The Killer Klowns from Outer Space; An Essay and Review of the BIZZARE, but FANTASTIC 1988 Classic

Pizza? No, klowns. On May 27th, 1988, Stephen Chiodo unleashed the killer klowns from outer space, a bizarre story of two lovers and some of their friends battling the clowns, and trying to stop their siege of their small town. Where do these clowns come from you may ask? Well, outer space of course. What do they want? Well, it’s hard to say. They abduct humans and…drink their blood?? All else that can be said about them is they’re scary and come armed with many fun weapons, including balloon dogs, popcorn, and an iconic cotton candy gun, which they use to abduct their victims.

The film stars Grant Cramer as Mike Tobacco, Suzanna Synder as Debbie Stone, and John Allen Nelson as Dave Hanson, which round out our main cast, Mike and Debbie being our couple, and Dave being Debbi’s ex, although a cool one. The film also has a list of side characters that are either hilarious or make up for some awesome kills…or scary moments. Peter Licassi, who plays Paul, and Michael Siegel, who plays Rich are the town's odd and a bit dumb ice cream guys, who drive around in a ridiculous, although funny truck. They make up for some funny comic relief. John Vernon plays hardass, ball-busting cop Curtis Mooney, who doesn’t seem to love our protagonist, and also doesn’t believe in the Klown invasion, which pretty much seals his demise, and probably didn’t help the town’s chances. He also has a pretty cool death, which also delivers one of the film's more creepy moments when Mike comes into the police station to find one of the clowns using him as a ventriloquist doll. It’s quite unsettling. Also, who can forget another one of the movie’s most unsettling moments where a little girl, played by actress Claire Bartle is lured away from her parents by one of the clowns, likely to be killed. It’s one of the film's most unsettling scenes, right up there with the ventriloquist scene. Although on the topic of cool and fun kills, the shadow puppet kill, where one of our star clowns shows off some of his shadow puppet skills to a group of normal citizens, and in the end, uses his skills to make a monster puppet that eats them in an awesome scene. “What are you gonna do? Knock my block off?”…famous last words for Michael Halton’s biker character, who gets his head punched off by one of the film's most iconic klowns, Shorty. What about Karla Sue Krull, who has a small scene as Tracy and again, one of the film's most iconic moments, when she opens the door to a knock and is welcomed by clowns, and as soon as she asks “pizza”, she learns this is no normal pizza delivery, as she’s zapped into cotton candy. Now, what are you gonna do with those pies boys? Another bit of famous last words from a carnival security guard, played by actor David Piel, who witnesses loads of klowns getting out of a clown car, and after asking his iconic question is pied to death, by……ACIDIC PIES!?

These klowns mean business. Although, so does the ending. After maneuvering their way through the town, our characters wind up at a carnival, ready to take on the klowns and destroy them once and for all. Although the klowns won’t make it easy on them, as they must run through a gauntlet of creative carnival sections like colorful swinging door frames, through monster's mouths, down a fire station poll, nearly into a monster's mouth, and the killer klowns cotton candy factory or storage, etc. The finale takes place in a big arena with the king (or queen) Klown, Klownzilla, or Jojo. When it appears, in its monstrous size, the other klowns seem to back away in fear as if it is some form of leader, and the battle begins. After dodging its attacks, attempted gunshots, and a fakeout death of the two ice cream truckers…because the truck was a rental or whatever, Mike and Debbie make it out alive, with Dave staying back to finish off the massive final boss of a klown. After it’s got Dave in its grips, just when we think it’s over for him, he removes his police badge to give it one fatal blow to the nose, causing it to spin out of control, and explode. Now, us, Mike, and Debbie thinking he, and the two ice cream truck drivers, Paul and Rich are dead, in comes a klown car hurling in from the skies, and its…DAVE, RICH, AND PAUL!? Yes, they’re alive. It’s an all-in-one, fun reunion, with some funny stuff from Paul and Rich and a tear-jerking reunion of Dave, Mike, and Debbie. The Klowns ship, however, isn’t so alive, as it explodes in midair, and at first calmly rains down…cotton candy? Popcorn? Who knows. Debbie asks the one important question though…is it over? Mike answers as any person who experienced this would…I don’t know. Until pies hail down from the sky, pieing them all in the face, with the classic tune Killer Klowns from Outer Space by The Dickies, for a funny and classic ending to this bizarre, pretty scary, funny, and crazy journey, and film/movie we call Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

Some special groups I wanted to mention are the fantastic set designers, costume designers, stunt men, actors, actresses, for the normal people, and the killer wacky klowns, the fantastic performances given by our lead and supporting cast of actors and actresses, the special effects team, etc.

Also, almost forgot to mention…who are the main klowns? Well, you got Jumbo, Fatso, Shorty, Rudy, Spikey, Slim, Bibbo, Chubby, and last, but certainly not least…Klownzilla…or Jojo. There are obviously other klowns too, too many to name, but all are masterfully designed with their own unique quirks and looks. Lastly, what’s their weakness? Well, as I said earlier…a simple blow to the nose. Yep. And they spin around a bit till they explode. Quite a good way to kill them, pretty creative, and really funny actually.

So…that is Killer Klowns from Outer Space. What are your thoughts? When did you first see Killer Klowns? Did you like it or dislike it? Let us know.