Part of Critical-Film's 2009 September Screams

It's unfortunate that Clownhouse is steeped in such controversy, as that often overshadows what a minor classic this is. For those who don't know, director Victor Salva (Jeepers Creepers, Powder) pleaded guilty in 1988 to making a videotape of himself engaging in oral sex with the film's 12 year old star. It's a terrible situation, and while we shouldn't dismiss what happened behind the scenes, it is unfortunate that a quality film like Clownhouse is completely dismissed as a result of the director's actions. Enough of the terrible history behind the production, this is a film review after all... not a trial.

Clownhouse is a very simple film, with a limited cast, and limited locations. Taking place almost entirely within one seemingly massive house, three young brothers try to survive the night after three escaped mental patients dressed as clowns break into their house. The film spends a little time developing the characters as brothers, but the kids, with the exception of Sam Rockwell as the oldest brother, really aren't the strongest actors, so any attempt to develop their characters is really for naught. This really isn't too much of a problem, because Clownhouse, like most successful horror movies, is an exercise of technique, and not so much substance.

Coming out at the end of the wonderful decade that was the 80s, Clownhouse seems almost like an anticlimax amongst the slasher films that dominated the genre throughout the decade. It would seem fitting for a film that was heavy on violence, gore, and maybe a little T&A to close out the decade, but Clownhouse feels more like Halloween than Friday the 13th. There is very little explicit violence and minimal blood, and the film favors suspense more than gratuitous violence. This is certainly to the film's benefit, as there are a number of very well crafted scenes.

Salva uses his camera and some impressive lighting techniques to generate some excellent sequences. Clowns run around in the background, yet we catch only glimpses; it's a creepy technique that is only accentuated by a simple score that is often limited to a single music cue over silence. It's incredibly effective at times, and Salva's skill as a director are on display from the very first scene.

As a writer however, Salva's skills still required a little work. The dialogue between the brothers is frequently less than believable, and is usually punctuated by Sam Rockwell's demeaning older brother character uttering lines like “I'm gonna bash your face”, or “Maybe you've forgotten... that I can bash your face.” Things like that... Even at 80 minutes the film begins to stretch it's boundaries, as there's not quite enough plot to carry through the entire film. The film never quite outstays it's welcome, but you get the sense that it couldn't stand to be any longer.

While it's certainly not a perfect film, it's a perfect example of a young filmmaker who is obviously capable of going on to bigger and better things. Clownhouse understands what it means to be a horror movie, and respects the simpler things that make a film truly suspenseful. There's no gore or violence to be seen, but there is some impressive film making technique on display.

One last note, to close where I opened... Knowing what you know about the director's history with the young star, Clownhouse can sometimes be uncomfortable to watch, particularly at the beginning of the film, when star Nathan Forrest Winters, at 12, is shown bare-assed to the world. It's wrong from from any perspective, but seems that much more so, given the directors tendencies.