Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Killer Klowns and River Beast

Netflix currently offers Killer Klowns from Outer Space for your delectation. I watched the first minutes this morning, to wet my whistle. The movie shows the value of riding the thunder, going with the wild idea. I have seen the movie before and welcome this opportunity to watch again.

Hollywood A-movies scale for everybody, the hopeful sortilege of blockbuster. B-movies, amongst which Killer Klowns nestles nicely, depend less on scope (of budget mainly) and more on energy, the thrill of throwing scarce ducats at wild ideas. To watch this movie is to revel, I say revel, in the idea: of killer klowns, from outer space. The creative energy becomes a palpable thing.

That’s not to say that Nobody doesn’t star, and Forgetable doesn’t have way too many lines. That doesn’t matter. And just to say, the guy from Animal House as the Sheriff is perfect casting.

I don’t mean to review it now, I haven’t seen the movie in years, but just note how compelling the movie is to me. Hollywood’s algorthims of composed mercantile delight never ceases to unamaze me. Movies outside that commercial imperative can offer a satisfying jolt, as if someone had their own idea.

Which brings me to a further lucky find. Amazon Prime has a gem called Don’t Let the River Beast Get You. I watched this on some now forgotten platform. Not remembering it’s title in Googlish terms, I could not relocate it till now. I even downloaded it onto my phone that I might study it.

Whereas Killer Klowns presents some decidedly creepy mayhem amidst its wackiness, River Beast barely registers for horror despite its title character. It’s a little like Creature from the Black Lagoon but with a wry, skewed humour and relentless homemade feel. Indeed, it was filmed along the Merrimack River in Manchester, NH, and other local environs. This post is just a warning that I will write further on these two movies. Also, I invite you to partake of their delicate mysteries yourself.

No comments: