If you are a fan of horror movies, you might have heard of Terrifier, a slasher film that features a homicidal clown named Art who terrorizes and kills his victims on Halloween night. But did you know that Terrifier is not the first appearance of Art the Clown? In fact, he originated from two short films that were later incorporated into an anthology film called All Hallows Eve. Here is the truth behind Art the Clown and his connection to both films.
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The Origins of Art the Clown
Art the Clown was created by Damien Leone, a filmmaker who wanted to make a recurring slasher franchise villain. He first introduced Art as a background character in his directorial debut short film, The 9th Circle (2008), which follows a young woman named Casey who is abducted by Art and brought to a satanic cult for a sacrifice. Art was merely a supporting character in this film, but he caught the attention of audiences who liked his creepy design and mannerisms.
Leone decided to make Art the main antagonist in his next short film, Terrifier (2011), where he stalks and torments a young woman who witnesses one of his murders at a gas station. This film showcased Art’s sadistic personality and brutal methods of killing, as well as his signature weapons: a cat o’ nine tails, a scalpel, a hacksaw, and a cleaver.
The Anthology Film: All Hallows Eve
In 2013, Leone released his feature film debut, All Hallows Eve, which is an anthology film that incorporates the two previous short films as segments on VHS tapes that the film’s protagonist, Sarah, watches with the children she’s babysitting on Halloween night. The film also adds a third segment that involves an alien invasion and a twist ending that reveals that Art has entered the real world and murdered the children for Sarah to find.
All Hallows Eve was met with mixed reviews from critics and audiences, who praised Art’s performance and makeup, but criticized the low-budget production values, the weak acting, and the inconsistent tone. Some also felt that the alien segment was out of place and did not fit with the rest of the film.
The Slasher Film: Terrifier
In 2016, Leone released Terrifier, which is a slasher film that is set in a separate continuity from All Hallows Eve. In Terrifier, Art inhabits Miles County and pursues two partygoers, Tara and Dawn, on Halloween night. After killing Dawn, he targets Tara’s sister Victoria, who is the lone survivor. Victoria fights against Art until he runs her over with a pickup truck and eats half of her face off, leaving her disfigured. Before he can kill her, the police confront him at gunpoint, and he commits suicide.
However, it is revealed that Art has supernatural abilities and comes back to life at the morgue. He then kills the coroner and escapes into the night. The film ends with Victoria being blamed for Art’s murders and being locked up in a mental institution.
Terrifier was more well-received than All Hallows Eve, as it was praised for its gore effects, its homage to 80s slasher films, and its performance by David Howard Thornton, who replaced Mike Giannelli as Art. Thornton brought more humor and charisma to the role, making Art more expressive and unpredictable. The film also featured some memorable scenes of violence, such as Art sawing a woman in half from her groin to her head.
The Sequel: Terrifier 2
In 2020, Leone announced that he was working on a sequel to Terrifier, titled Terrifier 2. The sequel follows Sienna Shaw, a young woman who becomes Art’s new target after she survives a massacre on Halloween night. Sienna teams up with Victoria to stop Art once and for all. The sequel also promises to reveal more about Art’s origins and motivations.
Terrifier 2 was released in theaters on October 6th 2022 and received positive reviews from critics and fans alike. The film was praised for its improved storyline, its character development, its suspenseful atmosphere, and its increased gore level. The film also featured some shocking twists and turns that left audiences stunned.
Conclusion
So is All Hallows Eve related to Terrifier? The answer is yes and no. Both films feature Art the Clown as the main villain, but they are set in different universes and have different tones and styles. All Hallows Eve is an anthology film that mixes supernatural horror with sci-fi elements, while Terrifier is a slasher film that focuses on realistic horror with dark comedy elements.
However, both films are worth watching if you are a fan of horror movies and want to see how Art the Clown evolved from a minor character to a major icon. Art the Clown is one of the most terrifying and fascinating villains in modern horror, and he is not going away anytime soon. According to Leone, he has plans for a third and final film in the Terrifier series, as well as a possible spin-off or prequel. Until then, you can enjoy watching Art the Clown on Screambox, Tubi, Plex, FuboTV, Vudu, iTunes, and Google Play. Just be prepared for some nightmares..
