Day 13 - Killer Clowns from Outer Space (1988)
Platform:
Borrowed disc from the Clermont County Public Library.
Quote:
“Don’t worry Dave. All we want to do is kill ya.”
Synopsis:
A spaceship in the shape of a big-top circus tent arrives in a small rural town, and its crew, band of absurdly proportioned, red-nosed, grease-paint-faced clowns, begin harvesting the locals using a wide arsenal of circus-related gimmicks. It’s up to a few local heroes to put an end to the mayhem, close out the show, and bring down the house.
Review:
Killer Klowns from Outer Space is pure ‘80’s camp at its finest. From the wacky and bizarre look of the alien creatures to the over-the-top weapons, everything about this delivers a good time. For me, what makes this whole absurd idea work is commitment. The popcorn gun that seems absolutely stupid even pays off later when you get to see what the popcorn actually does.
Now, these clowns are no Pennywise. They are strange and unusual looking, but they don’t exactly project menace. Many times when you have clowns in a film to cash on that fear that many seem to have, the clowns are designed and portrayed to look and feel like they are a threat. The creatures in this one though don’t exhibit that same quality until you see them in action. They look like silly toys that are up and walking. But that actually makes them a bit more disturbing when you then see the carnage they reap while still looking like an innocent cartoon character.
I will say that this film is not really scary in the least, but it does evoke a fun disturbing quality as you watch the alien klowns run rampant on the town. This movie is just a camp fest that is pure fun from beginning to end. It makes for a great party film and can be a fun introduction to a higher level of scary movie for older kids entering their early teens.
New = 8
Total = 13
DVD/Blu-Ray Borrow Breakdown: I'm sure this feature is not new to anyone really, but I'll still point out some of the benefits and drawbacks. Let's start with the benefits. Most of the digital titles you find on the Hoopla and OverDrive platforms are going to be a few years old or going to be fairly obscure titles. New release, major motion pictures are going to take a while before they relinquish streaming rights to general public services like these. But the library regularly purchases physical copies of new releases for patrons to borrow. Libraries also offer hold services so that even if your library's copies have all been checked out, you can go ahead and put in a request to be put on a waiting list so that you hold your place in line to borrow that title when it's ready for you. Interlibrary loans also allow you to check out books and movies even if your local library branch doesn't carry the title, so your options are pretty much limitless as long as you have the patience to wait for delivery. The drawbacks to this service are that you do have to pay close attention to due dates. Videos usually have a higher late fee than books, and you have them for a shorter loan period (usually 7 days). One big leg up on borrowing physical copies that the digital platforms have, is that you don't have to worry about late fees because the titles automatically return when your loan period expires. However, if you know that the movie you want is very popular, and you want a little more time with it, you could always shell out the extra $1 to keep it another day. Another drawback is that you are using shared materials. That means that you are at the mercy of the treatment that other patrons apply to the material. Sometimes you get a DVD or Blu-ray that could be scratched (I know that Blu-ray's are supposed to be nearly unscratchable, but it seems that some people have taken that as a personal challenge), or dirty to the point that it skips, or is even unwatchable.
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