As a seasoned horror enthusiast who has weathered countless blood-soaked nights at the cinema, I find myself both intrigued and slightly skeptical about the future of the “Terrifier” series. Damian Leone’s unapologetic approach to high-octane gore is refreshingly raw, a stark contrast to the sanitized offerings often served up by mainstream studios.
Contains major spoilers for “Terrifier 3“
It’s October now, and you know what that means? It’s time for chills of fear and spills of blood! The “Terrifier” trilogy has taken modern horror to a new level with its extreme brutality. Art the Clown’s actions are expanding into the Christmas season with the third installment, “Terrifier 3,” on October 11. From what early viewers have seen, it seems that the movie is already causing revulsion and excitement among audiences. They’ve called it the bloodiest of the series and the most daring in its gore – and it’s even been so sickening that it made nearly a dozen viewers in the UK vomit! Nine people left during the violent opening scene of “Terrifier 3,” and one person had a panic attack. As expected, the film is following its predecessors and will be independently released to theaters before appearing on the streaming platform Screambox.
For this franchise, gruesome scenes featuring mutilated bodies and clown characters adorned with stage makeup are routine. Yet, what propelled this series focused on terror-inducing clowns to spark heated debates and gain significant traction in the broader horror genre? Let me explain why major production companies turned down the project, and how it has earned such a notorious reputation.
Why the Terrifier movies are so controversial
As a die-hard fan, I can’t help but rave about the “Terrifier” series, known for its pitch-black humor and gruesomely intense gore scenes that would make Klaus Nomi on ketamine blush. Each installment revolves around Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton), a demonic circus clown who gleefully dispatches his victims with an uncanny knack. The motive behind these killings is largely enigmatic; he seems to slay anyone who crosses his path, even those with kind intentions. However, there’s an exception: the Little Pale Girl (Amelie McLain), who might just be his very first victim, or perhaps not.
The depicted violence in these films is frequently intense, grisly, and graphic, often involving practical effects such as blood and gore. For instance, a woman is brutally sawed in half lengthwise in the first “Terriffer” film, and another character takes a selfie with her bleeding corpse. This level of violence, dark humor, and gory imagery is consistent throughout both films, with copious amounts of blood and guts splattered around in vibrant patterns reminiscent of finger painting. The third movie reportedly adheres to this gore theme, as one character is said to have met an untimely end courtesy of a chainsaw.
How Terrifier 2’s legendary gore changed modern horror
Initially, the first “Terrifier” movie was directly distributed for home viewing and streaming, but managed to create a buzz through word of mouth. In contrast, “Terrifier 2” took everyone by surprise as it grossed nearly $15.4 million globally and even had a re-release in 2023. Similar to its predecessor, the second “Terrifier” film maintains its raw and unyielding nature, making its significant box office earnings quite an unexpected shift.
“Terrifier 2” played a significant role in reviving the slasher genre, marked by copious amounts of violence and gore. The successes of films like “Evil Dead Rise,” “Longlegs,” “The Substance,” and “Thankskilling” can be attributed, to some extent, to Art the Clown’s charisma. Similarly, it ignited a resurgence in independent horror films, with productions such as “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” drawing inspiration from its fearless spirit.
Movie theaters and retail stores worldwide are seeing a surge of merchandise featuring Art the Clown, capitalizing on his past successes. This influx includes a terrifying popcorn bucket that can be pre-ordered, but despite this groundswell of public enthusiasm for “Terrifier 3,” the film has yet to secure backing from big Hollywood studios. So, it’s unclear if it was rejected by Hollywood or not.
Did Hollywood reject Terrifier 3 for being too bloody?
Damian Leone, creator of the “Terrifier” series, shared that after the success of “Terrifier 2”, major studios offered him deals to produce or distribute “Terrifier 3”. However, he realized that his intense gore wouldn’t meet their standards. He explained to LADBible that even before having a script, he sensed apprehension in the meetings about the graphic content and other aspects of the film. He felt that the studio executives wouldn’t let him make “Terrifier 3” based on just the first five pages due to its extreme nature.
David Howard Thornton, who plays Art the Clown, admitted during an interview with Looper that one of the kills in “Terrifier 3” made him feel queasy. He remarked, “I said, ‘You son of a gun, Damien,’ because he included something that just makes me feel sick to my stomach. It’s like, ‘I know you intentionally did this, you’re really testing my limits here. You’re really pushing the boundaries with me.'” Some elements from the script didn’t make it onto the screen due to time constraints. Furthermore, he disclosed that the film was initially intended to have a much darker ending.
Of course, it’s important to remember that in the world of horror, such proclamations are common, and all of this may simply be propaganda for “Terrifier 3.” It’s a common promotional gimmick that studios use to make horror films seem like legendary fright fests for the ages, and similar reports of faintings and pukings accompanied the release of”Terrifier 2.” Such gimmicks have included branded barf bags, planted protesters, fake fainters, and phony nurses standing by in theater lobbies.
The origins of this can be traced back to the 1960s, where they employed individuals to distribute publicity at William Castle film productions. Therefore, consider these statements with a degree of skepticism. However, if “Terrifier 3” lives up to its claim of shock value, it wouldn’t surprise me much, given that the series is designed to terrify. Anticipate this trend to persist in “Terrifier 4,” as “Terrifier 3” sets the stage for a follow-up.
Terrifier 4: The controversial future of Art the Clown
As a devoted fan, I’m thrilled to share the exciting news that “Terrifier 3” seems to be setting the stage for more chilling tales! In an exclusive chat with Looper, director Damian Leone revealed some intriguing insights about his creative process. It appears he has crafted Sienna Shaw as a compelling light-side character in stark contrast to Art’s darkness. This revelation suggests that not only will Sienna’s growth be followed, but also the evolution of new entities associated with Art – implying a captivating story arc for future installments!
He expressed that while we won’t abandon the classic slasher approach of Art, which involves chasing and attacking, it becomes repetitive and uninteresting over time. He’s interested in exploring new ideas instead.
Leone openly shared with us that a fourth “Terrifier” movie hinges on the success of the third film, as the slasher genre isn’t always consistently successful. It appears his next venture will be with a more mainstream production company – Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures, known for its boundary-testing productions. He didn’t reveal any details about this upcoming movie, but hinted that it’s moving along nicely. The fate of the “Terrifier” series will become clear when “Terrifier 3” premieres in theaters on October 11, and audience response will decide its future.
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2024-10-04 03:30