Coulrophobia [kool-ruh-foh-bee-uh]

noun

1. an abnormal fear of clowns.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space is one of those movies that has the mythic reputation of being so bad that they are good. Perhaps, I have no sense of discernment whatsoever, but after having finally gotten around to watching this film, I have realised that it is not so much that the film is poorly constructed, but rather that it is in only too successful in achieving the creation of a ludicrous and absurd carnivalesque nightmare, befitting  a troupe of murderous buffoons from galaxies unknown. 

Policeman Curtis Mooney is angry. Beset by young out-of-towner students, making out, drinking and clowning about, his small town peace is being disturbed by this new…

Hoop-Tober film #1

Hello and welcome to Hoop-Tober. Thank you to all of those participating. I am floored by the response and am excited by the amount of interaction between members both old and new.

Without further adieu:

Horror films in the 80's birthed a prodigiously talented roster of creative film professionals into the world. Frank Darabont, Dean Cundey, Kathryn Bigelow, Renny Harlan, Shane Black, to name a few, all started in or got their break in horror films. Many of them transitioned into more respectable fare in the 90's and beyond and helmed numerous blockbusters and Oscar winning films. For most, but not all, their talent was evident even in the lowest budgeted 80's horror's.

In the earliest years…

"What are ya gonna do with those pies, boys?"

Cotton candy cocoons, shadow puppets, ACID pies, and popcorn bazookas all add up to one thing... Essential Klown Cinema.

This is an a timer for me that never loses its potency to keep me entertained, hitting every one of my preference sweet spots and then some—the music, makeup, comedy, exaggerated carnival colors, and probably my favorite theme song ever amount to a one saccharine outer spaced killer klown jam that I just adore. Now it looks better than ever courtesy of Arrow’s new blu. Big mood. I’m not even kidding when I say it’s one of my ten favorite movies, it brings me that much joy. I wonder why so many…

“I’ve never seen anybody store cotton candy like that!”

I’m not treading any sort of new ground to say that horror and comedy are closely connected. They share a common ancestor: a guy jumping out from behind something and he’s weird in one way or another. Not every horror movie leans into this just the same as not ever comedy embraces horror. You see this especially in shitty comedies about guys who hang out. But it’s there if you want it. It’s why a lot my favorite slashers are structurally similar to sketch comedy films, and a big part of why I loved them for years and years before I realized that. It’s a shame that instead we now get…

are we to understand that the outfits people are wearing in this movie are largely their own clothes? because i can't decide whose idea it was to foreground Debbie's matte neutral oatmeal/beige belted appliqued dress worn over white/off-white longsleeve buttoned top and white capri pants with auburn ankle boots because for me that outfit is the whole movie. THAT DRESS HAS POCKETS!!! if i fall hard for anything it is a brutalist 80's dress but this one has cute little stitched designs on it too! i am in love!!! i like stopped the movie just to write this because i wanted to memorialize that outfit!!! even though in the late eighties i should have been wearing orthopedic shoes what i…