Scary Clown DVD Movie Collection
Clownhouse: A Focus on Fears By Adam Bertocci
The film opens by establishing three young brothers and their relationship with each other and their small-town setting with accuracy if not pace. Once they actually reach the circus, the movie wastes no time in bringing the real story in: three escaped psychopaths disguise themselves as clowns and wreak havoc. It spoils nothing to say that said havoc occurs in a house.
Not every filmgoer fears clowns as protagonist Casey does, and so Victor Salva’s story is carefully planned to work on two levels; if you’re not getting chills from clowns themselves, you’re enjoying seeing poor Casey panic and squirm as a trip to the circus lays one misery on top of another on his shoulders. Schadenfreude is as delicious as horror, and in fact, by screen time, Casey’s terror stems less from actual clowns and/or murderers than from his oldest brother Randy gleefully tormenting him over clowns.
A word on Randy, played by Sam Rockwell. Rockwell, making his first feature film appearance in this role, plays him with an innate charm that makes him rise above the rest of the cast; when Clownhouse garnered attention at the Sundance Film Festival, surely a few savvy filmgoers must have earmarked him as the one destined for stardom.
Because so much of the film is the brothers scaring each other with regard to evil psychopathic clowns, the presence of actual psychopathic clowns adds an air of irony and humor to the proceedings—and further irony that the clowns are being, of course, funny in doing so. A similar trend is notable in the music; composers Michael Becker and Thomas Richardson correctly interpret the nature of the film, and employ a playful, even hummable aspect that mirrors the classic circus fanfare. When audio cues are uses for straight-out horror purposes, it comes in the sound design; note the rather creepy sound of a school bus horn rather early on, as Casey struggles with his fear of attending the circus. Or the sounds of the midway, rendered eerie with the aid of simple filtering.
In addition to future breakout success Rockwell, Clownhouse marks the debut of editor Sabrina Plisco, now cutting such notable fare as Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and Charlotte’s Web, and it is rewarding and even inspiring to see this film, made for $200,000 (a pittance even by 1989 standards) and see what it came to. A simple story, simply made, that cuts to the quick and shot to Sundance as a result.
Clownhouse ends with a rather curious and unattributed quote beginning “No man can hide from his fears…” Indeed, it’s rather cleverly structured such that its protagonist introduces his fear, goes to confront it, and brings the fear right back home; one is reminded of the joke of the machine that sucks up energy and uses the one last bit at the end to turn itself off.
But if we are to touch on the real-life circumstances behind Clownhouse, it would be irresponsible to ignore the controversy surrounding its production. While the full story need not be repeated, those familiar will want to examine how it informs early scenes of young Casey alone, frightened and often scantily-clad. It brings to mind the fascination over re-examining Rock Hudson’s career once his private life became public, and gives Clownhouse a place in cinema history, albeit a mired one, as a record of inner fears and sensibilities brought to life.
To order Clownhouse DVD email clowns@clownhousedvd.com Buy this rare DVD now we have limited quantity available.