The 5 Scariest Horror Movie Clowns That Still Haunt Our Dreams

Growing up in El Paso I have fond memories of clowns. Freckles the clown was my favorite clown because he came to one of my birthday parties and brought his balloon animals and made my party a great time!

Well, these days I have a love and hate relationship with clowns and honestly… I blame the movies!! Art the Clown GIVES ME NIGHTMARES!! And let’s not even talk about Pennywise who now has me scared of clowns AND red balloons!

Clowns were supposed to make us laugh, not send us running for therapy!! But Hollywood clearly missed that memo and decided to turn birthday party icons into full-blown nightmares.

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I decided to be part of the problem and ask El Pasoans who they consider to be the scariest clown in horror movie history and the responses did not disappoint! Check out their responses below!

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Top 5 scariest clowns that’ll make you rethink ever attending a circus again

5. Captain Spaulding (House of 1000 Corpses, 2003)
Greasy makeup, maniacal grin, and a laugh that sounds like pure chaos. Rob Zombie’s Captain Spaulding made roadside attractions officially terrifying.

4. Clown Doll (Poltergeist, 1982)
Every ‘80s kid’s worst fear. This toy looked harmless — until it wasn’t. That smile? Menacing. Those eyes? Definitely watching you sleep.

3. Twisty the Clown (American Horror Story: Freak Show, 2014)
Technically TV, but too iconic to skip. Twisty’s silent rage and horrifying half-mask gave viewers nightmares for weeks. Balloons? Forever ruined.

2. Art the Clown (Terrifier, 2016)
No words. Just violence, creepiness, and an unsettling smile that never fades. Art doesn’t need to speak — his silence is scarier than any scream.

1. Pennywise (IT, 1990 & 2017)
The king of all evil clowns. Whether you prefer Tim Curry’s sinister charm or Bill Skarsgård’s haunting stare, Pennywise is the reason no one goes near storm drains anymore.

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