Clown

Tracing its origins to the theatrical stage (i.e., the "commedia dell'arte"), today the clown is the iconic symbol of circus comedy. With bizarre makeup and garish clothing, the modern circus clown - often working with a supporting cast of other clowns, the ringmaster, or even audience volunteers - entertains the public by performing some combination of gags, physical humor, and farcical skits/sketches. The clown has undergone a continuous process of transformation throughout history, resulting in a fair number of variations (modern clowns are generally divided into four main sub-groups: whiteface, auguste, character, and tramp/hobo). Given the nature of this website, however, it should come as no surprise that our interest would center on a more sinister variety: the so-called "evil clown" (aka "killer clown").

Why does a clown who's "gone over to the dark side" inspire such heightened dread and anxiety? It stems in part from seeing a familiar figure stray so far from its conventional role (from amusing entertainer to sadistic killer is quite a leap), but also from the dissonance caused by conflicting, deceptive, and unnatural elements inherent in the clown's persona. In fact, "coulrophobia" - irrational fear of clowns - is based in part on a neurophysiological substrate closely linked to the way the human brain customarily perceives and evaluates aspects such as facial expressions, gaze, gestures, posture, and proxemics. From that perspective, the clown's unnatural makeup is clearly unsettling, as it obscures the performer's true identity and emotions, and any mismatch between the clown's bold, painted-on expression and the human actor's true emotions fosters unease. But it goes beyond that: when a clown's face is distorted by grossly oversized lips and other outlandish features (not to mention weird, fluorescent hair), it leads to the subconscious perception that the clown is somehow unnatural or not quite human. This sense of creepiness is only enhanced by strange, often ill-fitting clothing (consider the oversized shoes, for example), quirky movements, and exaggerated body language. Further, clowns are traditionally unpredictable and mischievous by nature (with props such as squirting flowers and pop guns), all of which can understandably put people on edge. Finally, the fact that the "evil clown" has become a common horror movie trope hasn't helped their reputation in recent decades.

Clowns actually have a long history of being seen as suspicious. After all, court jesters poked fun at kings and made people in high places uncomfortable. Such figures have been naughty pranksters - playing unpleasant tricks on people - all the way back to the beginning of clownhood. But the "evil clown" figure became firmly imprinted in pop culture during the late 20th century, thanks in part to the huge success of a number of fictional characters (significant examples include DC Comics' iconic villain the Joker - inspired by Victor Hugo's character Gwynplaine - and Pennywise from Stephen King's best-selling novel "It"). Additionally, during the widely publicized trial (in 1980) of infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy (aka "The Killer Clown"), his past as a clown at children's hospitals and charitable events came to light.

This Tag assembles films featuring one or more unsettling (although not necessarily evil) clowns. By extension, other clown-like figures such as mimes, court jesters, acrobats, and buffoons will be taken into consideration.