Horror fans are no strangers to blood and gore, with movies like Antichrist, A serbian film and Cannibal holocaust all vying for the top spot.
Yet a film by Damien Leone has pushed the boundaries of on-screen violence to such an extreme that audiences say it’s the most chilling film series ever made.
The movie has particularly shocked viewers with what many describe as ‘the most graphic X-rated scene’ in modern horror cinema.
One viewer says: “It left me shaken with its disturbingly graphic violence and X-rated content.”
Another adds: “It created the most disturbing horror experience I’ve had in years with its shockingly graphic and X-rated brutality.”
A third fan declares: “Despite the disturbing, graphic, and X-rated content, it’s a modern horror masterpiece.”
Meanwhile, others claim they’ve ‘never seen anything like it’ and say it’s ‘the most disturbing film ever made.’
The films, featuring the silent but deadly Art the Clown (played by David Howard Thornton), have become infamous for their unflinching depictions of brutal violence.
While the 2016 film was made on a shoestring budget of just $35,000-$55,000, its success has allowed subsequent entries to amp up both the storytelling and the gore factor.
The director consistently pushed the envelope with each new installment, from the first film’s notorious hacksaw scene to the sequel’s bedroom massacre that reportedly caused audience members to faint in theaters .
Despite – or perhaps because of – its extreme content, the Terrifier franchise has become increasingly successful.
The original film, released in 2016, made just over $416,000 on its modest budget. Terrifier 2 saw a massive jump to $15.7 million in 2022, and Terrifier 3 has already earned nearly $50 million and counting.
The word-of-mouth buzz generated by reports of the film’s shocking content has undoubtedly contributed to its commercial success, proving that in horror, sometimes the most extreme offerings find the most passionate audience.
Leone has been open about his intention to push boundaries with each film, telling interviewers that he sought to ‘outdo all other Art the Clown movies’ with Terrifier 3, both in narrative depth and in ‘sheer gore,’ per screen rent.
Those who prefer their horror with less explicit violence might want to steer clear – this is one clown show that definitely isn’t for the faint of heart.
