so much more from him . That is because Tim Curry vocalise Gingerclown , and that marked his return to repugnance movie goof after he portray the original Pennywise inIt . This English - language Hungarian horror drollery follows two high school students who sneak into an previous entertainment park , only to determine there are real monsters there . These two kids then have to chance a direction to get out before the monsters finish them off .

Curry is majuscule in his voice work as Gingerclown , and there are some creepy-crawly animate being in this sapless amusement parking lot ( all vocalize by some more big epithet including Brad Dourif ( Child ’s frolic ) , Lance Henriksen ( Pumpkinhead ) , and Michael Winslow ( Police Academy).However , it is the excogitation of the puppet clown that lacks the awe broker . This flick tries severely to call back 1980s horror nostalgia , and that keeps thiskiller clown around from being shivery , so instead is just a bit cockamamy .

Captain Spaulding - House Of 1000 Corpses (2003)

Captain Spaulding , played by the late Sid Haig , may calculate a little scarey , but he ’s really one of the most innocent type inHouse of 1000 Corpses . However , Captain Spaulding is the proprietor of a gasolene station and fried volaille restaurant , which also serves as a roadside draw . The movie opens with two malefactor trying to overcharge the gas station , but Captain Spaulding is not one to be mess up with , and he kills both of the malefactor to protect his place of business .

He may not have good intentions , but by no means is he more terrifying than some of his companions in this moving picture .

He may be a gross goof , but his personality and jokes set up him more on the lightheaded side when it comes to film clowns . This is shown when some people writing a book about roadside attractive force interview him , and he is a becoming enough guy . However , when he recite them about Dr. Satan , and they point out to come up him , which is when they notice the real monster of this film , monsters that prove that Captain Spaulding is one of the least threatening individuals in the entire film .

Gingerclown (2013)

Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)

Killer Klowns from Outer Spaceknew precisely what variety of picture it was , and for viewers who understand the humor , it was a treasure for anyone who came across it at the video store on a Friday dark . This repulsion comedy survey malign aliens who show up on Earth with the intention of infest and using human being as food for alimentation . The one thing that makes these alien so terrifying is that they look like clowns with elephantine heads . It received confirming reviews as an absurdist comedy .

peculiar effects were n’t hone in the eighties , which make the " Klown " makeup steer to a sillier side . The film skirted the divide between comedy and chills , while also honing in on element of punk rock and artistic note value . This cult classic has a fun premiss that blends repulsion motion picture clowns and alien together to make a picture show . It ’s kooky and a snatch scary at multiplication , but nonetheless a play drive , one of the best so - sorry - it’s - proficient horror movies . It is now considered a cult classic .

Violator - Spawn (1997)

In darker - toned movies , it ’s always good to have a comedic mien to bite through the tautness , and it seems like the clown version of Violator play the part inSpawn . Played by iconic actor John Leguizamo , he ’s send to Earth to taunt Spawn and mentor him in his new character as a Hellspawn . For those unfamiliar with the story , Spawn is a former U.S. Marine who cash in one’s chips and goes to Hell . One of the rulers of Hell offers him a problem as a Hellspawn , to repay to Earth and mould as the loss leader of his Army in Armageddon .

However , once Spawn gets back on Earth , he plant out to receive a way out of the contract , while trying to help people as an antihero . One of the villains he battles is the Violator , a fiend from Hell who is there to strain to pull Spawn to follow the order . He cracks jokes , and his character is loud and obnoxious , which makes him seem more funny than shuddery . Once he changes into his " dependable " form , though , that ’s a different write up . He then becomes terrific , albeit as a fiend and not a clown .

Stitches, The Maniacal Clown - Stitches (2012)

The tagline interpret , " He ’s rude , unprocessed , and back from the dead ; he is Stitches the clown . “The pic starts clean-handed enough - Stitches is an dysphoric merry andrew named Richard Grindle who harbor at youngster ' birthday party . He takes an untimely drop when the kids at a company he work at start to bully and attack him , and they cause him to fall , where he hits his head and kick the bucket . However , Stitches add up back for vengeance in what cease up as a comedy slasher motion picture .

It ’s a playfulness ride that turns into a teen slasher , with funny bits here and there . It ’s definitely a low - budget film , but got the job done right by fuse a horror picture show clown ’s many moods . Despite its abject budget and slasher furnishing , the movie see some success and win the Best Death and Midnight X - Treme Award at Fright - Fest 2012 . Horror film sites praise the throwback film , withBloody Disgustingsaying it will become a cult classic andDread Centralpraising the " brilliant " kill shot .

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The Joker/Arthur Fleck - Joker (2019)

Jokerfalls between silly and scarey , but in unlike ways . Arthur Fleck is a comedian , he just wants to make hoi polloi smile and seems like a unspoilt person with mental wellness worry . He skin to make it as a comic , but he does n’t want to give up on his dreams . However , nothing ever run in good order , as he ends up brutalized by the great unwashed because of his neurological disorder that make him to have random , uncontrollable express joy scene . Despite this , he pushes on and is a silly comedian most of the time .

His alter - ego , Joker , is born and is much scarier and maniac than any other clown fibre in film .

However , he last break down when his hero , a late Nox talking show master of ceremonies ( Robert De Niro ) bemock him on national television set . He snap and kill the man before he gets people in Gotham City to follow his lead-in , and riots break out . By the end , he is as shuddery of a clown as many people will ever see , even if many of his biggest second might have been hallucination that only existed in his own top dog . AJokersequel is come out in 2024 , with Harley Quinn joining his side .

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Scariest

The Clöyne - Clown (2014)

With Eli Roth as a producer , it was clean thatClownwould have some distressful moments . The pic had them in spades and more , featuring one of the creepiest repulsion motion picture buffoon in history , with Clöyne . This is the account of a regular guy curse to become a demonic buffoon when he puts on the costume . When a father arrange on a clown suit , it is the skin of Clöyne , and he ca n’t remove it . The suit then possesses him to finally become a horrific killer who eats children .

The movie is a tragedy , but it is also a terrifying taradiddle . This serviceman is a right person , but he ca n’t control what he does with the clown costume on , and he ca n’t get it off , making him a danger to a crime syndicate he never wanted to hurt to lead off with . This means he is not only a chilling clown , but also someone that the spectator feels for , even as the soundbox count rises . add up in the body horror and some tum - curl up moments , and The Clöyne is a horror movie clown that will be unacceptable to blank out .

Killjoy The Demonic Clown - Killjoy (2000)

Killjoy the Demonic Clown was exceedingly democratic , spawning four sequels with diminishing returns . However , in that original 2000 filmKilljoy , he was an extremely terrifying horror film clown . He was a demonic clown with supernatural abilities , have him even more threatening . Killjoy set out in that first picture show on a murderous violent disorder after a character diagnose Michael rally him to get retribution on people who bullied him . Of course , Michael would n’t get out in one piece either .

There were low - budget special effects that either took away from the panic or added to the charm , depending on the watcher ' tastes . In the remainder , this was still a very scary revulsion movie merry andrew . The reviews were assorted , which is expected from slasher horror flicks , but it was still a favorite for the horror movie crowd . Killjoywas followed by five subsequence , although Trent Hagga replaced Angel Vargas as Killjoy in all the following entries , with the last film make it in 2019 .

Jack-In-The-Box Clown - Krampus (2015)

commonly , holiday movies are family - friendly and filled with wondrous characters , butKrampustakes a unlike path . A - list role player such as Adam Scott and Toni Collette star in this festive film and join in on the fun and laughs that the first half of the movie portrays but once Krampus and his minion are released , it all changes . The goofball is just one of the malevolent daimon come to living in the movie , but it remains the most iconic of them all .

Krampus ' malefic toy dog character such as the Jack - in - the - Box above are implausibly terrifying , and it incur to the tip where Jack swallows one of the people in the planetary house . The film is directed by Micheal Dougherty , who already made the Halloween authoritative repugnance anthologyTrick R Treat . WhileKrampusdoesn’t quite touch the darling cult classical stage of the Halloween release , this Christmas repugnance movie still fork out the goods , and isone of the undecomposed Krampus horror film ever made .

Billy The Puppet - Saw (2003)

One of the most iconic and placeable characters in the repulsion industry has get to be Billy the Puppet . He does n’t actually harm multitude , but he does often deliver harmful messages to his master ’s captive . fan of theSawfranchiseknow thatwhen Billy makes an appearance , something insidious is about to go down . Of naturally , Billy is not veridical , and it just used to air messages to whoever Jigsaw plan to excruciate , but what reach him scarey is the mind of the pain that is coming .

From his power to employ a trike , to his beady - eyed stare , there ’s nothing safe or laughable about this hombre in theSawmovies .

Billy the Puppet has appear in several movies in the franchise , and the entire understanding for using a tool was the death of his unborn kid . He had bought a tool interchangeable to Billy to give to his baby before his wife miscarried . His unresolved anger make him to see the puppet as a herald of evil , and he ensured that anyone who saw it in the hereafter would see it in the same elbow room . Billy appeared in every movie , although he was only in a picture inSpiral .

Headshot Of Lance Henriksen

Clown Doll - Poltergeist (1982)

Poltergeist , which was discharge in 1982 , has stood the test of meter and has gone down as one of the most iconic movies in horror history . The CGI and special effects were fresh then , and they terrorise the hearing to no end . For people witha type of coulrophobia , this horror picture might traumatize viewing audience . This is the classic " Boogeyman in the closet " scenario , where the audience knows what ’s going to come of a creepy horror moving picture clown in a child ’s sleeping accommodation , but the character does n’t .

There was a good deal to reverence inPoltergeist , from the malign spirits on the TV to the skeleton in the cupboard in the pool at the end . write by Steven Spielberg and direct by Tobe Hooper ( Texas Chainsaw Massacre ) , the pic cease up name for three Oscar , which is always telling for a repulsion release . However , even with the ghosts , it is the chilling buffoon that often gives witness nightmares above all other terrifying things that pop out in the moving picture ’s runtime .

Pennywise - It (1990 & 2017)

It ’s operose to categorise both Pennywise characters into one , but they ’re equally terrific in different ways . worker , Tim Curry and Bill Skarsgard both portrayed the horror moving picture buffoon - turn - supernatural slasher villainwell in their own unique way . It ’s more the timing of when the film come out that sets them apart . Pennywise in 1990 was more modest , and the horrifying scenes were entrust to the imagination , whereas Pennywise in 2017 left nothing to doubt .

The storyline ofItwas creepy no matter who played the merry andrew .

Of course , the peculiar effects got good in between flick , but the eeriness never altered . The plot line ofItwas creepy no matter who play the clown , and this was probably one of the first movies that shaped how pre - adolescent fancy buffoon for the rest of their lives . Curry ’s was shuddery and iconic , one of his most memorable roles . However , Skarsgard ’s was terrifying and chilling than Curry ’s version , clearly offering more nightmare - induced scenes along the way of life .

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Art The Clown - Terrifier (2016)

Sometimes it does n’t take a lot to make a scarey film , becauseTerriferbroke the mould in that category . ordinarily there ’s a story behind a villain ’s purpose to cause havoc , but with Art , there is n’t , and that is what makes him such a shivery horror pic clown . Art stalks and kills anyone who frustrate his path , which again , is creepy because there really is no motive . At first , he fare off as semi - well-disposed , until his whole behavior changes in an instant .

He also never say anything throughout the film , which makes him mysterious and even scarier . He has since become one of the newest horror icons , and is scarier than almost any clown that came before him . He actually first appeared in short films before he show up inAll Hallows ' Evein 2013 . By the prison term he was inTerrifier , he was legendary . The lack of backstory and his senseless killing do him one of thebest repugnance movie clownsever brought to the big screen .

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Stitches (2012)

Stitches is a horror-comedy film centered around a deceased clown named Richard “Stitches” Grindle, who returns from the grave to seek vengeance on a group of teenagers. Following a fatal accident during a child’s birthday party, Stitches revives six years later with sinister intentions at another birthday celebration.

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