MY BROTHERS AND I made a film filled with all of the things we enjoyed and wanted to see in a movie,” says Stephen Chiodo, one quarter of the sibling filmmaker team behind 1988’s colourful and brilliantly titled Killer Klowns From Outer Space.
“We threw in all of the ’50s and ’60s sci-fi elements that we loved, plus bits of Looney Tunes and Laurel and Hardy. We made it for ourselves,” he smiles. “It’s remarkable that people have taken to it and that it’s still around.”
Now 35 years old, the Chiodo brothers’ bizarre mash-up of horror, sci-fi, comedy and attention-stealing practical effects made their sole directorial effort a late-night classic. However, in a turn of events that surprised even them, its legacy has lasted more than three decades, spawning toys, apparel, Halloween Horror Nights attractions, fancy dress costumes and even a videogame, due for release in 2024.
KLOWN KONCEPTION
As you might expect from its title, Killer Klowns From Outer Space doesn’t take itself too seriously. Directed by Stephen and written with his siblings Edward and Charles, it takes us to a California beach town on the night of an alien invasion. However, these aren’t your standard ETs. Forget xenomorphs and Predators, these intergalactic visitors take the form of grotesque circus clowns with a hunger for human flesh and a murderously macabre sense of humour.
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