Clownhouse (1989)

"He knew they would find him. All of them. Their faces, like painted nightmares... Sure as anything real, they would find him. It was as if they were already a part of him. They would always know, where he was hiding..."

There is a whole generation of people my age who are terrified of clowns simply from watching films. We had a pretty good run of it in the late 80's, with Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988), Clownhouse (1989) and of course, the king of them all, It (1990). The latter especially was responsible for many sleepless nights and ruined underpants. But just what is it that makes a clown so downright creepy? Is it the freedom of the face paint that allows the performer invade the viewers comfort zone, and quite often, their personal space? Is it the natural revulsion we humans have to 'uncanny' closeness to our own features and movements? Or is it the fear that what is lurking under that smiling face paint is something other than a pleasant person?

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