5. Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983)
We have another list this month focused on horror films suitable for children, and while my heart tells me this under-seen gem is ideal for young viewers my head says otherwise. The pacing just wouldn’t work for too many kids used to faster cutting, flashier effects, and more cookie-cutter emotions. For the better, smarter, more patient children in your life, though, this Ray Bradbury adaptation is a goddamn masterpiece of emotion and nightmare.
Two friends sneak out to attend a carnival that’s arrived in the middle of the night, and they discover its secrets include granting wishes with a life-altering price. Creepy characters, the allure of adulthood, an atmospheric carnival setting, spiders, some knife-twisting emotional beats between a boy and his father, a wicked Jonathan Pryce — this movie has everything the cool kids crave. (Rob Hunter)
4. The Funhouse (1981)
There’s a cautionary Grimm’s Fairy Tale for suburbia hiding within Tobe Hooper’s carnival of horrors The Funhouse. What happens to the average middle class kid when they buck their families wishes and venture into the dark unknowns of the world by themselves? Should they have heeded their parents warnings, or has their sheltered lives warped their perceptions to the world outside of their walled gardens?
While the film’s subtext gives us meat to chew on, the cinematography highlights the manic nature of the film’s overarching carnival motif. From the opening credits through the hypnotic finale, we’re treated to close ups of animatronic clowns and monsters framed in a black void that jump out at us like we’re running through a dark ride, bobbing and weaving through the kaleidoscope of scares. The Funhouse wont sate viewers looking for the blood red madness of an early ’80s slasher, but for those looking for more artistry within their slicing and dicing, Hooper’s studio debut shows just what kind of vision he brought to every film he made. (Jacob Trussell)
3. Freaks (1932)
The origins of carnival horror can likely be traced back to 1932 with the release of Tod Browning‘s Freaks. Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova), a trapeze artist working with a carnival sets her eyes on Hans (Harry Earles), a little person working for the same carnival. Hans is mesmerized, believing Cleopatra to have true feelings for him, but the acrobatic star has sinister motives. After discovering Hans owns a large inheritance, Cleopatra devises a plan to marry and kill him to collect the money. Hans’ friends and fellow sideshow performers catch wind of this plan and set out to stop Cleopatra.
Freaks is an influential and controversial film. On the surface, Freaks is nothing more than a mere exploitation film, but it’s a classic tale of class conflict that refrains from actually exploiting its stars. Unfortunately, early test screenings proved disastrous, and the original 90-minute film was chopped down to the 64-minute version that exists today. Despite this, the film has lived on as a landmark piece of horror with the iconic “one of us, one of us” dinner scene constantly referenced in pop culture. (Chris Coffel)
2. Carnival of Souls (1962)
You don’t watch Carnival of Souls. You soak in it. The film was made on the cheap, the cheapest of the cheap, but there is nothing stingy about its mood and dark, hanging atmosphere. As you follow Mary through the pavilion and the world around her appears more and more unbalanced, you fall into the dream as well. Gene Moore’s absurd organ score keeps you teetering on the edge of reality and questioning every image you encounter. There are ghouls and ghosts afoot, and neither you nor Mary belongs. Escape is the only option, but to achieve that, you must simply wade through the runtime. (Brad Gullickson)
1. Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
A couple of teens getting cozy at lover’s lane sport a strange glowing object just as it crashes outside a small California town. Emerging from the wreckage is a full-blown circus tent that contains a spaceship housing alien creatures that look like clowns. The clowns wreak havoc on the unsuspecting town in an effort to harvest the human inhabitants. Their method of mayhem is fun, circus-themed gadgets including popcorn ray guns, shadow puppets, cotton candy cocoons, and crazy straws used to drain human blood. Clowns were certainly creepy well before the Chiodo Brothers directed their cult classic, but the use of elaborate practical effects, clever gizmos, and a catchy theme song courtesy of the Dickies ensured clowns would never escape this unfortunate reputation. (Chris Coffel)
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