Halloween Edition: Clownhouse (1989) Movie Review

Clownhouse (1989) Movie Review

Three brothers go to the circus the same night that three people escape from an insane asylum. The escapees find the circus clowns, kill them and assume their identities in their costumes and make up. After dressing up like the clowns they leave the circus and stumble upon the house of the three brothers.

There are a few things that bothered me with this movie:
1) It would have been much better if the whole movie had taken place at the circus. Instead we see the brothers at the circus in the beginning until the youngest one Casey (Nathan Forest Winters) gets scared from seeing a clown, which is his greatest fear and they leave. The atmosphere, creepy characters and setting were all much better at the circus than the house. Plus they could have dumped the scene where Casey and the oldest brother Randy (Sam Rockwell) go out to the store to get popcorn. The only thing that came out of that scene was Casey knowing that the clowns were following him which he already suspected, so it was mostly just for the creepy atmosphere and the cheap scares, both of which could have been done better if they would have just stayed at the circus.
2) I also find it very hard to believe that out of all the houses that the clowns could have picked to torment, they picked the house with the boys. Why? Wouldn't these fake clowns had more fun staying at the circus?
3) There is no back story for these clowns other than they are escapees from an insane asylum. That's all. 

My other complaints are all smaller things like the size of the cobwebs in the attic. Talk about over doing it. I completely agree that attics would get cobwebs (especially if they sit unused) but the amount of the cobwebs and the size suggest that they used too many in the set or their attic is filled with large mutant spiders. Another annoying thing (which 90% of all horror movies tend to do is) is to have someone call the police and the police think its a joke or a crank call and don't respond. I would really hope that in real life they would at least check the property that the person (especially a child) is calling from. My last complaint is the fact that the boys will "catch hell" from their mother for being or using anything in the kitchen but yet they play with matches, lighters and once again know how to fix the fuse box. Doesn't make sense.

Overall, the movie is decent and the plot (though unbelievable) is simple. If you are like Casey and pee your pants anytime you see flyers at the door with clowns on them, I would avoid this movie. However, if you have no traumatic issues with clowns then its worth a watch and I promise you this movie won't cause you to develop any clown fears.

Grade: C-

Check back tomorrow for a horror movie review from a 2004 title that was a recommendation for me to watch!