The evil clown, also known as the creepy clown, scary clown or killer clown, is a subversion of the traditional comic clown character, in which the playful trope is instead depicted in a more disturbing nature through the use of horror elements and dark humor. The modern archetype of the evil clown was popularized by the DC Comics supervillain Joker starting in 1940, and again in 1980s by Pennywise from Stephen King's It. The character can be seen as playing on the sense of unease felt by sufferers of coulrophobia, the fear of clowns.
Joseph Stewart Burns, better known as J. Stewart Burns or simply just Stewart Burns is a television writer and producer most notable for his work on The Simpsons, Futurama, and Unhappily Ever After.
Ice Cream Man is a 1995 American direct-to-video black comedy horror film produced and directed by Norman Apstein and written by Sven Davison and David Dobkin. The film stars Clint Howard as the title character, Olivia Hussey, Jan-Michael Vincent, David Warner and David Naughton. The film's plot follows a deranged man who was recently released from a psychiatric institution and opens up an ice cream factory where he begins using human flesh in his recipes. The film has developed a cult following among viewers. Joe Bob Briggs hosted the film on TNT when it was shown on MonsterVision. Howard himself made an appearance, discussing the film with Briggs. The film had an estimated $2 million budget and was released on DVD in 2004.
Needles Kane—commonly known as Sweet Tooth—is a fictional character from the Twisted Metal video game series. Sweet Tooth is designed around the premise of a killer clown that drives a combat ice cream truck, and his face has been featured on the cover of every Twisted Metal game, making him the series' mascot. He is the only character besides Marcus Kane to drive more than one vehicle in any of the games, being the driver of "Dark Tooth", "Tower Tooth", and as of Twisted Metal: Lost, "Gold Tooth".
Scooby-Doo Meets the Boo Brothers is a 1987 animated comedy horror made-for-television film produced by Hanna-Barbera as part of the Hanna-Barbera Superstars 10 series. The two-hour film aired in syndication. It is the first full-length film in the Scooby-Doo franchise.
An ice pop is a liquid/cream-based frozen dessert on a stick. Unlike ice cream or sorbet, which are whipped while freezing to prevent ice crystal formation, an ice pop is frozen while at rest, becoming a solid block of ice with an icy texture. It is a fusion of flavored liquid, like juice or a sweetened water-based liquid. The stick is used as a handle to hold it. Without a stick, the frozen product would be a freezie. It can be calorie restricted, but commercial options usually contain added sugars, corn syrup and artificial ingredients.
Ghosthouse is a 1988 Italian horror film written and directed by Umberto Lenzi. It co-starred Lara Wendel and Donald O'Brien. The plot focuses on a deserted house where the visions of a ghostly girl and her haunted doll wreak havoc on those who enter it.
HellBent is a 2005 novel by Anthony McGowan. It tells the story of Connor O'Neil and his dog, who are killed by an ice cream van and sent to hell. It was received very well, despite being called "Down-right disgusting just for the sake of it".
Brady's Beasts is an animated television series about a monster-loving boy named Brady Plunkett, who is the protagonist of the series. It premiered on March 25, 2005, on YTV. A total of 26 episodes were produced.
Squirm is a 1976 American natural horror film written and directed by Jeff Lieberman in his feature-film directing debut, starring Don Scardino, Patricia Pearcy, R. A. Dow, Jean Sullivan, Peter MacLean, Fran Higgins and William Newman. The film takes place in the fictional town of Fly Creek, Georgia, which becomes infested with carnivorous worms after an electrical storm. Lieberman's script is based on a childhood incident in which his brother fed electricity into a patch of earth, causing earthworms to rise to the surface.
John Lee Farris is an American novelist, screenwriter, and playwright who first achieved best-seller status at age twenty-three and is most famous as the author of The Fury. He is also known largely for his work in the southern Gothic genre.
The Alchemist is a 1983 American horror film about a man who desires to avenge a curse placed on him by an evil magician. The film was directed by Charles Band, and stars Robert Ginty, Lucinda Dooling, and John Sanderford.
Killjoy is a 2000 American fantasy slasher film directed by Craig Ross, starring Ángel Vargas. It follows a young man who's murdered and seeks revenge through a killer demon clown named Killjoy. It is the first entry in the Killjoy franchise.
Needful Things is a 1993 American horror film based on Stephen King's 1991 novel of the same name. The film was directed by Fraser C. Heston, and stars Ed Harris, Max von Sydow, Bonnie Bedelia, and J. T. Walsh. The film received mixed reviews, critics praised the performances and ending, but criticized its portrayal of its story and felt it inferior to its source material.
Death Racers is a 2008 American action film directed by Roy Knyrim. Considered a mockbuster of the film Death Race, Death Racers follows teams of criminals competing in a deadly, over-the-top racing event in a dystopian United States. It stars the hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse and professional wrestler Scott "Raven" Levy, and was released direct-to-video by The Asylum.
Are You in the House Alone? is a 1978 American made-for-television horror film directed by Walter Grauman and starring Kathleen Beller, Blythe Danner, and Dennis Quaid. The film is based on the 1976 novel of the same name written by Richard Peck. It originally aired on CBS on September 20, 1978.
It, also known as Pennywise, Robert 'Bob' Gray, and Pennywise the Dancing Clown, is the titular antagonist in Stephen King's 1986 horror novel It. The character is an ancient, trans-dimensional malevolent entity who preys upon the children of Derry, Maine, roughly every 27 years, using a variety of powers that include the ability of shapeshifting and manipulation of reality. During the course of the story, It primarily appears in the form of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. "The Losers Club" becomes aware of Pennywise's presence after it kills Bill Denbrough's little brother, Georgie.
Clown is a 2014 American supernatural horror film directed by Jon Watts in his feature directorial debut, produced by Mac Cappuccino, Eli Roth, and Cody Ryder, and written by Watts and Christopher Ford. It stars Eli Roth, Laura Allen, Andy Powers, and Peter Stormare. Visual effects for the clown monster were done by Jagdeep Khoza, Alterian, Inc., and Tony Gardner. Principal photography began in November 2012, in Ottawa. The film was released in Italy on November 13, 2014, in the United Kingdom on March 2, 2015, and in the United States on June 17, 2016, by Dimension Films. The film received mixed reviews from critics.
Fear, Inc. is a 2016 American comedy horror film directed by Vincent Masciale and written by Luke Barnett. The film stars Lucas Neff, Caitlin Stasey, Chris Marquette and Stephanie Drake.
The 2016 clown sightings were reports of people disguised as evil clowns in incongruous settings, such as near forests and schools. The incidents were reported in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and subsequently in other countries and territories starting during August 2016. The sightings were first reported in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in what turned out to be a marketing stunt for a horror film. The phenomenon later spread to many other cities in the U.S. By mid-October 2016, clown sightings and attacks had been reported in nearly all U.S. states, nine out of 13 provinces and territories of Canada, and 18 other countries.
