Clowntergeist

Directed by Aaron Mirtes
Written by Aaron Mirtes
Story by Brad Belemjian
Starring Tom Seidman,
Sean Patrick Murray,
Eric Corbin, Brittany Belland
​and Monica Baker

I know, I know…how on earth do you consider “Clowntergeist” a serious contender for a decent B-horror film? Not me and I am seldom wrong.​
​
Seldom.

This was shockingly fun! Never judge a film by its name. I had little to no expectations for this Poltergeist/IT bastard baby of a flick. And it wasn’t half bad!

Coulrophobia is a fear of clowns and our main character, Emma, suffers from this condition. She won’t even eat a clown popsicle!

But in this small town of ‘whatchamacallit’, there is a demon lurking about in a permanent clown suit called Ribcage. (Use your own conclusion and imagination as to the origin of that moniker.)

​Consequently, he is drawn to the panic that dwells inside mostly young female co-eds thereby haunting them until the ‘final attack’ time arrives.

Emma and her roommate Heather are your average college girls, working at a little ice cream parlor/diner and trying to get through their lives like typical ambitious youngsters. When the town is on lock down to hunt a vicious killer, Emma gets excited. After all, NOTHING happens in this sleepy town. And now… “We have a murderer on the loose!”

So obviously, we know immediately that Emma becomes Ribcage’s new target and the entertainment begins. With intense jump scares, gruesome red balloons painted with cryptic notes, and plenty of well…bloody black vomit? Emma runs and hides every chance she gets. Unfortunately, enhancing her fear only increases Ribcage’s intentions more hungrily.

Brittany Belland (Emma) is actually quite refreshing. She’s a cute plain-Jane, trying to escape this nasty little situation without endangering Heather (Baker) or her handsome boss, Jonah (Sean Patrick Murray.) While Ribcage (Corbin) has absolutely no qualms when it comes to appearing straight out of the blue, he is menacing, creepy and all around gross as he writhers around, screeching like a drowning cat.

There is an interesting if slightly predictable twist at the end, still encouraging the wickedness of clown fear, which is real.  Poltergeist, IT, Circus Kane, Clowns From Outer Space, 31, The Devil’s Rejects, etc.  Let’s face it: CLOWNS ARE SCARY AS HELL! And Clowntergeist just heightens the nightmare.

Clowntergeist is either the best or the most god-awful worst title I’ve ever heard for a horror film. Nevertheless, it proves the old adage – you can’t judge a film by its title. 

Even as I write this, I surprise myself when admitting that this was pretty damn entertaining and well-acted! 

​So if you like clowns (or…hate them!), give this a whirl. It has the appropriate amount of creepiness to make any normal person check under the bed before falling asleep.

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Meredith Brown

"Killing with gloves on? Well, that would be like fucking with a rubber."