Not your average unyielding killer: Vanshika Dhyani explores the Terrifier franchise’s appeal and its new place in the horror hall of fame.
The Terrifier franchise, known for its gut-punching gore, graphic violence and grindhouse aesthetic, is written, directed and edited by Damien Leone. The films evoke nostalgia for vintage horror with minimalist storytelling, slow buildup, and scant use of CGI. The third film in the franchise, Terrifier 3, made headlines last month after an opening weekend brought in $18.9m, rapidly climbing the box-office charts, and trampling the much anticipated Joker: Folie à Deux. It saw record breaking success at the box-office, and is now the highest-grossing unrated film of all time.
In the last few decades, the horror genre has been dominated by underdeveloped characters, half-baked social commentary and cheap thrills; this has made many people disregard the genre entirely. However, the Terrifier franchise breaks away from genre conventions and unapologetically embraces Art, the killer clown from Miles County, New York, and all his depraved antics. Art is the centrepiece of the franchise, first appearing in Leone’s 2009 film The 9th Circle, and he is known for his cold demeanour, merciless murders, and impeccable comedic timing. Leone’s work is not shackled by the tired modern rhetoric of feeling “othered.” It returns the Slasher genre to mainstream cinema with an unmistakable brutality, and dreadful charm of the 70s and 80s. The genre that had once experienced formula fatigue due to endless sequels, knock-offs, and imitations, stands anew in the 21st century - thanks to the Terrifier franchise.
They refrain from over-intellectualizing the story by focusing on ‘what Art does’ instead of ‘why Art does what he does’; this prevents us from humanising the psychotic killer and feeling empathy for him, keeping us on the edge of our seats longer.
The film owes its success, in part, to the newly appointed pop culture icon - Art, played by David Howard Thornton. His unpredictable, non-verbal expressions add a layer of suspense and unease. The films rely on silence to maintain tension that builds up to scenes of carnage. The creators don’t shy away from shock value and grotesquerie, and use off camera kills to create nervous anticipation. They refrain from over-intellectualizing the story by focusing on ‘what Art does’ instead of ‘why Art does what he does’; this prevents us from humanising the psychotic killer and feeling empathy for him, keeping us on the edge of our seats longer.
When it comes to his silent patternless killing spree, Art is a masked, unstoppable force of evil, much like horror icons Michel Myers or Jason Voorhees. What sets Art apart is his lack of motive, paired with his comedic absurdity - a twisted reminder that even in the midst of a murder, he’s still a clown.
Stephen King’s shape-shifting clown, Pennywise, has monopolised the horror clown business since the ’80s, but Art has managed to boldly carve a place for himself. King banks on the fear factor with a paradoxical character that provides a false sense of security, familiarity and whimsy. Pennywise has clowney features: unruly, orange hair; white and red makeup; a large red nose, and a flamboyant clown costume. On the other hand, Art is without any clownish charm. He comes in black and white, with sharp features, erratic movements and a repertoire of sadistic weaponry - from staple guns to claw hammers, nothing is off limits. Leone creates a pervasive sense of discomfort with Art’s alternative monochromatic depiction of a clown.
Throughout the film, we learn little about Art’s backstory, the focus is on his current lifestyle and the interactions with his victims. Terrifier lets character development take a backseat, and makes room for Thornton’s bone-chilling presence. This staggered storytelling intensifies the experience by building unpredictability. Even so, it is the film’s final girl, Victoria Heyes, who redefined the slasher formula, by joining forces with Art.
This departure from purity culture brings a much awaited realistic portrayal of womanhood and survival instinct to slasher films.
In Terrifier 2, the story parades forward with the introduction of Sienna, our unconventional modern slasher heroine. The creators break away from outdated one-dimensional, traditional ‘pure’ final girl tropes of the genre. Sienna is fierce, empowered, and experiences complex human emotions. This departure from purity culture brings a much awaited realistic portrayal of womanhood and survival instinct to slasher films.
The latest instalment, Terrifier 3, unfolds during the holiday season. While Art is committing horrific acts of violence dressed as Santa, Sienna is seen battling flashbacks and anxiety caused by her encounter with the villain at the Halloween carnival, five years ago. Jonathan, now at university, is trying to regain a sense of normalcy. Although not much is revealed about Sienna and Art’s fated connection, the film does explore supernatural elements of hell, dark occult practices, demonic forces, resurrection, invincibility. It is clear that the franchise is not backing down on the shock value, and that the horror mongering audience is more than okay with it. Leone has confirmed that Art will be back with his trademark clownery, carnage and cannibalism, in Terrifier 4, which is set to release in 2026.