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While Pennywise the Dancing Clown prepare audiences ' veneration of clown inIT , the growth of Art the Clown inTerrifierbrought this to a whole Modern , scarier story . Pennywise debut in Stephen King ’s 1986 novelIT , with the latest looping played by Bill Skarsgård in Andy Muschietti’sIT : Chapter OneandIT : Chapter Two . While the clown is n’t Pennywise ’s only shape , it is one that is utilized more often than others , as IT ’s primary fair game is children . Art the Clown fromTerrifieris very unlike — a Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers - like supernatural slasher rather than an ancient , Cosmic entity . Art first appeared in Damien Leone ’s short celluloid , The ninth Circle , in 2008 , followed by a 2011 little also namedTerrifier . The 2013 anthologyAll Hallows’Eve , then showedArt the Clownthrough various found - footage style video , provide fans their first feature - distance photo to the line - soaked joke of a very twisted , homicidal clown .
Art the Clown inAll Hallows ' Evewas so popular that Leone developed a feature film - length story for Art withTerrifier , which was release in 2016 , followed byTerrifer 2 in October 2022 . AfterTerrifier , Art the Clown became a champion and quickly rose to fame as a modern revulsion icon . Though he does n’t have the historical comportment of other sea wolf clowns like Pennywise , his popularity talk for itself , and part of the understanding for this acclaim is that he ’s authentically horrifying despite the comedic angle of his persona . Pennywise is sure as shooting a notable scoundrel , and his legacy as the primary causal agency of coulrophobia for generation is undisputed , but Art the Clown has the sharpness — here ’s why .
Related : How Pennywise Fits Into Stephen King ’s Massive Book Universe
Why Art The Clown Is The Scarier Than Pennywise
First and first off , Art the Clown is a human serial killer whale , unlike Pennywise . Though he does have supernatural abilities , his kills are marked through very brutal — and very human — means . One particular aspect inTerrifier , where Art the Clown suspends a woman upside down and proceeds to saw her in one-half in a very worrisome fashion , has become the subject of meme and saw acclaim for being one of the most inventive , and brutal , succession in modern repulsion film . This scene is top inTerrifier 2 , when Art skins , scalps , and dismembers Allie ( Casey Hartnett ) in her bedroom .
While Pennywise is lie with for his appealingness and allure in luring victims , Art the Clown is mime - likein show and personality . The celluloid ’s director has said that he aspire to make a character that was the opposite of Pennywise , so he tweak the baddie ’s iconic red and bloodless colouring material scheme and occupy off Art ’s voice . Initially played by Mike Giannelli in Leone ’s short moving picture , The 9thCircleandTerrifier , David Howard Thornton gained infamy by take the villain to the feature of speech - lengthTerrifiermovie , and reprised the roleTerrifier 2 . Thornton ’s performance is where prowess shines — he ’s playful and queer about his victim , and since they ’re adult alternatively of child , he has to utilise a different appeal .
Thornton gives another nod to Pennywise for his performance as Art , since he was partially revolutionise by Tim Curry in the1990ITadaptation , along with one of the most iconic clowns of all time : the Joker himself . Like the Joker , Art ’s facial expressions and over - the - top trick almost make him likable , at first . This is key to the panic he enliven . It ’s an unostentatious tone that seems to make his victims not take him badly at first , only to witness out too recently that he ’s organise their demise . While Pennywise inITchapters one and two does crack jokes , he ’s seldom if ever funny . Art has audiences genuinely express joy at point , only to be it up with a swift and scandalous kill . The rollercoaster from mirth to misery can be genuinely terrifying . This givesTerrifieran edge in the fight for the scariest killer whale clown moving picture top spot — one that ’s cemented even further by Art the clown never having to change form to inspire fright .
Stephen King Is A Terrifier Fan
One would think thatprolific revulsion author Stephen Kingwould be a piddling miffed that there ’s a new killer clown in town to take Pennywise ’s crown — but the novelist has showeredTerrifier 2with kudos . In other October , King took to social media to get opinion aboutTerrifier 2 , as he wondered if the horror flick was worth the vigil . After chew the fat his local theater , King take to Twitter again , saying,“TERRIFIER 2 : Grossin ’ you out erstwhile - shoal . “After this thought , Terrifierfranchise director and creator Damien Leone answer to the master of horror himself with delirious fear and gratitude , claiming he ’d put the author ’s sentiments on the motion-picture show poster . It ’s quite the compliment since King himself pioneered the orca antic with Pennywise . After all , Pennywise was part of the original blueprint for Art the Clown , inhale the character and his jejune ways . big businessman has help many a horror franchise with a positive revue , even helping launchThe vicious Deadto religious cult - classic status . So , while the clown fromTerrifierand Pennywise fromITmay be battle it out for who is the shuddery , at least artistry the Clown has Stephen King ’s mold of approval — trial impression that , as far as the Maker of the prototypic movie slayer clown is interest , Art the clown is a worthy successor to Pennywise .
Next : Art the Clown ’s Worst Kill Ever Is n’t In Terrifier 2
