As a movie critic who has seen more horror films than I care to remember (and some that I wish I could forget), I must say that “Terrifier 3” is a wild ride that will leave you both horrified and entertained. Art the Clown, played brilliantly by David Howard Thornton, is a character who redefines what it means to be a slasher villain. He’s not just a masked hulk chopping people’s limbs off; he’s a performance artist who mimes a giggle fit while slicing people’s faces off.
In simpler terms, if there was an award for the most outstanding performance by a silent harlequin in a white clown suit, capable of conveying a fit of laughter without any sound while portraying gruesome acts such as slicing faces off (please note this is fictional and not to be attempted), Art the Clown from the terrifying “Terrifier 3” would undoubtedly win it.
Art the Clown serves as the rebellious climax to the trio of horror icons, Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers, just like the Sex Pistols were the scandalous finale to rock bands such as the Who and the Rolling Stones. In the past, slasher films focused on hulking figures in masks, brutally cutting off limbs or impaling victims with butcher knives (how quaint that seems now). The “Saw” franchise took it a step further, subjecting characters to elaborate, mechanically precise tortures of every imaginable dismemberment, complete with the dark humor of each victim getting what they deserved. You might wonder: How could the “Terrifier” films possibly outdo that?
The shared characteristic between Art the Clown and Kamala Harris is their ‘enjoyment aspect’. In every horror movie, including the original ‘Psycho’, it’s clear that the male characters who use weapons like kitchen knives or chainsaws derive pleasure from their actions. This element of enjoyment is what makes them terrifying because they seem to relish their work, suggesting they won’t be deterred easily.
As a die-hard horror fan, I must admit that Art the Clown elevates the notion of twisted pleasure in slaughter to unprecedented depths of demented lunacy. Across all three “Terrifier” films, David Howard Thornton brings this character to life, becoming one with his eerie attire: the pale makeup, hooked nose, and bald clown headpiece, smeared with black lipstick, bearing decaying teeth reminiscent of the Nun’s, and topped off with a mini top hat at a signature angle. From within this costume, Thornton delivers a chilling performance, embodying Marcel Marceau possessed by the malevolent spirit of Charles Manson, tinged with a hint of Divine. In his mute clown fashion, he mirrors human emotions – grins, wide-eyed astonishment, innocent pouts, and cartoonish sorrow – with a stylized levity. He’s set to mimic and mock your feelings back at you before dismembering your legs or gutting you like a stubborn pig.
The “Terrifier” movie series, notorious for their extreme violence, originated as an underground sensation but have since evolved into a franchise screened in mall theaters. They share a complex history similar to the “Scream” films. At the New York premiere of “Terrifier 3” I recently attended, the atmosphere was a blend of cult icon status and gothic party style, indicating that these movies have become a recognized brand. (The Art the Clown dolls also present as novelty merchandise.)
In the movie “Terrifier 3”, the character Sienna (Lauren LaVera), who has become the series’ main protagonist/survivor, is discharged from a mental health facility where she’s had multiple stays and heads to live with her Aunt Jessica (Margaret Anne Florence), Uncle Greg (Bruce Johnson), and their daughter Gabbie (Antonella Rose). There are extended conversations at the kitchen table about past events, which some viewers might find excessive.
Damien Leone, the series’ garishly inventive writer-director, knows how to stage a splatter opera of an opening fanfare in which a family gets chopped to pieces. But he’s not exactly a wizard of expository dialogue. He makes these movies on the cheap, and they have an outside-the-system quality; they’re basically collections of set pieces. And the flashbacks in which Art the Clown, who was decapitated at the end of the last film, gets weirdly reconstituted by Victoria (Samantha Scaffidi), who becomes his one-eyed rotting-and-walking-corpse assistant, play like a highlight reel of scenes from “Re-Animator” shown out of order. “Terrifier 2,” all two hours and 18 minutes of it, was a more seamless piece of filmmaking.
In a twist on tradition, “Terrifier 3” takes the ‘E’ for Extreme. It boasts an ingenious trick, one that cleverly references and satisfies fan expectations, as it transforms Art the Clown into a chilling Santa Claus during Christmastime. He pilfers his costume from an idle mall Santa, immobilizing him with nitrous oxide, causing his limbs to disintegrate at the slightest touch after being struck by a hammer. The movie’s prosthetics and makeup effects were crafted by Christien Tinsley, who displays a dark, practical sorcery reminiscent of early Rob Bottin (“The Thing”).
A short while later, after we’ve stepped back in awe at Art the Clown’s ingenious brutality in a slaughterhouse setting, he unveils a tool of destruction so iconic – a chainsaw – that one might ponder what fresh horror it will bring. However, be prepared to witness a level of gore and violence with this chainsaw that no “Chain Saw” sequel or scene rated X for extreme content has ever dared to show. This horror unfolds as we first find ourselves in a shower where two college students are engaged in an intimate moment. Just as the scene is settling, Art the Clown, disguised as Santa Claus, slices through the shower door and begins amputating hands and limbs. The real terror commences when he places the chainsaw directly between the man’s buttocks, indicating that the nightmare is only just beginning.
The climax of the film “Terrifier 3” showcases wriggling rodents, a large glass tube forcefully inserted into someone’s mouth, and a head reduced to just the brain, leaving viewers questioning, “Who was that?” The clever revelation of the character’s identity, despite its gruesome nature, is amusingly witty. One might wonder why such a graphic violence exploitation film, typically shorter in length, would be stretched into a two-hour extravaganza of gore. However, this extends the immersion into depravity that “Terrifier” enthusiasts desire. The horror isn’t only on screen; it’s also within the audience. It’s shocking to consider that such violence is now considered entertainment by a significant portion of mainstream viewers. I’m not passing judgment, as I am one of them. In contrast to my past indifference towards slasher sequels like “Friday the 13th Part III” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street 4”, the thought of another “Terrifier” movie doesn’t fill me with boredom. Instead, it leaves me in anticipation: What dreadful act will Art the Clown commit next?
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2024-10-11 06:47