This week we’re talking the Terrifier franchise on Revenge of Graphic Content. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

Apologies for the delay since the last post, back in… February? Wow. A lot has been going on in my life, but nothing will ever keep me away from horror. Speaking of horror, let’s jump into it.

Terrifier Franchise: Perhaps I treated you too harshly

To say I have had a tumultuous relationship to the Terrifier franchise is to put it lightly. I first approached the series during my 31 Days of Halloween essay project in 2024, where I had watched the first two films. In the time since, I have seen Terrifier 3, and re-watched the trilogy again. While I still have my criticisms about elements of the franchise, I will admit that the series has really grown on me and I consider it to be quite iconic; Maybe one of the most iconic series of horror films within the last 15 to 20 years or so.

So, what changed? What are my feelings now? What sparked this reappraisal?

It’s still kind of a mess, but in a fun kind of way?

Before getting into why I look at the Terrifier franchise a little differently, I should note that my assessment of the films still largely remains. I enjoyed the majority of the first film but found the move to the supernatural uninspired and damaged my overall impressions of start of what will be a quadrilogy. This only got worse with the commitment to the bit in Terrifier2 and Terrifier 3.

I don’t like the loss of the grounded, ugly psychopathy of Art the Clown. I still consider it the first film becoming a tool in a larger cosmic conflict between Heaven and Hell to be it’s biggest flaw. It comes off as a graft of self-importance to something that proved more interesting in a simpler, meaner state. Knowing Art as a tool of demonic forces just feels safe, rather than transgressive, especially for a film series that aims to be transgressive through depictions of violence. The cosmic struggle ironically makes the series feel safer and less terrifying.

While I don’t agree with how Damien Leone chose to shift the series, it is not about my choice. I need to take the art on its greasepaint face and either embrace it or not. With my re-watch of the film I have since accepted the direction it is going and bought into it to a degree. I don’t think the cosmic struggle is worth the squeeze, but if it gives me more horrific gore to enjoy in a 4th Terrifier film, then I will roll with it.

But if I am still so bitchy about the aspects of the film series, why am I reappraising it and finding myself more positive about it overall?

Terrifier still courtesy of Fancaps.net — It all started with the damn smile.

Haunted Houses and Art as an Icon

Ultimately, two things helped me to look at the Terrifier franchise with a new sense of acceptance. Hell, I am happy to admit I am a fan.

The first thing was seeing some graffiti in my Podunk SoCal town that depicted Art the Clown. The second was attending Universal Studios Hollywood’s “Halloween Horror Nights” this year. Both these points lean toward a central idea a single word: Icon.

Art the Clown is pretty goddamn cool as far as horror characters go. He has the recognition and the popularity. In many ways, the ascendance of Art the Clown through Terrifier evokes some of the greater slasher icons in horror history. Seeing him in his recognizable, stripped down form as graffiti art on the side of a paint-supply building reduces the idea to a singular image that is unidentifiably the character. Art the Clown is a capital-T Thing in horror.

This was only further emphasized to me in my trip to Universal Studios where among the festivities, the Terrifier house and the roaming Art the Clowns around the park were absolute standouts. Terrifier, by far, was the most popular of the scare attractions when I attended, even dwarfing wait times for the ever pervasive Five Nights at Freddy’s walk through.

It all just clicked for me then. I was most excited for the Terrifier walk through. It was exciting to round a corner of the park to see the Clown roaming around. It was great to see him menace park goers with a sudden honk of a horn. I saw him expressed as an icon on the side of a building in my town.

Art the Clown is today’s Freddy Krueger. Today’s Michael Myers. Today’s Jason Voorhees.

Art is a horror icon.

Terrifier 2 still courtesy of Fancaps.net — Art the Clown is so relatable. He has to do his laundry too!

Terrifier, you’re cool with me

While I still have my issues with choices made in the films and general criticisms, I have really grown to enjoy them. I am able to buy into what Leone is selling and go along with the ride, hoping to see some gooey, fucked up kill I’ve not seen before in the fourth film, whenever that arrives. Just as not every film in other slasher icon oeuvre wins me over, I still find joy in the characters. They still give me that haunted house joy.

And I guess I even give a shit about the overall story now, if I think about it. Who knew that crazy clown was so magnetic?

I’m sure Damien Leone did.

Terrifier 3 still from Fancaps.et — Alright, enough clowning around.

Thanks for reading this installment of Revenge of Graphic Content. Please share your thoughts on this post in the comments below. If you want to support my writing, please consider supporting be on Ko-Fi. Special thanks to Fancaps.net for the Terrifier franchise stills.