Top 10 Clown Characters to Get You Ready for 2017s ‘IT’

The Top 10 Clown Characters to Get You Ready for 2017’s IT.

Come Float With Some of the Creepiest Clowns of All Time

I usually don’t care for remakes, especially with how often we get them nowadays. However, some remakes look just as good, if not better than the original. I don’t like remakes that are shot for shot or story for story, because they feel like the same thing. In my opinion, that is lazy, and as a filmmaker, you aren’t taking much of a risk. 2012s Maniac starring Elijah Wood (The Good Son, The Lord of the Rings) which was directed by one of my personal favorite directors, Franck Khalfoun (P2, upcoming Amityville: The Awakening) is a remake of an 1980 movie of the same name. However, Khalfoun made it more artistic, changed the music score, made the villain more sympathetic, added backstory, and tried something new. I admire those types of remakes.

Back in the 1990s some of Stephen King’s most iconic work such as The Stand and The Shining found its way to television. Another one of King’s iconic pieces of work is IT. In 1990, IT became a miniseries which was in my opinion, a letdown. The only thing I really enjoyed about the miniseries was Tim Curry (The Rocky Picture Horror Show, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York) aka Papa Curry, as the iconic demon clown known as Pennywise. That is a classic performance that many horror fans to this day still appreciate.

Some people say that King is the one who truly started the fear of clowns in our society. King is the one who put clowns out of business, all because of his 1986 best selling book IT. Many people like to shine a light on the horror, the creature, and creepiness of Pennywise The Clown. Nevertheless, they should also realize how well written the story is. King gave us characters that we cared about and the same traits from the book were found in the miniseries.

With the remake of IT being released in theaters this September, I decided to go back and look at a couple of clown flicks. I’m excited for the remake, because it seems to have a serious and darker tone. I talked about it with a friend and we’re both digging the new Pennywise Victorian – era look, the characters seem more well-rounded and compelling like characters from Stand By Me, and it seems like the remake may stick more to what made the book so iconic.

This lead me to want to make a list of the creepiest iconic clowns. To quote Captain Spaulding from The Devil’s Rejects, clowns that you may not like, clowns that are fuckin’ funny, clowns that may kill your whole fuckin’ family!

10. Clown Doll (Poltergeist)

Seriously, this scared me as a kid and even scarier, it scares me as an adult! Watching this possessed doll attack Robbie will forever be permanently ingrained in my memory.

9. The Joker (Batman)

Mister J a.k.a The Clown Prince of Crime has been scaring comic book fans and movie fans for generations, and he is no laughing matter. As The Joker has told Batman, “I create the chaos just for the dance.”

8. Doom–Head (31)

Now the thing about Doom – Head is from the very beginning he yells that “he ain’t no fucking clown!” Richard Brake’s Doom-Head is the best part of the entire film. After he opens the film with a truly creepy monologue delivered to one of his victims, he remains off-screen until the film’s climax. It is then that he really gets to let loose. Rob Zombie directs this movie, and he seems to have a talent for terrifying us with clowns. Oops! Didn’t mean to call you that Doom – Head. I honestly thought that Brake’s Doom–Head would make for an awesome Joker in the DC Extended Universe.

7. Twisty (American Horror Story)

American Horror Story is my all time favorite television show. Twisty was arguably the most interesting part of the Freak Show season. He died in like the first four episodes, but stuck with fans as a fan favorite when it came to the series. Oh well, at least we have those four.

6. Cloyne (Clown)

It may have taken two or three years to see the Eli Roth (Hostel, The Green Inferno) produce Clown for an American release, but it was worth the wait! Kent McCoy (Andy Powers) puts on a clown suit for his son’s birthday party only for it to permanently stick to his skin. It turns out the costume isn’t a costume at all, and is actually the skin of a child eating demon named Cloyne. Clown is now currently streaming on Netflix.

5. Sweet Tooth aka Needles Kane (Twisted Metal)

The villainous clown in Sony’s Twisted Metal video game franchise is named Needles Kane. Sweet Tooth is actually the name of the weaponized ice cream truck he drives. Kane is a serial killer who maintains that he is the greatest serial killer of all time. He will do whatever it takes to keep that title.

4. Jack the Clown (Universal’ Halloween Horror Nights)

Anyone who has been to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights truly knows how Jack The Clown can make your skin crawl. Menacing, evil, and he does it all with laughter.

3. Art the Clown (All Hallows’ Eve)

To be honest, it is not the best film out there, even though I catch myself watching it every Halloween to get into the spooky spirit. On the other hand, Art the Clown scared me shitless! A demonic clown that haunts children through VHS tapes is pretty damn terrifying! But what kid in today’s society uses a VHS tape anyways?

2. Captain Spaulding (House of 1000 Corpses and The Devils Rejects)

“What’s the Matter, Don’t yah Like Clowns?” says Sid Haig (Coffy, Jackie Brown) as Spaulding in Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil’s Rejects. Sid is a relentless and vicious psychopath that no person should ever hope to come into contact with.

1. Pennywise (IT)

Let’s be honest, Pennywise (Tim Curry) is terrifying, and while I’m excited for the remake coming out, I’m also legitimately scared to go see it. “You All Taste So Much Better When You’re Afraid.” Well I like the taste of my man, Papa Curry (Wait? That didn’t sound right).

So those are my thoughts on some of the creepiest clowns of all time to prepare you for the new IT film. I’m looking forward to the new film, and I do think it will be a remake that brings something new to the table. What do you think of the new IT film? Who do you think is the creepiest clown of all time? Also, what is your favorite horror remake? I’m interested in what you all have to say. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go wash the taste of Papa Curry out my mouth.