Dipaly Banerjee
The sequel to the 2016 film ‘Terrifier,’ ‘Terrifier 2’ is a slasher film that features the return of the terrifying silent clown, Art (David Howard Thornton), with a penchant for terrorizing people by unleashing sadistic violence. In Damien Leone’s 80’s Halloween-themed splatter film, Art the Clown returns to cause havoc over Miles County on Halloween as he searches for new victims and puts the target on the back of a teenage girl (Lauren LaVera) and her brother (Elliot Fullam).
A certified sleeper hit in the horror/slasher genre, ‘Terrifier 2’ is known to invoke coulrophobia in the audience. Witnessing Art the Clown’s killings is not for the faint of heart, with the unimaginable amount of gore, blood, and violence it spawns. However, if you are a fan of the horror icon and want to discover more such films, you’ll love this list of similar movies we’ve curated for you.
8. The Clown Murders (1976)
One of the earliest movies in the clown horror subgenre, ‘The Clown Murders’ blends the element of a killer in a clown costume with paranormal activity. In this Halloween-themed Martyn Burke movie, a group of guys dressed up as clowns kidnaps a woman for political reasons. The men learn that another vicious killer disguised as a clown is out for them as the casually planned crime escalates into violence. ‘Terrifier 2’ is similar to this Halloween-theme horror/slasher film because it is set on Halloween and the sinister killer is dressed as a clown.
7. The Clown at Midnight (1998)
Stephen King was right when he said, “No one likes a clown at midnight.” Directed by Jean Pellerin, ‘The Clown at Midnight’ is a slasher film that follows the story of seven teens who a killer clown haunts while they renovate an old opera theatre. This is probably one of the most underrated killer clown movies out there. Even though the twist is obvious from a distance, there are still some genuine jump scares. It resembles ‘Terrifier 2’ due to the killer clown jump scares, the aspects of survival, and the female protagonist.
6. All Hallow’s Eve (2013)
‘All Hallow’s Eve’ is Damien Leone’s feature directorial debut wherein he gave life to Art the Clown on the big screen by also incorporating footage from his short films ‘The 9th Circle’ and ‘Terrifier (2011).’ This horror/slasher anthology film follows the discovery of an unmarked VHS tape on Halloween night by two boys and their babysitter that feature a series of killings committed by Art the Clown. In every way, the film is similar to ‘Terrifier 2’ as it is from the same franchise.
5. The House on Sorority Row (1982)
Written and directed by Mark Rosman, ‘The House on Sorority Row’ is a slasher movie that revolves around seven girls pulling a prank during their graduation party. After the practical joke backfires, they are left with a dead body which they attempt to hide. However, a mystery witness, a killer dressed as a clown, starts pursuing the girls with the aim of slaughtering them one by one. Over time, the movie garnered immense popularity and developed a cult following, being hailed as one of the most well-made slasher movies ever made.
‘The House on Sorority Row’ and ‘Terrifier 2’ are both driven by the central theme of killer clowns. We also find a resemblance in the characteristics and body language of the two killer clowns. Though Eric, the clown from the former, is diagnosed as mentally underdeveloped, Art is a demonic killer clown who kills people for fun on Halloween!
4. Haunt (2019)
Written and directed by Scot Becks and Bryan Woods, Haunt (2019) is a slasher film that revolves around a group of friends who decide to investigate a haunted house on Halloween night. Naturally, things don’t go as expected, and the mission quickly becomes fatal as the demonic spirits in the home start to kill the friends. The clown-masked killer in the film is shown to be scary and brutal, with a real pleasure for slashing. The film is very similar to ‘Terrifier 2’ based on the methods of killing, the Halloween goth theme, and the fact that both the killers are wearing clown costumes.
3. Hell House LLC (2015)
Directed by Stephen Cognetti, ‘Hell House LLC’ is a found footage horror film filmed in a mockumentary format where a murder scene is visited by a documentary crew five years after 15 people and several staff members were slaughtered there. They interview the sole surviving member of the massacre and obtain footage of the unfortunate incident.
The tape features the team of Halloween haunted house designers who are ready to unveil their well-liked scary attraction, Hell House, in 2009. On the first night of the trip, tragedy strikes as an unidentified “malfunction,” resulting in the deaths of many visitors and employees. The film is similar to ‘Terrifier 2’ based on its Halloween vibes, murders, and obviously, the startling scene involving a killer clown.
2. Halloween (1978)
Written and directed by John Carpenter, the film revolves around the return of Michael Myers on Halloween night from a psychiatric facility after 15 years of brutally murdering his 17-year old sister, Judith. The now 21-year old Michael Myers returns to wreak havoc over his town of Haddonfield, Illinois where he searches for his next victims on Halloween.
In many ways, the original ‘Halloween’ is similar to ‘Terrifier 2’ except for the clown ensemble. Michael Myers seeks out his victims in a randomized way as Art the Clown. Moreover, both killers enjoy the brutality of their killings and kill on Halloween!
1. IT (2017)
No killer clown movie list is complete without the mention of the most famous dancing clown, Pennywise. Created by Stephen King in his novel ‘IT,’ Pennywise arguably maintains its title as the scariest, bone-chilling clown. Directed by Andy Muschietti, the film centers on a group of kids who become the prey of the circus clown Pennywise and are plagued by him.
Though Pennywise is an ancient supernatural entity and probably older than time, a few elements make Art, the silent killer clown, and Pennywise similar. To begin with, both homicidal clowns love to attack children. Their shared passion for gore, spreading menace, and brutally slaughtering the helpless make them very alike. Though Art doesn’t really speak, in contrast to Pennywise, the touch of mime-like qualities and exaggerated comic clown-like body movements are parallel in both films.
Read More: Where Was Terrifier 2 Filmed?
