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Review: Arrow Video’s “Killer Klowns From Outer Space” Showcases Epic Never Before Seen Interviews and Features

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In space, no one eats ice cream!

As we head into the official 30th anniversary of the Chiodo Bros.’ cult-clown-classic, the prestigious restoration of retro beloved titles Arrow Video has released a beautifully restored version of the film that made us question that cotton candy you acquired at the county circus and fair. Chock full of all-new special features including a never-before-seen 24-minute interview with all three Chiodo brothers that offers a glimpse into the filmmaker’s wild-imaginary world and the origin of their passions leading up to Killer Klowns From Outer Space.

With a brand new 4K restoration from the original 35mm camera negative opening with the Trans World Entertainment logo (BONUS), the differences in color and quality here are top-notch when compared to previous releases of the film. Perhaps the most predominant aspect of this brand-new visual look of the movie is the magnificent detail of the clown faces and suits you get to see now. So if you ever need a photo-still for those DIY Killer Klown Halloween costumes, this is the version you want as every last indent of each clown’s mug is seen as clear as Gordon Ramsay’s polished silverware.

Among the retrospective interview with the creators of killer popcorn kernels, the special features included with the 30th-anniversary disc are worth every damn penny you spend on this ultimate release of the cult-horror. A never-before-seen look at the auditioning process of the “klowns” is included with instructing the candidates in full-costume how to walk and move like a creepy as hell, vengeful alien clown, as seen below in a screen-shot I took from the excerpt.

I literally can’t believe I just wrote that last sentence. Jesus and JoJos, I love my job.

killer klowns audition

 

The circus of special features is only beginning as we move unto a new 11-minute interview with the original members of The Dickies, a tour of the Chiodos studios, and all-new interviews with stars Grant Cramer and Suzanne Snyder along with important members of the production cast. In Behind the Screams, we get a retro VHS style look at the behind the scenes action of the movie and we also, of course, have the beloved deleted scenes and a decent amount of bloopers from the movie. Because with a movie as silly and fun as Killer Klowns, you have to know there’s some gems from that cutting-room floor.

Even if you have one, two, or 6 copies of this movie already, THIS is the one you’ll definitely need in your collection. On that note, I’d like to personally thank Arrow Video for sending me a copy to review for this site, as it obviously didn’t disappoint. You can pick yours up by heading straight to Arrow’s website by clicking here.

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News

Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ Movie To Begin Shooting This Summer!

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And in one fell swoop of nostalgic glory in one day, 90’s kids everywhere are creaming their jeans. Not only did we get news that an Are You Afraid of the Dark movie is slated for a Halloween 2019 release, but that Guillermo del Toro’s vision for the beloved Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books seems to not be as “Cold as Clay” as we had perceived. As news came today via Deadline that the movie is being financed AND projected to be filming as early as this Summer in Toronto.

“Internally screaming”.

Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark’ Movie To Begin Shooting This Summer!

Guillermo del Toro is slated to produce the film along with a credit for co-writing the script alongside Daniel and Kevin Hageman. Sean Daniel, Elizabeth Grave, Jason F. Brown, and J. Miles Dale are also on the roster as producers for the Alvin Schwartz film adaptation with director André Øvredal (Autopsy of Jane Doe, Trollhunter) at the helm.

CBS Films and Entertainment One are co-financing the movie with Sierra/Infinity and E-One reportedly distributing the feature in Canada, U.K., Australia/New Zealand, Germany, Benelux, Spain, Austria, and Switzerland making it available to buyers for the first time at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. While in the USA, CBS Films will distribute the film through good ole’ Lionsgate.

Now excuse me while I go breathe into a paper bag as I can’t even get a grip on all this beautiful news at the moment. Stay tuned as we learn more about this already established (in my eyes) national treasure.

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Horror Nostalgia

Horror Hotlines: Did You Save Michael’s Victim Via the 1-900 Halloween 5 Number?

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Oh, man. You just gotta love those taunting yet glorious 1-900 numbers nestled in between your favorite programming that would cost you your left nut if you dared to dial and rack up a $500 phone bill for some unsuspecting parental units. I love to refer to it as, the forbidden fruit of our youth.
Thanks to the slasher-boom in the ’80s that reared horror to not only appeal to adults but young kids as well with Saturday morning cartoons featuring the likes of The Cryptkeeper and Toxie from The Toxic Avenger, it was inevitable to see 1-900 horror hotlines popping up all over the place trying to lure kids in while going in bone-dry raping your dad’s wallet. Unfortunately for me, I had already felt the unholy wrath of the seven layers of Hell for previously causing a $280 phone bill for that damn beautiful 1-900 FRED hotline that aired through EVERY COMMERCIAL BREAK in Freddy’s Nightmares. You have to admit, however, that it is sure as shit gave you an odd sense of living dangerously while no doubt sprouting a few strands of pectoral hair on your chest if you actually mustered up the balls to call the “$2.99 a minute and $0.99 for each additional minute” retro hotlines. You felt about as bulky as Myers seemed to look in Halloween 5. And of course, even that film had a promo hotline for you to attempt a sneaky listen on that wonderful rotary phone.
michael myers
Ah, 1989; the year a relentlessly angry Michael Myers took his revenge for the fifth time. Directly following the events of Halloween 4, one of my personal favorites of the franchise, Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers never fully lived up to its predecessor with that awkward storyline of a little traumatized and halfway through the film, mute Jamie’s psychic connection to Uncle Boogeyman.  An aging Dr. Loomis is screaming at the kid for what seems like the entire duration of the film, and the good doctor’s intentions have turned obsessive and maddening at this point in the franchise. Also, let us never forget about the confusing as fuck Man in Black bullshit that doesn’t get an explanation until a full movie later.
For some reason or another, I just can’t HATE this movie. Could it have something to do with the fact I dragged my parents to take me to see this movie on Christmas Day in 1989 at my local, old-fashioned brick-built movie theater? Maybe. Nostalgia fuels a lot of passion in me(obviously). But given all the flaws I see in this movie now as an adult, I did love it as a child, so you can’t just crush down those initial feelings. I also remember this installment had a HUGE set of promos prior to its release back in 1989, one of them being a goddamn Halloween 5 hotline. And I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I begged my parents to call it. But alas and per above, I was forever banned from calling any of these fun hotlines, so I never got to hear this one. However, per a lucky family member, here’s what I was told what happened once you dialed:
Dialing 1-900-860-0700 prompted you to guide a potential victim of Michael’s to safety while making you feel like a damn horror hero. The hotline itself aired directly after the end of television promos for the film. The voice on the other end would give you a variety of places that could be found in said film, like the Tower Farm or the Children’s Clinic, to send Michael’s prey for safety. However, any of these Haddonfield hot spots could just be a death trap so you could be very easily sending this character to the hack ‘n’ slash hotel. In which case, I think would have been more fun anyway.
Do you remember this little diddy and did you ever call it? If so, and you have a story, please comment below and share! Shout out to Dinosaur Dracula for uploading this diddy to YouTube for the rest of us to bask in all its cheesy glory!