What’s scarier than a clown? A clown that’s been left alone in a dark room with nothing to do but feast on your fear. That’s the premise of many scary clown movies, and it’s one that never fails to send chills down our spines.

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Whether it’s the movie It or killer clowns from outer space, these films tap into our deepest fears and leave us jumpy for days afterward. Here are some of the genre’s best (and most terrifying) examples. Brace yourselves. It’s about to get scary!

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The Last Circus (2010)

“The Last Circus” is a Spanish film from 2010 about a clown named Sergio who was drafted into the army during the Spanish Civil War. He finds that war destroyed the circus and killed his family when he returns home.

He becomes a traveling clown, performing in small villages and towns. One day, he arrives in a city ruled by a cruel dictator, obsessed with executing anyone who opposes him, and Sergio becomes a target.

He escapes to the circus, but the dictator’s men follow him. In the end, Sergio must fight for his life against the dictator’s men in a bloody battle that will determine the town’s fate.

The tone of this film is dark and suspenseful, not for the faint of heart. If you like killer clown movies, you should pick this one.

Scary or Die (2012)

“Scary for Die” came in 2012, and it is an American production. The story is about friends who get together to watch a scary movie, but they have no idea of the horror they will face.

The movie they decide to watch turns out to be an actual snuff film, and the people in it start coming after them in the real world. They now have to fight for their lives against these bloodthirsty killers, and only one of them can make it out alive.

The movie is suspenseful and will keep your heart racing from beginning to end. If you are a fan of horror movies, you need to check this one out.

Stitches (2012)

The story of “Stitches” revolves around a clown who died during a child’s birthday party. He returns from the dead to seek revenge on the children who killed him.

This film is gory and violent, with plenty of death and mayhem. It is not for the faint of heart. So if looking for a genuinely terrifying clown film, look no further than “Stitches.” The clown in this film is undoubtedly an evil one.

Director Conor McMahon did a great job of creating a genuinely nightmarish clown, and the film is sure to leave you feeling unsettled long after it’s over.

It (2017)

“It” is probably the most well-known scary clown film out there. The film “It” tells the story of a group of children who encounters a demon named Pennywise that takes the form of a clown.

This film is highly suspenseful and scary. It is one of the most popular horror films in recent years, and it is definitely worth watching. If you want to be scared out of your mind, this is the film. Stephen king’s “It” has a young cast and a terrific clown who is always looking to get his hands n the children in the movie.

The story is well-written, and the acting is top-notch. You will not be disappointed. The film has some jump scares. It is a well-rounded horror film that will leave you feeling scared and disturbed.

Director Andrés Muschietti directed this film in a way that will terrify you long after the credits roll. Cast includes Jaeden Lieberher, Bill Skarsgård, and Finn Wolfhard.

“It” is one of the best killer clown movies out there, and you should not miss watching “It.”

All Hallow’s Eve (2013)

“All Hallow’s Eve” is a 2013 American horror film. The story follows a group of teens who break into a house on Halloween night, looking for fun.

Instead, they find a box of tapes containing a different scary story. They decide to watch one of the tapes, soon regretting it. The evil clown fills the film with horrific scenes. For those who haven’t seen Terrifier, this is a prequel that centers on Art the Clown.

The tape they chose is “The Lottery,” It is about a clown who comes back from the dead to take revenge on the people who killed him.

This film is extremely gory and violent, but it is not for the faint of heart. If you are looking for a genuinely scary film, this is for you.

31 (2016)

“31” is one of the best horror movies. The film came in 2016 and was written and directed by Rob Zombie. As the name suggests, the movie is about a Halloween night.

A group of carnival workers is kidnapped and taken to a secluded location, where they have to participate in a game called “31”.

The game’s goal is to survive for 12 hours of Halloween night while being hunted by a group of murderous and evil clowns. The acting, direction, and cast are all top-notch, and the movie will leave you feeling scared and disturbed.

If you love watching movies about clowns, you should not miss the “31.”

Clown (2014)

“Clown” is one of the scariest horror films on the list, it is a 2014 American horror movie. The story follows a father who dresses up as a clown for his son’s birthday party, only to find that the costume is cursed and starts to take over his mind and body.

The movie is exceptionally horrific, with plenty of death and mayhem. It is not for people who are faint of heart. If you are looking for a genuinely terrifying clown movie, this is for you. But, as the name suggests, the film is filled with scenes of scary evil clowns.

The acting is excellent, and the story is well-written. Director Jon Watts does a fantastic job of creating an actual nightmarish clown, and the movie will leave you feeling scared for a long time.

Terrifier (2018)

The next on the list is the film “Terrifier.” The story starts with a group of friends going to a Halloween party, one of which is Art the clown. After the party, they are followed home by Art, and he terrorizes them. The film’s shooting is in found-footage style, and it’s effective in creating a sense of unease.

Director Damien Leone made the film disturbingly good, and the clown is scary enough to make you never want to see another one again.

Paul Wiley has given the music for the film. The music makes the film even more horrific and spine-chilling.

“Terrifier” is one of the best recent clown horror movies, and it’s definitely worth a watch if you’re looking for a good scare.

It: Chapter Two (2019)

“It: Chapter Two” came in the year 2019. The movie is on the second half of Stephen King’s novel “It.” The story picks up 27 years after the Los Angeles event. This film is all about Pennywise, who is after the kids again.

The members of the Losers’ Club, who are now adults, are brought back together by a devastating phone call. They have to return to Derry to face Pennywise again.

The storyline is good, and the scares are well done. The cast is excellent, and they do a good job bringing the characters to life. The movie has intensive scenes of scary clowns.

The film is directed by Andy Muschietti and stars Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, and James McAvoy. When we talk about scary clowns or horror movies in general, the “It” franchise is one of the best in this genre.

“It: Chapter Two” is one of the best horror movies of 2019, a must-watch for fans of Stephen King and horror and bad movies in general. While it may not be as good as the 2017 movie, “It: Chapter Two” is still a great horror movie. If you have any fear of clowns, you should skip this one!

Clown Doll (2019)

Director and writer Scott Jeffrey brings us the next on the list, “Clown Doll.” The movie is about friends who decide to buy a clown doll from a store but soon realize that a demon possesses doll.

The cinematography of the film is effective in creating a sense of unease. The acting is also excellent, and the clown doll is genuinely creepy. The cast includes Sarah T. Cohen, Christopher Saint, and David F. Sandberg.

If you’re looking for a good, scary clown movie, then “Clown Doll” is worth watching.

House of 1000 Corpses (2003)

Another scary movie that will scare you is “House of 1000 Corpses”. The movie is about a group of friends on a road trip and getting lost. They then come across a home to a family of serial killers.

It is a 2003 American black comedy horror flick written, co-scored, and directed by Rob Zombie in his directorial debut.

The scenes in the movie are horrifying and violent, with plenty of blood and guts. It’s not for the people who get scared easily. The film’s graphic violence and sadism resulted in it not being able to obtain an NC-17 rating. Unfortunately, this film is not for people who have a fear of clowns.

Captain Spaulding is about a real-life serial killer and rapist, John Wayne Gacy.

Gingerclown (2013)

The story of the film “Gingerclown” revolves around three friends who find a clown doll in an abandoned carnival but soon realize that the doll is alive, and it’s up to them to stop it.

The movie is directed by Ate de Jong and stars Andrew Buckley, Cassidy Gifford, and Michael Winslow.

“Gingerclown” is a great horror movie worth watching if you’re looking for a good scare. The clown doll is genuinely creepy, and the film will leave you feeling scared for a long time.

Clowntergeist (2017)

The final movie on the list is “Clowntergeist.” The movie is about a group of friends terrorized by an evil clown demon.

The character Emma is a college student who has a crippling fear of clowns. When her friends decide to take her to a haunted house for her birthday, she gets to face her worst fears.

“Clowntergeist” is a great horror movie worth watching if you’re looking for a good scare. The clown demon is genuinely creepy, and the movie will leave you feeling scared for a long time.

Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988)

“Killer Klowns From Outer Space” came in the year 1988. This film is an American science fiction-horror comedy movie. Director Stephen Chiodo did a fantastic job of bringing the story into reality. The film stars Grant Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, John Allen Nelson, and Debbie Lee Carrington.

The movie is about a group of aliens who come to Earth in a clown-shaped spacecraft. They use various methods to kill people, including cotton candy cocoons and pies filled with acid. People are scared of these killer circus clowns.

When the film’s original title was “Killer Klowns from Outer Space,” it could have been seen as a slasher movie. Instead, the filmmakers thankfully added “from Outer Space” to prevent this and other assumptions by audiences because these clown creatures are not your average scary circus clowns; they’re much weirder than that!

The film is a great horror movie worth watching if you’re looking for a good scare. These circus clowns are genuinely creepy, and the movie will leave you feeling scared for a long time.

Amusement (2008)

“Amusement” is a 2008 and one of the best American horror movies. Director and writer John Simpson got imaginative with the scares and didn’t steer away from grave topics. The film stars Katheryn Winnick, Jere Burns, and A.J. Cook.

The film is about three friends who are terrorized by a clown while on a road trip to visit their college friend. The scariest clown is part of an amusement park shut down after a child died on one of the rides.

The film cast did a fantastic job in bringing the characters to life. The clown is genuinely creepy, and the movie will leave you feeling scared for a long time. It’s a great horror movie worth watching if you’re looking for a good scare.

100 Tears (2007)

“100 Tears” follows the story of a clown at midnight that goes on a murderous rampage. The clown, named Gurdy, had initially been a loving father and husband until a group of kids ridiculed him.

This led to Gurdy becoming a vengeful killer in a clown suit who targets anyone who makes fun of him. “100 Tears” is filled with suspense and gore, making it a scary film.

The director of “100 Tears”, Marcus Dunstan, also directed “The Collector” and “The Collector: The Lost Archives,” both of which are horror films. This gives “100 Tears” a certain level of credibility, as the director has experience in making creepy clown movies.

If you’re looking for a genuinely terrifying clown movie, then “100 Tears” is a must-watch.

Poltergeist (2015)

In a creepy original “Poltergeist (1982),” ghosts speak to a California family on television. Ultimately he or she takes her little sister in spirit, and Carolanne can enter the spirit realm. The “Tobe Hooper” film is based more on energy, but he makes a strange cameo of clown doll.

The film cast did a fantastic job in bringing the narration to life.

The remake of the movie features a box of killer clown dolls; the same kidnapping is enacted as the girl is transported into the spirit realm; however, the clown plays an important role.

Clownhouse (1989)

Clownhouse is a scary clown movie that will definitely send chills down your spine. The film follows three escaped mental patients who dress up as clowns in order to terrorize three brothers. This movie is from 1989, but it still holds up today as one of the best scary clown movies out there. If you’re looking for a good scare, be sure to check out Clownhouse!

 

We’ve got your back if you’re looking for a good, scary clown movie or horror film to watch. We compiled a list of some of the best movies that will scare you and keep you up at night long after they are over.

Whether it’s Pennywise returning in “It: Chapter Two” or Captain Spaulding terrorizing people in “House of 1000 Corpses”, these films will have you running scared all through the night.

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And if none of those sounds like something that piques your interest, don’t worry! Of course, you can always go with one of our favorites, such as Gingerclown (2013) or Clowntergeist (2017).

Which has been your favorite so far?

Israr

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