impalassamuel After spending almost thirty years in the Hollywood circuit, Sam Rockwell finally won his first Academy Award in acting at the 90th installment. Reaching that pinnacle had to begin somewhere. This pathetic piece of cinematic rubbish known as "Clownhouse" served as Rockwell's first stepping stone on his way to an Oscar win. Granted, I have not seen all of Rockwell's performances. But I have seen enough to know that he's an ideal candidate for the role of a cocky alpha bully, revealed here in his earliest cinematic effort. However, despite Rockwell's competence, Clownhouse is a sad failure. Everyone else onscreen seemed like they were at a casting audition which led me to think that the producers must have chosen the performers on a first-come, first-cast basis. Director Victor Salva failed in coaching the performers to be more natural, less robotic and overall complementary to the film's best actor. The music was well composed, but needed to be performed by an arrangement of instruments and not on a synthesizer. Also, I was let down by the clowns themselves as the idea of coulrophobia, or the fear of clowns, was built up so much. Furthermore, the jump scenes were not surprising. The violence content was rather mild and lacked much blood for a horror title. I guess that the R-rating was awarded for the generous amount of profanity, spewed mostly from Rockwell's mouth. Otherwise this would have garnered a PG-13 or softer rating.This could have been a much better production and would undoubtedly do good as a remake. As stated above, Sam Rockwell was a solid character in this particular selection which is the only reason I recommend sitting through it.

fabiogaucho Many people who were kids during the 80s and enjoyed horror have those movies that they "almost" watched: it was up there in the VHS shelf, but you decided not rent unless you could have some friends watching with you. This is one of them for me. Nowadays, they are only slightly scaring, but attractive for the nostalgia. Many of those films complete garbage, most are forgettable (and forgotten) while a few are little gems of the genre. This is one of them: there is plenty of tension and scares, and a creepy premise. Almost no gore, apparently due to budgetary reasons, but the director makes a good job of not making it missed. I don't have to say too much about the lack of production values and sub-par acting, since they are pretty standard and the audience for this movie surely is not too demanding in that area. I prefer the horror/supernatural films from that period, but the slashers are OK. If you like the Friday 13th series and other stuff that scared you back when you were 11, this is definitely an above average flick that deserves a look. (I don't like giving star ratings - they're stupid)

lost-in-limbo We all know about the infamous controversy that surrounds this production and its director, but as for the film its one very chilling, mean-spirited horror outing that effectively does what it sets out to achieve. To get people scared of the dark, by bringing out the fears those long to keep hidden and this set-up has that campfire tale aurora to help that occur. It might be slight in narrative, but its nightmarish atmosphere just paints an uneasy feel and Victor Salva's direction is stylishly arresting in the visuals. Slow to get going, but the performances by three squabbling brothers performed by Sam Rockwell (in his film debut), Brian McHugh and Nathan Forest Winters give it plenty of believability, especially when the macabre begins and a frighteningly forceful game of cat and mouse erupt between the two parties. Then you got the clowns, and these are very creepy looking clowns in their make-up and costumes. Clowns haven't looked anymore scarier. Who just happen to be escape lunatics from a loony bin, which killed some clowns from a travelling circus and decide to terrorise three brothers spending the night alone in their remote home. To top that off the youngest one just happens to have a fear of clowns. The structure might be formulaic, but these conventions are well-used (the chase elements, killers unknowingly lurking about and then grand dark house) and Salva's focus is on the set-pieces which skilfully shows from his timing of the shocks to camera placement and shadowy imagery. Watch as it grows tighter and everything gets claustrophobic, as the terror begins to have a strangle hold with little in the way of gore. Complementing the nerviness is the moodily playful sounding carnival music embedded score. A glum, but eerily unnerving and dread-laced horror tale there to open us up to our primal fears."You never know what they really are."

Toronto85 Clownhouse is one of the creepiest horror movies I've ever seen. Clowns have always made me "nervous" so to speak, but add a big scary/dark house, escaped mental patients, well done chase scenes; and you've got yourself a really scary movie. The movie is about a young boy named Casey who is deathly scared of clowns. One night, his older brothers take him to the carnival and he freaks out at the mere sight of them. We also find out that three patients from the psychiatric facility in town have escaped and supposedly in the area. The patients end up killing three clowns at the carnival and take their costumes to hide their identity. Pretty soon, the brothers find themselves in a scary game of cat and mouse throughout the house.The atmosphere and setting of Clownhouse is very creepy. The dark wooded path down to the local convenience store is freaky enough without insane clowns stalking the teens from behind. And the really scary thing about the killers is that they don't talk at all or show any emotion. They are truly insane. The music score is perfect. The cast is pretty good as well, Sam Rockwell (before he was famous) stars as the bully of the three brothers.This is one of the scariest and unsettling horror films I've ever seen. Something about those crazy clowns being so close to the brothers around every corner is very unnerving. If you like horror, this is a must watch. Clownhouse on DVD is hard to find (apparently due to some behind the scenes stuff with the director). I bought the VHS cheap.9/10 - Highly recommended