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Clownhouse

Play trailer Poster for Clownhouse R 1989 1h 24m Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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33% Tomatometer 6 Reviews 41% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Three brothers (Nathan Forrest Winters, Brian McHugh, Sam Rockwell) are trapped in an old house with three escaped killers wearing clown suits.

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Clownhouse

Critics Reviews

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Mike Massie Gone With The Twins The protagonists behave quite annoyingly and the antagonists are pathetically incapable of dispatching small children. Rated: 4/10 Aug 31, 2020 Full Review Dustin Putman TheFilmFile.com A spookily good time. Rated: 3/4 Oct 9, 2008 Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Winters' terror is all too real, and becomes unbearably dismaying to watch. Rated: D May 27, 2006 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 2/5 Aug 6, 2005 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...feels as though it'd be much more effective as a 22-minute episode of Tales from the Crypt... Rated: 2/4 Jul 30, 2005 Full Review Ken Hanke Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) Truly creepy -- one more than one level -- debut feature from Salva. Rated: 4/5 Nov 26, 2003 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Taylor N The gross behind the scenes aspect aside I've actually always found this movie to be quite good. Admittedly there are quite a few scenes where the boys are scantily clothed and that was a few too many.. you can just tell there's something not quite right.. That aside the buildup of suspense is massive. It is filled with about a hundred truly eerie moments from a bygone era. As disgusting as the director may be, he does know horror well(probably because he is a monster himself) The direction and editing are truly spooky, the actors are quite good and really went for it. The clowns themselves could have been a bit scarier but it was the boys reactions, the spooky camera work and the buildup that really stole the show for me. It kept me nervous and on the edge of my seat, and what more could you ask for in a horror film? Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/21/25 Full Review Jason C. I happen to love these campy old horror movies. It's a classic in my book. It really reminds me of being a kid who loved being scared in the 80's. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/01/25 Full Review Raiodesol S This movie doesn’t know exactly what it wants to be, mostly relying on chase sequences that, sometimes, are very good. It is able to make you feel eery and on edge sometimes, but overall it’s nothing special. The makeup is average and there’s almost no blood or gore, so it’s not shocking. That area doesn’t stand out. Basically, the movie can be good at times because of its tension, but that’s it, nothing more. A shame considering it had potential with its good main characters and they’re dynamics. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 09/03/24 Full Review Fleegle B I hate the director so I refuse to watch the movie Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 12/29/23 Full Review matthias s "Clownhouse" is a film that left me in a carnival of mixed emotions. On one hand, it boasts an excellent soundtrack that keeps you on the edge of your seat, a promising premise involving three kids attending a circus, and surprisingly decent performances from the child actors. But alas, the clownish charm quickly wears thin. The kids, while talented, become increasingly annoying, and the dialogue seems like a jumbled mess. A dark cloud hangs over this production as it's well-documented that the director had a troubling history. This revelation taints the entire viewing experience. The scares are sporadic and rather predictable, with only a few genuine jumpscares. To make matters worse, the plot only kicks in after a grueling 57 minutes, leaving the audience yawning and wondering when the real action will begin. In the end, "Clownhouse" is a circus that starts with promise but quickly descends into a disorganized sideshow, ultimately leaving you with a sense of unease for all the wrong reasons. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 11/15/23 Full Review Steve D Indistinguishable from 100000 others just like it. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Clownhouse

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Movie Info

Synopsis Three brothers (Nathan Forrest Winters, Brian McHugh, Sam Rockwell) are trapped in an old house with three escaped killers wearing clown suits.
Director
Victor Salva
Producer
Michael Danty, Robin Mortarotti, Victor Salva
Screenwriter
Victor Salva
Rating
R
Genre
Horror
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 24m
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