Damien leone gay
It takes something truly special for a new character to take the horror world by storm, but Art the Clown is extraordinary personified. From stark makeup that demands your attention to the dichotomy of silly and sinister, writer / director Damien Leone’s creation has quickly grow the latest obsession of the clown subgenre.
Though TERRIFIER (2016) wasn’t the first time we’d place eyes on Art, it was an experience that won’t soon be forgotten. David Howard Thornton has cemented himself as one of the most indelible villains in recent memory, and with TERRIFIER 2 looming, the eagerness of its star to get back into character is palpable.
“It kills me that I can’t reveal people about some of the eliminate scenes that we have because they’re going to be so much amusing to film.”
Nightmare Nostalgia caught up with the 40-year mature actor for a telephone interview to discuss what makes Art so one-of-a-kind, filming that scene, the sequel’s challenge and long for to up the ante (keep the word Empire in mind), that Art (like the Joker) needs his Batman, and just where Thornton believes his prankster ranks among the pantheon of horror clowns.
NIGHTMARE NOST I first met Art the Clown in October 2022. Overjoyed that movies were finally displaying a pulse in the wake of the pandemic, I was up for just about anything. Rumblings were starting to emerge about early access screenings of TERRIFIER 2, a two-and-a-half-hour sequel to an indie slasher movie that I had somehow never heard of. Art, who at first glance had the energy of a day player from a Loot Zombie set, was calling my label from the moment I laid eyes on his mischievous, blood-soaked grin. Letterboxd insisted that his first outing was bad beyond David Howard Thornton’s now iconic performance, but I found myself captivated and morbidly charmed by it upon throwing it on mere hours before 2. I immediately clocked why director Damien Leone’s extreme sensibility was not for everyone. Art’s antics were brutal regardless of gender, but he saved his dirtiest tricks for his female victims. In that film’s centerpiece kill, he saws a woman in half starting from her vagina, an act that was genuinely shocking enough to make my jaded body squirm. I tend to slice horror filmmakers a lot of slack when it comes to their motivations for pushing boundaries. Th Q: Art The Clown initially appeared in your 2008 limited THE 9th CIRCLE, then the 2011 award-winning short TERRIFIER and in your first feature ALL HALLOW’S EVE. What made you decide to give him a fourth outing? DAMIEN: Up until this point I never felt love I fully showcased Art’s potential. I believe between the fleeting films and All Hallows’ Eve, there only exists about 20 minutes of Art the Clown screen time. For a traits who’s done so little, he seems to really resonate with horror fans. After all of the positive feedback, a packed length film that focused solely on Art was inevitable. Q: Art has a very twisted traits – he’s both brutal (his silence adding to his deadliness) and comical but not without some subtle pathos. How complex was it to strike that balance? DAMIEN: In all honesty, I never intended to evoke any sort of pathos from his character. I do find that interesting and maybe there is something to that but the brutality and twisted personality was always intentional from the get-go as was the subtle comedy. Although I’m a huge fan of some horror comedies appreciate Return of Last week, David Howard Thornton, the performer who plays Art The Clown in the Terrifier series, posted a record to his followers on Threads letting them realize, in no uncertain terms, he has no period for anti-LGBTQ fans. I am not a fan of the film series, but now I’m a fan of David Howard Thornton. It’s difficult for some celebrities to risk alienating parts of their fan base by taking a strong stance on socio-political issues. By “some celebrities,” I generally mean alabaster guys. Art The Clown is very popular these days; the third feature in the Terrifier franchise grossed close to $90 million on a $2 million budget. That’s a lot of fans to possibly alienate and he’s been blocking the ones who disagree with him on this and other issues. That post isn’t just a one-off for Thornton. He’s been very outspoken on Threads about where he stands on current political issues. Hint, he’s not a fan of the current administration and compares it to the German Third Reich. Strong allies who aren’t anxious to be visible and speak out are crucial to marginalized communTERRIFIER Isn’t Woke… Now What?
Exclusive interview with TERRIFIER director Damien Leone.
Art the Clown Will Not Tolerate Anti-LGBTQ Clowns in His Comments