The Top 10 Creepiest Movie Clowns
Send in the Creepy Movie Clowns. Don’t Bother, They’re Here!
Heads up for all of you with Coulrophobia, this list of the 10 creepiest movie clowns is likely to give you a panic attack. Then again, this list of movie clowns will probably fill most people with anxiety, because, let’s face it, clowns are kind of disturbing. These days, the loveable circus jesters have become a trope in the horror movie industry and Hollywood certainly hasn’t disappointed when it comes to twisting them into the stuff of nightmares. That being said, I was actually pretty surprised how difficult it was to find 10 legitimately creepy movie clowns worthy of a spot. Turns out that while there are some seriously iconic movie clowns out there, for every scary one there are two embarrassingly pathetic attempts. Still, I wasn’t going to let an opportunity like this pass me by and after a bit of research, I managed to find 10 that are the stuff of nightmares. So, get ready for a clown car full of terror, because this list is taking center stage!
10. Mervo- Blood Harvest
When it comes to movie clowns, few have been as inadvertently creepy as Tiny Tim’s Mervo from the b-horror film, Blood Harvest. Most people know the performer as the man responsible for such lovely songs as Tiptoe Through the Tulips, which was featured heavily in the Insidious films. While Blood Harvest is supposed to be a horror film (it’s actually pretty awful), Tiny Tim’s performance takes it to a whole other level since it seems like not even he knows what’s going on with his character. Apparently, he had a hard time with lines and would improvise a lot of scenes, which must have sucked for his co-stars, but ended up making Mervo really unnerving. Toss in the fact that Tiny Tim wore his own clown suit, and there’s no arguing that Mervo doesn’t earn a spot here.
9. The Killer Klowns- Killer Klowns from Outerspace
If you thought normal, every day, Earth clowns were unnerving, then you’re going to have a field day with these horrible aliens. The film features a group of invaders from another planet who just happen to look like grotesque versions of circus clowns. The fun doesn’t stop there as their technology also happens to be clown based with deadly twists. Fans of the cult classic might remember the infamous popcorn guns and cotton candy webs they use to terrorize the small town they stumble upon (aliens love them some small towns). The film manages to blend horror with absurdity in a delightful way as the clowns demonstrate their reality-warping abilities to kill their victims in the most satisfyingly appropriate ways imaginable. Thus, making them a perfect addition to this list.
8. The Violator- Spawn
Sure, clowns from outer space are scary, but what about a clown from hell? The Violator appeared in the big-screen adaptation of 90s edgelord hero, Spawn. He’s an agent of hell sent to torment Spawn and twist him into becoming a force for evil. This is made all the easier since he’s played by John Leguizamo in one of his most obnoxious performances to date. Then again, that’s kind of the point of the character. He’s supposed to grate on your sanity and what better form to do that in than as a squat, tubby clown. Of course, his true form is much more terrifying, For this sake of this movie clown lists though, I’m going with the version that looks like an obese Danny DeVito caked in makeup.
7. Captain Spaulding- Rob Zombie Films
It’s with a heavy that I add Sid Haig’s Captain Spalding to this list of movie clowns. The actor passed away recently. Before his death though, he experienced a wave of popularity after appearing in a number of Rob Zombie movies as the patriarch of the psychopathic Firefly family. Named after a Groucho Marx character from Animal Crackers, he’s a far cry from his inspiration. Instead, Captain Spaulding is a vulgar and murderous clown that goes on a killing spree with his family. ZOmbie described the character as a “loveable asshole,” but there’s not much to love about this psycho. While I wasn’t a fan of Zombie’s trilogy, I found Captain Spaulding to be one of the most disturbing and off-putting movie clowns I’d ever seen.
6. Art the Clown- All Hallow’s Eve and Terrifier
In case it isn’t clear by now, not all the clowns on this list are from good movies. Case and point is Art the Clown. The psycho first appeared in the anthology series All Hallow’s Eve before getting his own film a few years later. Unlike a lot of these movie clowns, Art isn’t exactly the colorful type. Clad in black and white clothes as well as make-up, the choice serves to emphasis the copious amounts of blood he finds himself covered in. Art doesn’t utter a single word as he sadistically tortures and kills everyone who crosses his path in the most disturbing way possible, proving when it comes to horror movies silent is deadly. While I wasn’t a huge fan of Terrifier, I’ll admit that it has some gut-wrenching practical effects that will leave viewers feeling filthy afterward.