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For all its flaws, Powder is still worthwhile for attempting to be unique and well intentioned. The film's qualities were overshadowed after its 1995 release when it was revealed that writer-director Victor Salva had served 15 months in prison for molesting a child actor during production of the 1988 TV movie Clownhouse. Controversy aside, Powder is a welcome step off the beaten path with sufficient strengths to balance its weaknesses. Fantasy and drama combine in the story of a teenager known as Powder for his snow-white skin. Powder is introduced into a tiny Texas community after spending his entire life in his grandparents' basement. He's a wise genius, but an outcast, alienated by those who misunderstand and fear him. When a schoolmaster (Mary Steenburgen) and science teacher (Jeff Goldblum) discover that Powder has a capacity for empathic insight and possesses the power to control electricity, the unusual boy becomes a tragic Christ-like figure--peaceful, prophetic, and perhaps too good to survive in the real world. In telling this heartfelt story, Powder struggles to be all things to all viewers--equal parts E.T. and The Elephant Man--which compromises its overall impact. But even though it's not a great movie, it sincerely tries to accomplish something original and wonderful, and that's more than most movies can claim. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (82)

Magnificent, deeply moving parable
Every so often, a movie comes out of nowhere which touches you so deeply, on so many levels, that it stays in your heart forever. "Powder" (1995) is such a movie.

The premise is deceptively simple: Following the death of his last remaining adult guardian on their isolated farm, a young albino man nicknamed 'Powder' (Sean Patrick Flanery) is taken into the custody of local authorities. But his genius IQ and ability to harness electricity - leading to spectacular displays of apparently 'magical' behavior - arouses the suspicions of frightened townsfolk, and while he's able to change some people's lives for the better (and how!), others are too consumed by hatred to accept this strange, unique outsider. Thus, the stage is set for potential tragedy...

Writer-director Victor Salva (also responsible for the superb "Rites of Passage", 1998) has constructed a modern parable which works both as a simple entertainment and as a powerful meditation on the nature of Good and Evil. Episodic in structure, the narrative pitches Powder's strange appearance and gentle manner against some of the worst aspects of the human condition - bigotry, mistrust, cruelty - and though Salva makes a brave attempt to portray these shameful characteristics in various shades of grey, his script acknowledges that some people are defined by their hatred and cannot easily be changed. That said, whilst the film doesn't flinch from the rough stuff, it's ultimately a joyous celebration of the human spirit: Though evil flourishes, goodness prevails.

"Powder" contains a wealth of memorable moments, but some scenes are truly outstanding, such as Powder's first appearance as a ghost-like figure hovering in the darkness of the cellar where he's been hiding since his grandfather's death; the beautiful/terrible moment in the dining hall of the reformatory when Powder realizes he's never going to be accepted by his peers, no matter how hard he tries; the emotionally devastating sequence with the wounded deer (absolutely unforgettable!); and the sheriff's (Lance Henriksen) last desperate attempt to communicate with his terminally-ill wife (a touching, wordless performance by Dannete McMann). Few other 'fantasy' films of recent years have been so deeply, profoundly moving as this.

Production values are top-notch all the way down the line: From Jerzy Zielinski's beautiful, flawless cinematography, to Jerry Goldsmith's low-key score; from Waldemar Kalinowski's unobtrusive production design, to Dennis M. Hill's expert editing - this is the work of talented craftspeople operating at the top of their game, perfectly in tune with the director's intentions. But the real magic is conjured by a superb cast: Top-billed Mary Steenburgen and Jeff Goldblum are quietly effective in virtual supporting roles, while Brandon Smith underplays the part of a bigoted deputy sheriff whose life is changed forever by his encounter with the title character. As always, Lance Henriksen (who also played the lead in Salva's earlier "The Nature of the Beast", 1994) distinguishes himself as a humane but disillusioned lawman whose convictions are thoroughly shaken by Powder's remarkable abilities. Look out, also, for terrific turns by Bradford Tatum (as the leader of the bullies who make life a misery for Powder), Missy Crider (the potential love-interest) and the always-wonderful Susan Tyrrell (the sheriff's well-meaning but narrow-minded housekepeper) in small but crucial roles.

But the heart and soul of the picture is, of course, Powder himself, played with heartbreaking sensitivity by Sean Patrick Flanery. Almost unrecognizable beneath an unusual makeup job (by industry veterans Thomas R. Burman and Bari Dreiband-Burman) which preserves much of his natural beauty whilst also emphasizing the characters' appealing otherworldliness, he plays Powder without any trace of self-pity; instead, he highlights the kindness and vulnerability of a Christ-like figure whose greatest curse is his total comprehension of the world and its inequities, and by his understanding that he'll never be a part of it (when a vicious thug whispers in his ear: "You really think you can be like us...?", you half-expect Powder to reply: "Who'd WANT to be?!"). Powder embodies many of the qualities which are largely absent from our own lives - goodness, compassion, and an appreciation of Nature in all its rich diversity - and Flanery captures those qualities with vivid grace. Of all the fine performances in this exceptional film, his is the most dignified and triumphant.

Though aimed at the widest possible audience, "Powder"s theme of the persecuted loner will strike a real emotional chord with anyone who's ever found themselves on the sidelines, watching the rest of the world go by. This is a movie which speaks loudest to the outsiders amongst us, the disenfranchised and the dispossessed. It will be warmly embraced by anyone who's ever reached out to others and been rejected...anyone who's ever felt lost and afraid, or found themselves alone in the dark...anyone who's ever believed that the world has turned its back on them because of WHO and WHAT they are...anyone who's ever stood aside from the crowd and refused to relinquish their ideals in the face of overwhelming odds..."Powder" is THEIR movie, their glimmer of hope. Once seen, never forgotten.

Hollywood Pictures' region 1 DVD surely deserves a major overhaul. The letterboxed image (1.85:1) is beautifully detailed but prone to all the drawbacks of non-anamorphic encoding, while the uncomplicated 5.1 soundtrack merely serves to reinforce the drama. The disc - which runs 101m 32s - is captioned, but there are no other extras, not even a trailer, which is disappointing. Because of the unfortunate events surrounding the original theatrical release, Salva may not be willing to revisit the picture for any future special edition, but an audio commentary with the director and Flanery - much like Salva's fascinating collaboration with Jason Behr on Wolfe Video's superb DVD edition of "Rites of Pssage" - would be more than welcome. All in all, five stars for the movie, two for the DVD.

My favorite character in all of Film
Although this movie earned mixed reviews, and forever seems doomed to mediocrity(like all good art), Powder is one of those movies that is completely unforgettable. After you watch the movie, you will ruminate over it for days. It is that powerful.

Powder is our hero, a teenager who is misunderstood and unloved, even by his own family. When he emerges into our world from his grandparents' basement, he cannot even comprehend how cruel people can be every day.

Some films have various layers you have to get underneath before they go to your heart, like Forrest Gump. Powder is a film that will go straight to your heart, and will not leave.

The setting in which the movie takes place is rural middle America, but seems like another world. The entire movie is akin to a dream. It will probably wont make you cry when you see it, but rather when you have time to fully digest what you have just watched.

The best part about this movie is it provides deep emotion without being visually disturbing or graphic. It keeps a very respectable PG-13 rating. You can even feel sorry for the antagonists in the film, and soon you start to empathize with Powder. You could call it a teen Forrest Gump, although Powder's character is less real, but more beautiful than Forrest.

I highly recommend this movie. I have talked to ruffian-type teenagers who saw this movie and they despised it. This is because they saw themselves in the antagonists so vividly, that it deeply disturbed them. I liked that. This movie is 10 stars, all the way. Watch it, think about it, treasure it.

Good.
'Powder' is a good movie. It comes on T.V. fairly often so check it out.

Chowder!
The only reason I wrote this review is because I wanted to say "Chowder!" Three stars, movie was neither good nor bad.

1 star is way too generous.
This is easily one of the worst movies i have ever seen in my life. I am all but shocked that they even financed this movie to dvd.

Avoid like the plague. Stay as far away as possible from this movie. Much like young ones should stay as far away as possible from the director. ... Read more

Reviews (507)

"That's not my scarecrow." - The Cat Lady
Boy, do I feel slow on the uptake...I've seen this film twice now, and I just got the 'other' meaning of the license plate on the Creeper's truck. I guess if it were a snake, it would have bit me...oh well...I may not get there the quickest, but I will get there...eventually.

Jeepers Creepers (2001) is a fun, interesting, stylistic film that runs out of gas about halfway through, but still had enough going for it to earn critical and commercial success, spawning a sequel, Jeepers Creepers II (2003) which broke Labor Day box office records for that year. Written and directed by the controversial Victor Salva, who also did the chilling horror film Clownhouse (1988) and Powder (1995), Jeepers Creepers brings to life (or death) a new figure in the Hollywood creature pantheon with the Creeper, a demonic looking figure that awakens every 23 years and feeds for 23 days, according to legend.

The film stars Gina Phillips as Trish and Justin Long as her brother Derry, traveling together by car a lonely and desolate country highway on their way home from college. After a scary incident with an old truck, the two witness a sinister, cloaked figure unceremoniously dumping what appears to body sized parcels wrapped in cloth and rope down a large, corrugated metal pipe next to a boarded up church. Also parked nearby is the same truck that nearly ran them off the road earlier. Once past the old church, the two begin to question what exactly they saw, but are soon joined again by the mysterious truck, more intent than ever now to ram their car, and drive them off the road. After losing the truck, the two go back to the church, despite Trish's protests, to investigate. Derry proceeds to do something stupid, and see something no human was mean to see...oh, he did confirm what they originally thought, that the figure was indeed dumping bodies down this large drain, but that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. What other secrets are uncovered? What is the nature of the creature? Do Trish and Derry survive long enough to get help?

I thought the makeup and such on the Creeper looked quite good and suitably malevolent. And the revelations revealed about this character came at a nice, even clip as the plot unfolded. There were a number of minor points where one could argue that the plot is weak or very thin, and I would have a hard time disagreeing, especially during the last half hour of the film. I really enjoyed the scenes that focused on something in the foreground, but provided enough leeway on the screen to see something in the background, even if it was fuzzy and out of focus, before the characters on the screen understood what was happening. Cheap scares are had here, as things pop out 'and go boo!' but there is also a nice build up of real tension throughout the film, along with a smattering of comedy, usually of the sarcastic kind, to temper the horror. The weakness of the film comes from the predictability of the second half of the film. The original beginning had brought forth high hopes, but these hopes diminished slightly as the film eventually tread the path repetition as most end up doing, but at least this one did so with style and professionalism most uncommon with those in the same genre.

You may recognize Justin Long from TV's Ed were he plays Warren Parker Cheswick. It's pretty much the same affable character played in this film, but a little bit older and a little more cynical. Gina Philips is quite lovely, with her flowing, brownish hair and doe eyed appearance that conflicts with her more cynical than her brother attitude. Both actors did a wonderful job, showing a mixture of inherent and hard earned talent, the kind gained through lots of work and dedication.

The picture here, available in both wide screen and full screen, looks wonderful and crisp. Special features include theatrical trailers, a photo gallery, deleted, extended, and alternate scenes, behind the scenes featurettes (six), and a commentary track with director Victor Salva. Many of these features are located on the flip side of the disc, with the film being on the other side. I guess the one thing I took away from this film more than anything else is if you see a darkened figure dumping what appears to be bodies down a sewer pipe next to an abandoned church, just keep on moving. You can make a report at the next town, for sure, but avoid actually crawling into the pipe to confirm what you already know.

Cookieman108

Fun frights, but ultimately disturbing...
This movie is no masterpiece, but it is very entertaining. I liked it because I'm a huge fan of horror flicks, and this one combines many elements of many classic horror films. First of all, the brother/sister banter in the car is reminiscent of "Night of the Living Dead". The car chase by the unseen stranger in a big truck is right out of Steven Spielberg's "Duel". The main hook in the storyline about a big creepy dude collecting bodies is pure "Phantasm". The monster itself seems to be a gargoyle - he resembles the monsters from an outstanding TV-movie from the 70's called "Gargoyles". The monster also has a bit of the "Creature from the Black Lagoon" in his look. Thankfully, he doesn't talk, but he does whistle. And that song is really what this whole movie is all about. That tune, combined with the ad nauseum foreshadowing establishing our young hero's virtual exophthalmos, explains exactly why this creeper is so hot to get his claws on our young hero - and this is confirmed in the film's final shot. I doubt that there will be a sequel - this is a stand-alone flick. My only complaint: it breaks a cardinal rule of fair play in horror movies. I hate when that happens....

I give this movie -20 stars
This is the worst, most unoriginal movie ever. Terrible acting. Terrible plot. Monster as scary as Mickey Mouse. I like horro movies. I like even terrible horror movies. This movie is its own genre of dung. Save a few hours of your life and watch something else. Anyone who likes this movie is a nerd and don't listen to their advice to watch it.

Awful
One of the worst movies of all time. The acting sucks, the plot sucks, the monster looks just stupid, the 2 kids acting were almost as bad as the movie. What sane person is gonna see somebody throw a body down a pipe covered up and tied up and then go look whats going on. C'mon thats just stupid nobody in this world would do that. Save your time, money, sanity, and self respect dont watch this stupid sh*t Its one of the worse movies ever made

weak
high expectation when i put the dvd to watch it.... in the end, disappointed. an average movie, very predictable, we don't know who the creeper is and where does he come from.. there are better movies in the categorie. watch it in the tv... ... Read more

Reviews (152)

A disappointing sequel that creeps in the wrong direction
What now gets to be referred to as the original "Jeepers Creepers" had one of the best first half-hours I have ever seen in a horror film. It was not until I found out what the Creeper was supposed to be that I find myself requesting a respite from sexual intercourse. I thought the film was working just fine without the whole winged demon from whatever hell bit, and the rest of the film was all down hill. The film did well enough to warrant a sequel (how many horror films even manage great openings?) and writer director Victor Salva is back to continue the tale.

The movie begins with the basic "rules," by informing us that every 23 years, for 23 days, it gets to eat. We then find out that we are up to day 22 where the Creeper (Jonathan Breck) snatches his next victim and kicks off the major subplot of the film, which is the quest of farmer Jack Tagger (Ray Wise) to get the thing that took his boy. We then jump ahead to day 23, at which point we are introduced to a bus full of teenagers and I start counting all the things that bug me about this film. Ready?

(1) The bus has a high school basketball team that has just won the state championship, so where is the trophy? I was expecting it to be used as a weapon at some point. Plus, have you ever seen a less unhappy championship team once the signing stops? (2) The team only has three cheerleaders, although all the cheerleaders at my high school had pom-pons. (3) This is a team that has just won state and yet none of the parents are caravaning with the team. Yeah, right. (4) I understand the bus is on a back road that nobody takes anymore because of the interstate, but I still would like to know the odds that the only car that passes them the entire time they are stuck comes along the first minute. (5) The equipment manager really left equipment on the bus after the track meet? Bad equipment manager. (6) I think having a cheerleader have a vision that provides exposition for the Creeper was awfully convenient. This was almost as bad as the original version of "The Thomas Crown Affair" when Faye Dunaway just picks Steve McQueen's photo out of a pile and announces he is the guy. (7) The same thing applies to the idea that the only times the radio on the bus works is when we get to hear updates on what the Creeper has been doing and when the sub-plot shows up to join the main plot. (8) In terms of the exposition, what is this nonsense about the Creeper making menu selections? I find it hard to believe it only kills for food, especially after the first film. (9) Oh, and if the Creeper is jumping around the county in its feeding frenzy, flying around in broad day light, how come the cops are not criss crossing the area like crazy? (10) Once the cops find the Creeper's lair and 300 bodies sewed together, would that not up the ante on the situation and triple the number of cops brought into the county? (11) Without even taking into account the aerodynamics of this thing's wings, how comes the Creeper flies slower when chasing kids in a pick up truck than when it is normally swooping down on its prey? (12) Who cares if something cannot die if you can slice and dice it? (13) If the Creeper is supposed to return to the ground ever 23 years, what happens if it does not?

Okay, I will stop now. My explanation for most of the above consists of me holding up my hands and wiggling my fingers, but not my thumbs. The idea is that I am miming typing and it means that the above things happened because somebody wrote them that way. The main goal is to have the Creeper terrorize a bus load of teenagers on a lonely stretch of rural highway and that is exactly what we get in this film. If logic gets in the way of the proceedings, defy logic and keep on filming. Remember the episode of "South Park" where the kids were stuck on a school bus? Now that's what I call getting out of a sticky situation.

There are some things I like about the film, such as the opening scenes were we are dealing with terror in bright sunlight, a fairly different idea), and the Creeper running through the corn field stalking the bus. What happens when the sub-plot catches up with the main plot certainly results in some innovative stunts, including a creative war for cutting a bus in half. A lot of it reminded me of "Jaws" and I was actually thinking Ray Wise was going to comment about the taxidermy man have a heart attack when he sees what our heroic farmer is bringing in (which would have been rather apropos given the final scene of the film). But even at that point I am still number counting off things that do not make sense.

(14) Are pick up trucks really made that well that you can still drive them after taking a beating like that? (15) Did we ever see the Creeper actually creep in either of these films?

Okay, I will stop now.

Better the second time
Today horror movies are not that good but when I watched the 1st jeepers creepers, I really enjoyed it. Anyway, the sequel takes place in the farm when the farmer and his two sons do some work. The younger boy puts up the scarecrows (which one of them is the creeper), and the older boy works on the truck. The father walks out to do something and has the younger boy puts up all the scarecrows, he notices something wasn't right. By the time he finds out what's going on, it's too late the creeper grabs him and flys off. The look in the father's eye can tell you that he will come back later to seek revenge. The creeper doesn't show again until a school bus drive down a highway with the football team, coaches, and cheerleaders. As the school bus is driving one of the cheerleaders visually sees and later dreams of the guy who the creeper killed in the last movie trying to warn her and explain all the necessary details about the creeper. Of course, it was too late the creeper ends up capturing the busdriver and the coaches which really put the kids in a bind. During the movie some of the kids turn on each other, trying to find out who's will be next, and how they were going to live to survive this attack. Luckily for some of the kids, the father of the child that were captured in the beginning does come back for revenge, but it was more than he expected as he finds out that the creeper cannot be killed, but when his time is up he will be gone until 23 years later from that date. In the end, he comes up with a clever solution that I think would be better to be seen for yourself. I think the first one is equally as good as the this one, but if you liked the first one, you should have no problem liking this one as well.

Great DVD Weak Movie
I rented this movie with zero expectations. I didn't think I was going to like it, love it, or hate it. I came out somewhere in the middle. Upon entering the DVD in the player I found it to be one of the most thought out, and fun menus I have ever seen. I browsed through the menus, and watched a couple of the featurettes, and got really excited about the movie. I should not have gotten my hopes up. The first one, which I am not fond of, was way better. This one seemed(I hope so at least) to try and be campy. It failed. It played out like a made for T.V., Sci Fi Channel flick. Pointless scenes of the Creeper looking into the camera and smiling, and teenagers that all of a sudden can see into the past. Poor story telling, and bad acting add up to ONE STAR. The other TWO STARS are for the excellent DVD, which I imagine was put together to make up for a sub-par movie.

JEEPERS CREEPERS 2
IDE GIVE IT A 3 IN A HALF. THIS ONE WAS OK. NOT AS GOOD AS THE FIRST BUT STILL WORTH WATCVHING AT LEAST ONCE. NOT THAT CREEPY OR SCARY. MORE HUMOROUS. WHEN A BUS FULL OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS ANDCOACHES BRAKE DOWN THEY FIND OUT THAT THERE SLITE DELAY IS THE LEAST OF THERE WORRIES. SOMETHING OR SOMEONE IS HUNTINGTHEM DOWN ONE BY ONE. WHOWILL LIVE AND WHAT WILL BE LEFT OF THEM?

Use it as a prequel
This movie is pretty difficult to rate, because the value depends on how you watch it. So lets divide into two possibilities:

1. AS A SEQUEL As a sequel, i don't like this movie one bit. Afters the first jeepers creepers, i was expecting another suspencefull movie where a few characters would be chased all across the country until the creepers has it his way. Instead, we get an entire bus full of incredibly uninteresting and unsympathetic characters, standing still along the road, trying to fight off the creeper whoms looks had totally changed and suddenly looks like a giant bird of prey. And what's with the psychics? It has nothing in common with the first movie except for the annoying stuff.

2. AS AN INDEPENDENT MOVIE if you watch this without knowing the first one, it's a pretty entertaing monster movie. It's just another slaher-movie really, but this time the pretty standard victims are fightinh off a giant bat in stead of your average demon or zombie. The setting with the bus is pretty original, and you will be entertained if Friday the 13th is the only standard it has to live up to.

If you still can, i recommend watching this movie before the prequel! This one is just an entertaining horror story, you'll be amused. Then watch the first one, just to see that this monster could also actually be scary. ... Read more

Description

A man picks up a hitchhiker who may or may not be a serial-killing thief. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Go ahead and buy it.
This movie has characters that are unusually deep and complex. I watched this movie on a whim, but I am certainly glad I did! I plan on sharing this movie with friends and loved ones.

one of eric roberts best parts
another don't pick up a hitcher pic. Not as suspensful as "The Hitcher" but still well acted and written and suspensful. Among Roberts and Hendricksens better pics. I especially enjoyed the scene where Roberts explains what the nature of the beast is. One of those pics that come on the cable with actors you like so you give it a try and find a real winner.

Great Who Done It!
The movie kept my attention and I was sure I knew what was going on, surprise ending! Both actors did an incredible job, Kudos! If suspense is your thing be sure and watch Nature of the Beast

A Real Thriller
Both Lance Henriksen and Eric Roberts give incredibly menacingly performances. Good twist at the end. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

See it once, then put it away.
Okay. First, there's nothing scarier than an evil clown. Just look at Carrot Top. Frightening.

Clownhouse attempts to exploit that popular fear by giving us three escapees from the mental institution dressed as clowns, terrorizing three young brats. Casey is really afraid of clowns to begin with. He has some pretentious explanation at the beginning of the film so I won't go into it. Let's just say he freaks when he sees them. His oldest brother is a bully and the middle brother is the understanding, bookish one. They are left alone on a night that falls somewhere between Friday Oct. 13 and Halloween. Scary. After several Halloween-worthy cat-and-mouse moments, Casey must face his fears and beat back the clowns.

If it seems like I'm being overly impudent here, it's because the movie just hasn't aged that well for me. I remember seeing it on cable about twelve years ago and being scared to death. Now, I just find myself irritated at the oldest brother and his witty banter with the others. I also found myself wondering how long it took to do the clown make-up and did one psycho help the other psycho put his on. Otherwise, how would you know if you got the back of your neck white enough? Ahem.

This one is a really good one to start with if you want something bloodless and scary, but it doesn't hold up to repeated viewings like Halloween does.

Mild recommendation.

Victor Salva is helping to keep the HORROR genre alive!
Clownhouse is one of those movies you have to watch when you know nothing about it. I first saw this movie broadcasted on cable TV in the late 80's. I was only a little boy, but I loved this movie beyond belief and have kept it in the back of my head. There was no blood in Clownhouse yet it scared me twice as much as every other horror movie and I have seen them all. The film stars Nathan Forrest WInters(casey) who is deathly afraid of clowns. He has a tormenting brother Randy(Sam Rockwell) and Jeffrey(Brian Mchugh)who make him go to the Jolly Brothers circus because his dad is in Cleveland and his mom is going to her sister's house. Casey obviously gets spooked by the clowns and before the three go back home, a trio of lunatics from the nut house escape and steal clown outfits after killing some sane clowns. Well you guessed it, the lunatics arrive right on Casey's doorstep. The movie has a really creepy atmosphere and the settings are Remarkable. I would die to see this movie on the BIG screen. Victor Salva's filmmaking genius is obviously displayed throughout the film. A scene where Randy goes to the attic and the lights flicker while the fat clown runs by is evidence. Victor Salva mind is that of a Horror master. Clownhouse and Jeepers Creepers 1&2 are great horror flicks and he wrote all of them. Those who do not like Clownhouse simply because of the molestation are STUPID, because the film itself is about something completely different.

not bad, but wait for the new dvd
clownhouse isn't Victor Salva's best movie, but it's really entertaining trapped in a house with crazy dudes movie. the kids in the movie are annoying and you want them to die and die soon but salva drags it out a bit. clownhouse has a few thrills mostly cliched ones. this dvd isn't worth the cash the used ones are going for.but there is good news if you gotta have it,mgm is supposed to be re-releasing the dvd on 8/24/04. so save your cash and get a new one for under $15 bucks.

Good Movie, Sick Director brings it way down
I watched this movie pushing the fact that Victor Salvo is sick out of my head---although it was suspensefull- the way the clows were defeated were sort of silly--as i was watching- I really didnt have my mind on the director and his sick past---but indeed that incident is in the past--he'll have to live with the thought he is sick-- this movie did not have blood, it was really not neccesary--if anyone cares- the man on the radio
when the oldest brother is in the kitchen cleaning IS VICTOR SALVA--

Scary,suspensful,and fun
Ok you sit back and turn off the lights and watcht his movie knowing nothing about it.And it will scare the pee out of you like the little boy in the movie.It didnt have alot of blood or intence plotting it wasnt 4 hours long or had big name actors.But what it did have was complete and utter suspence.It wasnt overdone.The clowns walked around oviusly it didnt try to scare u with a creak and then you wondered if they were came in.You knew they did but yet it was very subtle.To me it was scaryer than "IT" and all the other clown movies i saw trying to scare myself.It made you go through a wide variety of emotions.I didnt find out until after i watched it who the director was and what he did.And frankly I DONT CARE.A good movie is a good movie no matter what kind of person the director is.And i did not see anything kiddie pornish about this movie.I was shocked to see a young boys bottom but i thought it was nice that they werent afraid to do that,it fit into the movie and i thought nothing of it.Boy pees pants boy puts on new ones.It was just a butt.As for some of the comments"dont feel each other up" or whatever the older brother said fit because the middle brother was protecting the other one and helped him with his bed wetting.It was just teenage humor.And the "lets see if u got hair where it counts" is todays way of saying lets see if u got balls and teenagers say it alot to each other now days.So kiddie porn no.director a bad person-mabe.Movie extremely good one of the best horror movies their is! ... Read more

Description

As long as he can remember, young Casey has been terrified by clowns.Now he has a good reason - his fears come to life as three deadly clowns slip inside his house while Casey and his brother are home alone. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

See it once, then put it away.
Okay. First, there's nothing scarier than an evil clown. Just look at Carrot Top. Frightening.

Clownhouse attempts to exploit that popular fear by giving us three escapees from the mental institution dressed as clowns, terrorizing three young brats. Casey is really afraid of clowns to begin with. He has some pretentious explanation at the beginning of the film so I won't go into it. Let's just say he freaks when he sees them. His oldest brother is a bully and the middle brother is the understanding, bookish one. They are left alone on a night that falls somewhere between Friday Oct. 13 and Halloween. Scary. After several Halloween-worthy cat-and-mouse moments, Casey must face his fears and beat back the clowns.

If it seems like I'm being overly impudent here, it's because the movie just hasn't aged that well for me. I remember seeing it on cable about twelve years ago and being scared to death. Now, I just find myself irritated at the oldest brother and his witty banter with the others. I also found myself wondering how long it took to do the clown make-up and did one psycho help the other psycho put his on. Otherwise, how would you know if you got the back of your neck white enough? Ahem.

This one is a really good one to start with if you want something bloodless and scary, but it doesn't hold up to repeated viewings like Halloween does.

Mild recommendation.

Victor Salva is helping to keep the HORROR genre alive!
Clownhouse is one of those movies you have to watch when you know nothing about it. I first saw this movie broadcasted on cable TV in the late 80's. I was only a little boy, but I loved this movie beyond belief and have kept it in the back of my head. There was no blood in Clownhouse yet it scared me twice as much as every other horror movie and I have seen them all. The film stars Nathan Forrest WInters(casey) who is deathly afraid of clowns. He has a tormenting brother Randy(Sam Rockwell) and Jeffrey(Brian Mchugh)who make him go to the Jolly Brothers circus because his dad is in Cleveland and his mom is going to her sister's house. Casey obviously gets spooked by the clowns and before the three go back home, a trio of lunatics from the nut house escape and steal clown outfits after killing some sane clowns. Well you guessed it, the lunatics arrive right on Casey's doorstep. The movie has a really creepy atmosphere and the settings are Remarkable. I would die to see this movie on the BIG screen. Victor Salva's filmmaking genius is obviously displayed throughout the film. A scene where Randy goes to the attic and the lights flicker while the fat clown runs by is evidence. Victor Salva mind is that of a Horror master. Clownhouse and Jeepers Creepers 1&2 are great horror flicks and he wrote all of them. Those who do not like Clownhouse simply because of the molestation are STUPID, because the film itself is about something completely different.

not bad, but wait for the new dvd
clownhouse isn't Victor Salva's best movie, but it's really entertaining trapped in a house with crazy dudes movie. the kids in the movie are annoying and you want them to die and die soon but salva drags it out a bit. clownhouse has a few thrills mostly cliched ones. this dvd isn't worth the cash the used ones are going for.but there is good news if you gotta have it,mgm is supposed to be re-releasing the dvd on 8/24/04. so save your cash and get a new one for under $15 bucks.

Good Movie, Sick Director brings it way down
I watched this movie pushing the fact that Victor Salvo is sick out of my head---although it was suspensefull- the way the clows were defeated were sort of silly--as i was watching- I really didnt have my mind on the director and his sick past---but indeed that incident is in the past--he'll have to live with the thought he is sick-- this movie did not have blood, it was really not neccesary--if anyone cares- the man on the radio
when the oldest brother is in the kitchen cleaning IS VICTOR SALVA--

Scary,suspensful,and fun
Ok you sit back and turn off the lights and watcht his movie knowing nothing about it.And it will scare the pee out of you like the little boy in the movie.It didnt have alot of blood or intence plotting it wasnt 4 hours long or had big name actors.But what it did have was complete and utter suspence.It wasnt overdone.The clowns walked around oviusly it didnt try to scare u with a creak and then you wondered if they were came in.You knew they did but yet it was very subtle.To me it was scaryer than "IT" and all the other clown movies i saw trying to scare myself.It made you go through a wide variety of emotions.I didnt find out until after i watched it who the director was and what he did.And frankly I DONT CARE.A good movie is a good movie no matter what kind of person the director is.And i did not see anything kiddie pornish about this movie.I was shocked to see a young boys bottom but i thought it was nice that they werent afraid to do that,it fit into the movie and i thought nothing of it.Boy pees pants boy puts on new ones.It was just a butt.As for some of the comments"dont feel each other up" or whatever the older brother said fit because the middle brother was protecting the other one and helped him with his bed wetting.It was just teenage humor.And the "lets see if u got hair where it counts" is todays way of saying lets see if u got balls and teenagers say it alot to each other now days.So kiddie porn no.director a bad person-mabe.Movie extremely good one of the best horror movies their is! ... Read more

Reviews (35)

A movie deemed most entertaining and touching
I decided to purchase this movie based on the reviews I read here on Amazon.com. I read a few reviews and right away I knew I was captured, I had to buy it. I must say that each actor is given the role that fit them most, no one appeares out of place or out of character in the part they portray. The film is quite vivid in its delivery of past occurances, it does not bore the viewer. Even though I felt satisfied with the history of the past, I felt so touched about the situation with Billy that I wanted to learn more about his relationship with Campbell. One has no choice but to be sympathetic to Campbell (Behr), he expresses just the right amount of emotions. This film was cleverly directed, the little bit of suspense keeps the viewer entertained. The gay issue, I feel is very well presented, many who watch the film can relate because the story is very realistic. I say realistic beacuase there are so many young, and even older gay individuals who experience similar situations with a parent's understanding of who they really are. I like the fact that this is not just a movie based on gay individuals or issues, there is actually a very good plot. Rites of Passage is a magnificent picture that allows the viewer to open up and feel the emotions of happiness, despair, fear and love as they flow. I was satisfied.

Life Lessons
This is a film driven by characters. These are characters we like, hate, identify with; at at times wish we didn't. The action or suspense of the film don't drive the story, but the relationship between father and son does. Dean Stockwell and Jason Behr play their roles to perfection, and what this movie does is make neither one of them the bad guy. Both have said and done things that they wish to take back. But the point of the movie is that you don't take those things back. What you do is accept them, deal with them, and move on; that is how the healing process begins.I think this is a great film and one that should be watched by both fathers and sons. I highly recommend it!!!

Memorable and unique.
This movie feels like high-caliber live theater. That might be why some folks don't care for it. (I have a friend who doesn't think a movie is any good unless there's at least one car chase. It's just a matter of taste.) But as straightforward drama, this movie is memorable. The movie has heart and substance, and the actors should all be proud of their performances.

Cliches and yelling
The film piles gay son/unaccepting father clichés one on top of the other until the whole thing collapses. That might be amusing in and of itself, but the overwrought dialog consists almost entirely of yelling. The cinematography is nice, and Jason Behr is adorable. If that's enough for you, consider renting. I can't imagine wanting to own this so that I could watch it repeatedly.

DIRECTOR IS SEX CRIMINAL ... HE TOUCHES YOUNG BOYS
Before I knew about Salva's past I liked it. He plead guilty to 5 felony counts of child sex abuse in 1988. Police confiscated videos of him forcing a young boy (Nathan Winters- star of ClownHouse) to perform oral sex on him. They also found videos of boys taking showers and pictures he took of naked boys. DON'T BUY THIS OR JEEPERS CREEPERS 1 OR 2, CLOWNHOUSE, OR POWDER WHICH HE ALSO WROTE AND DIRECTED. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS MONSTER!!! ... Read more

Reviews (35)

A movie deemed most entertaining and touching
I decided to purchase this movie based on the reviews I read here on Amazon.com. I read a few reviews and right away I knew I was captured, I had to buy it. I must say that each actor is given the role that fit them most, no one appeares out of place or out of character in the part they portray. The film is quite vivid in its delivery of past occurances, it does not bore the viewer. Even though I felt satisfied with the history of the past, I felt so touched about the situation with Billy that I wanted to learn more about his relationship with Campbell. One has no choice but to be sympathetic to Campbell (Behr), he expresses just the right amount of emotions. This film was cleverly directed, the little bit of suspense keeps the viewer entertained. The gay issue, I feel is very well presented, many who watch the film can relate because the story is very realistic. I say realistic beacuase there are so many young, and even older gay individuals who experience similar situations with a parent's understanding of who they really are. I like the fact that this is not just a movie based on gay individuals or issues, there is actually a very good plot. Rites of Passage is a magnificent picture that allows the viewer to open up and feel the emotions of happiness, despair, fear and love as they flow. I was satisfied.

Life Lessons
This is a film driven by characters. These are characters we like, hate, identify with; at at times wish we didn't. The action or suspense of the film don't drive the story, but the relationship between father and son does. Dean Stockwell and Jason Behr play their roles to perfection, and what this movie does is make neither one of them the bad guy. Both have said and done things that they wish to take back. But the point of the movie is that you don't take those things back. What you do is accept them, deal with them, and move on; that is how the healing process begins.I think this is a great film and one that should be watched by both fathers and sons. I highly recommend it!!!

Memorable and unique.
This movie feels like high-caliber live theater. That might be why some folks don't care for it. (I have a friend who doesn't think a movie is any good unless there's at least one car chase. It's just a matter of taste.) But as straightforward drama, this movie is memorable. The movie has heart and substance, and the actors should all be proud of their performances.

Cliches and yelling
The film piles gay son/unaccepting father clichés one on top of the other until the whole thing collapses. That might be amusing in and of itself, but the overwrought dialog consists almost entirely of yelling. The cinematography is nice, and Jason Behr is adorable. If that's enough for you, consider renting. I can't imagine wanting to own this so that I could watch it repeatedly.

DIRECTOR IS SEX CRIMINAL ... HE TOUCHES YOUNG BOYS
Before I knew about Salva's past I liked it. He plead guilty to 5 felony counts of child sex abuse in 1988. Police confiscated videos of him forcing a young boy (Nathan Winters- star of ClownHouse) to perform oral sex on him. They also found videos of boys taking showers and pictures he took of naked boys. DON'T BUY THIS OR JEEPERS CREEPERS 1 OR 2, CLOWNHOUSE, OR POWDER WHICH HE ALSO WROTE AND DIRECTED. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS MONSTER!!! ... Read more

Reviews (507)

"That's not my scarecrow." - The Cat Lady
Boy, do I feel slow on the uptake...I've seen this film twice now, and I just got the 'other' meaning of the license plate on the Creeper's truck. I guess if it were a snake, it would have bit me...oh well...I may not get there the quickest, but I will get there...eventually.

Jeepers Creepers (2001) is a fun, interesting, stylistic film that runs out of gas about halfway through, but still had enough going for it to earn critical and commercial success, spawning a sequel, Jeepers Creepers II (2003) which broke Labor Day box office records for that year. Written and directed by the controversial Victor Salva, who also did the chilling horror film Clownhouse (1988) and Powder (1995), Jeepers Creepers brings to life (or death) a new figure in the Hollywood creature pantheon with the Creeper, a demonic looking figure that awakens every 23 years and feeds for 23 days, according to legend.

The film stars Gina Phillips as Trish and Justin Long as her brother Derry, traveling together by car a lonely and desolate country highway on their way home from college. After a scary incident with an old truck, the two witness a sinister, cloaked figure unceremoniously dumping what appears to body sized parcels wrapped in cloth and rope down a large, corrugated metal pipe next to a boarded up church. Also parked nearby is the same truck that nearly ran them off the road earlier. Once past the old church, the two begin to question what exactly they saw, but are soon joined again by the mysterious truck, more intent than ever now to ram their car, and drive them off the road. After losing the truck, the two go back to the church, despite Trish's protests, to investigate. Derry proceeds to do something stupid, and see something no human was mean to see...oh, he did confirm what they originally thought, that the figure was indeed dumping bodies down this large drain, but that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. What other secrets are uncovered? What is the nature of the creature? Do Trish and Derry survive long enough to get help?

I thought the makeup and such on the Creeper looked quite good and suitably malevolent. And the revelations revealed about this character came at a nice, even clip as the plot unfolded. There were a number of minor points where one could argue that the plot is weak or very thin, and I would have a hard time disagreeing, especially during the last half hour of the film. I really enjoyed the scenes that focused on something in the foreground, but provided enough leeway on the screen to see something in the background, even if it was fuzzy and out of focus, before the characters on the screen understood what was happening. Cheap scares are had here, as things pop out 'and go boo!' but there is also a nice build up of real tension throughout the film, along with a smattering of comedy, usually of the sarcastic kind, to temper the horror. The weakness of the film comes from the predictability of the second half of the film. The original beginning had brought forth high hopes, but these hopes diminished slightly as the film eventually tread the path repetition as most end up doing, but at least this one did so with style and professionalism most uncommon with those in the same genre.

You may recognize Justin Long from TV's Ed were he plays Warren Parker Cheswick. It's pretty much the same affable character played in this film, but a little bit older and a little more cynical. Gina Philips is quite lovely, with her flowing, brownish hair and doe eyed appearance that conflicts with her more cynical than her brother attitude. Both actors did a wonderful job, showing a mixture of inherent and hard earned talent, the kind gained through lots of work and dedication.

The picture here, available in both wide screen and full screen, looks wonderful and crisp. Special features include theatrical trailers, a photo gallery, deleted, extended, and alternate scenes, behind the scenes featurettes (six), and a commentary track with director Victor Salva. Many of these features are located on the flip side of the disc, with the film being on the other side. I guess the one thing I took away from this film more than anything else is if you see a darkened figure dumping what appears to be bodies down a sewer pipe next to an abandoned church, just keep on moving. You can make a report at the next town, for sure, but avoid actually crawling into the pipe to confirm what you already know.

Cookieman108

Fun frights, but ultimately disturbing...
This movie is no masterpiece, but it is very entertaining. I liked it because I'm a huge fan of horror flicks, and this one combines many elements of many classic horror films. First of all, the brother/sister banter in the car is reminiscent of "Night of the Living Dead". The car chase by the unseen stranger in a big truck is right out of Steven Spielberg's "Duel". The main hook in the storyline about a big creepy dude collecting bodies is pure "Phantasm". The monster itself seems to be a gargoyle - he resembles the monsters from an outstanding TV-movie from the 70's called "Gargoyles". The monster also has a bit of the "Creature from the Black Lagoon" in his look. Thankfully, he doesn't talk, but he does whistle. And that song is really what this whole movie is all about. That tune, combined with the ad nauseum foreshadowing establishing our young hero's virtual exophthalmos, explains exactly why this creeper is so hot to get his claws on our young hero - and this is confirmed in the film's final shot. I doubt that there will be a sequel - this is a stand-alone flick. My only complaint: it breaks a cardinal rule of fair play in horror movies. I hate when that happens....

I give this movie -20 stars
This is the worst, most unoriginal movie ever. Terrible acting. Terrible plot. Monster as scary as Mickey Mouse. I like horro movies. I like even terrible horror movies. This movie is its own genre of dung. Save a few hours of your life and watch something else. Anyone who likes this movie is a nerd and don't listen to their advice to watch it.

Awful
One of the worst movies of all time. The acting sucks, the plot sucks, the monster looks just stupid, the 2 kids acting were almost as bad as the movie. What sane person is gonna see somebody throw a body down a pipe covered up and tied up and then go look whats going on. C'mon thats just stupid nobody in this world would do that. Save your time, money, sanity, and self respect dont watch this stupid sh*t Its one of the worse movies ever made

weak
high expectation when i put the dvd to watch it.... in the end, disappointed. an average movie, very predictable, we don't know who the creeper is and where does he come from.. there are better movies in the categorie. watch it in the tv... ... Read more