Ok, this isn’t actually something on
at the cinema right now, but the film is touring at several independent film
festivals and is lining up a UK release as I write this. The director, Billy
Pon, arrived on my radar with his superb short, Doll Boy (a review of which can be found here, and is available to buy here!) so it’s safe to say I was looking forward to
this full-length follow-up. Was I going in expecting too much? Read on to find
out
I’d also like to extend a hearty thanks
to the folks at Bell Cow Films for the screener used to write this review. You
guys are awesome!
Circus of the Dead (2014)
Dir: ‘Bloody
Bill’ Pon
Starring: Bill Oberst
Jr, Parrish Randall, Chanel Ryan, Roger Edwards, Ryan Clapp, Rusty Edwards,
Mike Williams, Brad Potts, Tiffani Fest
SPEEDY SYNOPSIS: As the odds are most of you won’t have seen this film yet, I’ll
try not to spoil too much here, but read on at your own risk.
Circus of the Dead follows the
exploits of a troupe of clowns, who are definitely NOT kiddy birthday
party-friendly. Led by the incredible Bill Oberst Jr as serial rapist and
psychotic mind-game player Papa Corn, the others consist of the chain-smoking,
sardonic Mister Blister (Edwards); the enormous hulking cannibal Noodledome (Clapp, previously
seen delivering the victims in the Doll Boy short) and the bestial, gun-packing
dwarf Jumbo (Williams).
The film starts inside the clowns’
trailer, watching them prepare for a night under the big top while a raucous
crowd chants for their arrival. Within moments we are made aware that these
clowns are monsters in greasepaint. Then comes a quote from killer clown John
Wayne Gacy.
Point made!
In fact, it is during the films
opening moments that we are given a quick peak at the links this film shares
with its predecessor, Doll Boy. To people like myself who love continuity
between horror films, this is a very nice touch.
Soon we are introduced to our
protagonists, Donald Johnson (Randall) and his family, including wife
Tiffany (Ryan) and young daughters Alyssa (Jordan Bell) and Hillary
(Madi Lane). Don is a decent hard-working man who it seems has been neglecting
his duties as a dad and husband, so a trip to the circus for family bonding
time is on the cards.
In the real world, I would applaud
this decision. In a film called Circus of the Dead, it makes me say: ‘Oh shit.’
Speaking of cards, it is upon the
Johnson family’s arrival to the circus (OF THE DEAD!!!!) that we first witness
Papa Corn’s sinister M.O.
Using a battered old pack of Mexican
Lotería cards (described helpfully as ‘like Bingo for Mexicans’) Papa tries to
match the various images on the cards to potential victims and then, if a match
is found, the nightmare begins.
Needless to say the Johnsons are
matches.
Following a genuinely uncomfortable
scene in which the manipulative and terrifying Papa Corn is able to convince Donald
to give him his home address, the pace escalates. Quickly.
Papa and the gang stakeout the
Johnson house where we see that in her loneliness, Tiffany is conducting an illicit
affair with local lawman TC.
Papa, when spying on the pair in bed,
reveals his depravity, drooling, swearing and furiously masturbating (yep, that
happens), before leading a raid on the home.
Later when Donald returns home he
finds the clowns waiting for him.
He doesn’t stand a chance. From here
Donald is pressganged into joining Papa’s troupe, told that if he
does what he is told, when he is told, he will be reunited with his daughters.
If not, the ‘babysitter’ (who Papa refers to as one of his ‘greatest
creations’) will be allowed to do whatever he pleases with them.
So begins a spiraling journey into
insanity as Donald becomes more and more complicit in the vile actions of the
clowns, while the police try to piece together the truth behind these heinous crimes.
BEST BITS (minor spoiler warning): Do you ever
go in to a film a little nervous because you have such high expectations and
you realise you’ll almost certainly be let down? That was how I felt as I
started to watch Circus of the Dead.
I had no reason to be.
This film is a fantastic, low-budget but extremely accomplished
indie horror gem. The story (written by Pon and Lee Ankrum) builds and builds,
it plays by its own logic and never breaks its own rules, something all too
rare in modern horror films.
The film is marvellously shot (as the work of cinematographer Anthony Gutierrez so often is) and carries a gritty, redneck,
West Texan charm that reminded me of The
Devil’s Rejects and (dare I say it) the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
I guarantee that every single review will praise the cast of
this film, and nobody will receive more plaudits than Bill Oberst Jr.
This film really hangs on Oberst’s portrayal as Papa Corn. A
less accomplished actor could have completely derailed the film, but Bill
absolutely nails the role. He is terrifying, charming, demented and positively
Satanic. I wasn’t too aware of Bill’s work before I watched this film, but I
will be watching very keenly from now on. He seems to be a highly prolific
actor judging by his IMDB page and if he can bring half the intensity to his
other roles that he does to this one, he will soon be a very, very famous name.
In fact, his performance, along with Rusty Edwards as Mister
Blister (not to be confused with Mister
Fister!), during the more extreme moments really pull the film together.
There is a sequence that I can only call a mid-movie murder montage™ where shit
REALLY hits the fan. It is visceral and vile and, well, completely awesome.
The gore positively explodes from the screen and the shocking
moments come so thick and fast I honestly couldn’t even guess at what the body
count is for this film.
But that isn’t to say that the film doesn’t have a dark vein of
black humour throughout. It revels in its grindhouse excesses and has a couple
of genuine laugh-out-loud moments. (Papa Corn’s line: ‘I may be a homicidal
serial rapist whose day job happens to be a clown, but I’m not a liar!’ had me in
stitches)
I also think the ending deserves praise, the film builds to its
only logical conclusion and ends on a properly frightening and disturbing note.
Finally some quick points, there is a post-credits stinger that
I really recommend sticking around for. I loved it!
And kudos to whoever picked the Beaumont’s rip-roaring, redneck,
rockabilly ‘If You Don’t Love the Lord’
for the end credits. I honestly cannot think of a better track to encapsulate
the energy of the film.
WORST BITS (minor spoiler warning): This
section is going to be short, as I had very few problems with the film at all.
I imagine some people may be put off by the film‘s runtime (it
clocked in at just shy of two hours). Normally I’m of the opinion that a horror
film needs to be a short sharp shock, but I really think Circus of the Dead justified that length.
Perhaps the earlier scenes could have been trimmed to make it
punchier (it’s over half an hour before Papa et al descend on the Johnson
family home), but I’m patient and feel that nicely building the tension really
adds to a film, rather than detracts from it. I suppose it will be a matter of
personal taste, and to me, it fell on the right side of layering a story rather
than dragging it out.
I did feel that perhaps more focus could have been placed on
Donald and his family. The film follows the clowns for almost the entirety of
its runtime. This means that Donald is a little less compelling than the
nihilistic antagonists. But with Bill Oberst Jr’s mesmerising turn as Papa Corn
I can very much understand why the director may have wanted to keep the camera
on him!
Also, I feel that some people may find this film a little
extreme. The nature of some of the attacks (there is a strong element of sexual
violence and the Madre attack during the montage may cause offence to some) could be seen as
too much to more sensitive viewers. I’d argue that the over-the-top nature of
the film takes the edge away from the worst moments, but those who aren’t great
with more extreme films might be best to think twice about this one.
Finally, nobody made a Miami
Vice joke about the character Don Johnson. MISSED OPPORTUNITY GUYS!
VERDICT: I’m going to
cut straight to the chase — WATCH THIS FILM.
It’s excellent and shows a lot more energy and pride than a lot of big studio horror films. It is extreme at times,
but the nature of horror films is to provoke a visceral reaction in the viewer.
I had belly laughs and a genuine gasp of shock watching
it alone on a small laptop screen — I can only imagine how fantastic an
experience it must be to watch Circus of
the Dead on the big screen with an appreciative crowd. Fingers crossed that
us fans on this side of the pond will get a chance soon. In the meantime, watch
the trailers here and here and wait for more news.
Finally, I bring it back to Papa
Corn. I’m just annoyed that I saw this film after writing my feature on 13 Great Horror Villains From The Last Decade — if I’d watched Circus of the Dead before I wrote it,
Papa Corn would have made the list hands down.
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Until next time, I hope you enjoyed your stay.
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