10 Scary Clowns You Don’t Want To Run Into This Halloween
There are hundreds of different phobias people suffer from. Common phobias, such as the fear of spiders or the fear of the dark are ones that are easily explainable. Then there are those phobias that are a little strange, such as coulrophobia, which is a fear of clowns. Originating in the 90s, the term describes those who get anxious and afraid when scary clowns appear, be it on television or in real life.
Most find clowns to be funny and associate them with the circus, face paint, and big red noses. Ronald McDonald, Krusty the Clown, and Bozo the Clown are all famous clowns who kids adore. But not everyone feels this way. For some, clowns are terrifying. This fear they have of these smiling funnymen usually dates back to a negative experience they had when encountering a clown. It doesn’t help that movies such as It and Terrifier have turned clowns into murderous creatures, while the serial killer John Wayne Gacy used to act as a clown on the weekends for some extra money.
With Halloween around the corner, there is likely to be a mass of clown sightings as people dress as their favorite killer clowns. So if you are out and about and see a clown, here is a little guide to the ones you want to stay well away from this Halloween, just in case they turn out to be real.
10 Scary Clowns You Don’t Want To Run Into This Halloween
1. Pennywise
Stephen King created one of the creepiest clowns of all time with Pennywise. The main antagonist in his novel It, the supernatural being is not only freaky looking, but he eats children, which is terrifying. While King’s description of Pennywise in the book is enough to have you wetting your pants, the live-action versions of the character are even scarier.
The recent remake stars Bill Skarsgard as the facially expressive clown. He gives the character an added layer of nastiness not seen in the book. But it’s Tim Curry’s portrayal of Pennywise from the original 1990 mini-series that will have you checking your closet before bed. His take on Pennywise is chilling, as the seemingly nice clown lures his next victim to their demise.
Pennywise is one of the most famous clowns and one you are bound to see multiple times while out on Halloween. Our advice, stay as far away as possible.
2. Art the Clown
Art the Clown is another movie clown you don’t want to ever run into while out and about. First appearing in a couple of short films before making his debut in the horror anthology All Hallows’ Eve, Art is a terrifying clown who wears black and white clown makeup. He has appeared as the lead character in two feature films, Terrifier and Terrifier 2.
In both, he silently hunts two different women while taking out anyone else in his way. He kills with a viciousness that will shock most, with his kills being some of the goriest and most bloody deaths ever seen in a film.
With Terrifier 2 having just been released, it’s fair to say there’s a good chance you will see people dressed as Art this Halloween. When it comes to an evil clown like Art, your best bet is to avoid eye contact and keep walking. Even if he’s not real, you can never be quite sure…
3. John Wayne Gacy
The reason so many people are afraid of clowns is because of this man. John Wayne Gacy was a serial killer who murdered 33 young men and boys over a period of ten years. Gacy, who regularly performed at children’s hospitals as Pogo the Clown, became known as the “Killer Clown” by the media for the atrocities he committed.
Gacy would lure his victims to his home where he would torture them, rape them, and then kill them via strangulation. 26 bodies of the men and boys Gacy murdered were hidden in the crawl space of his home when police investigated. Gacy was found guilty of 33 murders and sentenced to death. His execution occurred on May 10, 1994, putting an end to one of America’s worst serial killers.
4. Captain Spaulding
Portrayed by the late, great Sid Haig, Captain Spaulding is a killer clown from Rob Zombie’s House of 1000 Corpses. He’s the owner of Captain Spaulding’s Museum of Monsters and Madmen and someone who doesn’t mind a crude word. Spaulding also pops up in Zombie’s The Devil’s Rejects where he is revealed to be the patriarch of the Firefly family, a bunch of crazed killers, before meeting his end in 3 From Hell.
Although he’s a killer, Spaulding is generally quite funny and provides some comedic moments in the three films he appears in. One of Zombie’s more likable characters, Spaulding is often referred to as a modern horror icon, although he’s still not someone you want to meet in a dark alleyway.
5. Killer Klowns From Outer Space
The alien Klowns from Killer Klowns From Outer Space are ghastly creatures who are looking to take over the world. They perform tricks like normal clowns, except they usually result in the death of those humans who participate. The clowns in the movie are a combination of real-life clowns and claymation special effects, creating some impressive visuals.
The chances of you bumping into anyone dressed like one of these clowns is low, especially considering the movie was made in the 80s. But if you do happen to spot one while trick or treating, be sure not to fall for any of their tricks, otherwise you might end up suffering experiments on board their ship.
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6. Violator
Violator is a character from Todd McFarlane’s successful comic Spawn. The evil clown is actually one of the most powerful hell-born demons whose mission is to help turn human souls evil so the army of Hell is ready to take over Earth in the near future. He’s an ugly creature decked out in clown face paint who stands just 3’11 and is extremely overweight.
In the Spawn movie, he’s played wonderfully by John Leguizamo who fully embodies the nastiness of the character. This monster clown might look unassuming, but he’s a super powerful freak show not to be messed with. Keep your children away.
7. Clown Doll
Demonic toys are always scary, as is the case in the hit 80s horror movie Poltergeist. While the killer clown doll only pops up for a short time, it’s enough to scare most people. The evil clown is possessed by the dark entity plaguing the Freeling family inside their home. The evil clown attacks young Robbie Freeling and drags him under the bed and starts to choke him. Thankfully Robbie escapes and the spirit leaves the clown, returning it to just a toy.
The clown doll might not be as scary as Chucky, but anytime you have a lifeless toy come to life and attempt to murder someone, it sends a shiver down the spine.
8. Bobo
Bobo is a psychotic clown terrorizing the women who work at Suite Nothings, a sleazy sex phone operation in the movie Out of the Dark. This is a run-of-the-mill 80s horror that gets extra points for its incredible b-movie cast which includes Karne Black, Geoffrey Lewes, Tracey Walter, and Lainie Kazan. The movie is also notable for being the final screen appearance of Divine.
While the movie isn’t great as far as scary stories about clowns go, Bobo is pretty frightful. The oversized clown mask with its elongated features and balding head make Bobo rather terrifying and not the sort of person you want to run into on Halloween.
9. Twisty the Clown
Appearing in American Horror Story Freak Show, Twisty is a horrifying clown with a twisted backstory. After being dropped on his head as a child, Twisty becomes a clown and is at the center of child molestation rumors. Unable to work and wanting to end his life, he attempts to kill himself, instead severing the bottom of his face with a shotgun blast in a suicide attempt gone wrong.
Wearing a creepy mask to hide his disfigurement, Twisty goes on a rampage of murder and kidnapping, hoping to steal children and entertain them like he’s always dreamed.
John Carroll Lynch is absolutely magnificent as Twisty and manages to make you feel empathy for the killer clown, which is not easy when you see what he gets up to.
10. Insane Clown Posse
You might laugh, but would you really want to run into the duo of Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope while out trick or treating? These two white rappers wear clown makeup and rap about violence and sex in ways that will raise the eyebrows of even the most progressive music fan.
Jokes aside, Insane Clown Posse is still somehow a thing three decades after they first arrived. Much of that is due to their fans, known as Juggalos and Juggalettes, who have kept the band relevant for so long. If you want to scare your neighbors on Halloween, play some Insane Clown Posse and they are sure to be calling the police.
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