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…

Killer clowns, from outer space. Holy shit!

No, Curtis Mooney, its not clowns its klowns.

Don't ask me why. Maybe Ed Boon and company had something to do with it? Well, I didn't see Sub-Zero or Scorpion running around so my only guess is that the misspelling of the word is merely an ode to how dastardly dumb but ridiculously brilliant this movie is.

I mentioned in one of my other reviews about my family's weekly trip to Blockbuster (RIP) when we were kids. Each family member got to rent their own movie; I was a twisted child and always rented shitty Friday the 13th sequels. One time my Dad rented this weird little movie for the whole family. We…

Endless reasons to praise this film. If I went into detail, I'd be here for hours and I have to try to get 1 more horror film in before the sun comes up. It's incredibly sly about intent; it seems like it's just another lowkey goofball monster comedy but it's a full-blown, observational commentary on 80's commercial culture overload (there's so much materialistic junk here, the victims might as well all be wearing clown pants themselves- the ones with the baggy pockets), pop militarism (without taking the hammer-to-the-head approach of TerrorVision), and several classic movie character archetypes. Basically, this is a refreshingly Ash-less, Herbert West-free 80's cult product. No one mugs for the camera without tactful irony and the characters…