Circus of the Dead is a horror genre film directed by Billy Pon (Doll Boy) for a screenplay by the director himself and Lee Ankrum. A few days ago the film won "Best Horror Feature" and "Best Horror Actor" (Bill Oberst Jr.) awards at the Tucson Terrorfest: Horror Film Festival. As the title already suggests, the circus has a central position within the film's story, both as a live show accompanied by various acts, and because of the presence of some performers, in detail a company of killer clowns, who mix business with pleasure by letting themselves go in the most murky and unhealthy acts.
The story sees clowns Papa Corn, Noodledome, Mister Blister, Jumbo, and mime Pepe, arrive in town with their circus, Big Top. After giving their performances, the group of clowns are wont to revel all night long armed with knives, hammers and chainsaws. One day Papa Corn involves Donald, husband of a beautiful wife and father of two little girls, in their sadistic games. The psychopaths exploit his presence for their show but also take him along for the ride, forcing him to witness their crimes.
The nature of this film, which will reveal itself to be increasingly deviant as the story progresses, is already visible from the opening sequence where a small scene of necrophilia takes place, however, more akin to the work of a tanatoesthete (obviously with different ends).
The purple-colored circus tent in which the protagonists perform has a sinister yet hypnotic appeal for a subject little exploited in the cinematography of which many films centered on the isolated figure of the clown are instead a part.
In Billy Pon's film, the clown performs his shows and, after entertaining the audience, devotes his time to carrying out what pleases him most and that is crime, staging a private and extremely personal show, focusing on dangerous "games."
Clowning and crime therefore are the main points on which it focuses Circus of the Dead, a violent, sick and ironic film whose protagonists have the distinction of never leaving their characters.
In fact, the violent show they have accustomed audiences to continues outside the circus giving free rein to their sadism. With their faces made up and wearing stage clothes, the four evil clowns Noodledome, Mister Blister and Jumbo, led by the diabolical Papa Corn, engage in inhuman acts by indulging in bloody crimes carried out with unprecedented violence and coldness.
Immense Bill Oberst Jr. as Papa Corn, a role that seems to have been sewn on him. The actor plays the deranged, perverted clown admirably, and his acting proof leaves the viewer stunned. A charismatic emblem of the circus and the film, his is the figure who holds the threads of the story by pulling them at will. The presence of the clowns in Circus of the Dead makes every place in which these are present (from the RV, to the circus, to the victims' house, to the gas station) suffocating, credit to the perfect characterization of the characters to which is added an apt use of their costumes and their actions that make them extraordinary villains equally unforgettable, as is the film itself.
The long duration of Circus of the Dead (about one hour and forty-eight minutes) does not bore as the film is full of twists and turns and original gimmicks that keep the viewer's interest alive. As if in a circus, the latter savors the splatter and gore show by following the horrifying exploits of this scary but also funny group of clowns who derive pleasure from the pain of others.
The torture and murder sequences executed with sadism and a constant sarcastic tone are commendable, thanks not only to the skill of the cast but also to the remarkable special effects by Oddtopsy FX, Marcus Koch, Matthew Ash and Heather Buckley whose work gives the aforementioned sequences a strong visual impact. Not to be outdone is the cinematography (Gaeb Ramirez) in dark or bright colors, which alternate depending on the film's creepy or not so creepy moments.
Circus of the Dead is a film that deals comprehensively with the figure of the evil clown turning into an interminable nightmare for those suffering from coulrophobia. It starts from a cue, which is a phrase by serial killer John Wayne Gacy, Circus of the dead enjoys a very interesting story whose fascination also lies in the use of circus performances. The body parts that serve almost as ornaments are reminiscent of the human trophies of another well-known killer (Ed Gein) and are the most macabre part of the film along with a sequence that highlights a well-known paraphilia.
Definitely outstanding title, Circus of the Dead enjoys a brilliant script and direction. The theme addressed in the film and the way the story is brought out will satisfy fans of films set in circuses or starring characters from such shows, or, with masochism, those suffering from coulrophobia.
Also in the cast in addition to Bill Oberst Jr. (The Chair, M Is for Masochist, Children of Sorrow, Krampus: The Christmas Devil, The Black Water Vampire...) are Parrish Randall (Imago, Possum Walk), Chanel Ryan (Society - The Horror), Roger Edwards, Ryan Clapp (Doll Boy), Rusty Edwards, Mike Williams, Brad Potts, Tiffani Fest (Blood Island), Kyle Mueller and Sergio Gracida.
Circus of the Dead is produced by Billy Pon's own Bloody Bill Productions and Aaron Ray Ballard and Melissa Land while Pon Bing Chun and Barry Christopher are the executive producers.
