October 15, 2016 (Telluride)
March 15, 2018 (United States)
Terrifier is a 2016 American independent slasher film written and directed by Damien Leone. The film stars Jenna Kanell, Samantha Scaffidi, David Howard Thornton, and Catherine Corcoran. The plot centers on partygoer Tara Heyes (Kanell) and her sister Victoria (Scaffidi), who become targets of the enigmatic serial killer known only as Art the Clown (Thornton) on Halloween night.
Leone had created the character of Art the Clown for his 2006 short film The 9th Circle and then did another short with Terrifier in 2011. These shorts would generate interest for what became an anthology film in All Hallows' Eve, which contained both segments. With the film, Leone wrote it specifically as a means of showcasing the character of Art and his practical effects work, such as the controversial hacksaw death scene. Leone has expressed regret for leaving the protagonists underdeveloped.
Leone tried to raise funds for Terrifier with an Indiegogo campaign, which fell short of its goal. However, producer Phil Falcone helped contribute funds to help make the film in exchange for a producer credit. Mike Giannelli, who portrayed all prior incarnations of Art, retired from acting before production began, and Thornton replaced him as Art. Made on a low budget of $35,000, the film premiered at the Telluride Horror Show Film Festival in October 2016, before being picked up by Dread Central Presents and Epic Pictures for a limited theatrical release in March 2018. The film received mixed reviews, with praise directed towards the special effects and the portrayals of Kanell and Thornton, while the writing was subject to criticism. The movie quickly became a cult film and spawned a film franchise. A sequel, Terrifier 2, was released on October 6, 2022, and a third film, Terrifier 3, was released theatrically on October 11, 2024.
Storyline
Also See
Sound Effects Used
- HALF-LIFE 2 WEAPON FALL SOUNDS
- Hollywoodedge, Shotgun Drop On Hard PE409201/SoundDogs, Weapons-Shotguns, Movement - Shotgun Drop Albino Alligator
- SKYWALKER, CRUNCH - BODY BREAKING CRUNCHES WITH BLOOD SPILLING
- SKYWALKER, CRUNCH - CRUNCHING CHOKE
- SKYWALKER, MUSIC - DEEP, OMINOUS BASS TONE
- SKYWALKER, MUSIC - DOLBY SYNTH SAMPLE
- SKYWALKER, SQUISH - BLOOD SQUISHING
- Unknown Sound Effects Library, Flesh Squelches and Blood Splatters