Circus of the Dead

People who are critical of Billy Pon's film, "Circus of the Dead", usually say the film is poorly shot, or that the story makes no sense, or that the acting is abysmal. They don't site any example to these claims, but expect the reader to simply believe their opinion. They disregard any positive review, stating the positive reviews of the film must only come from friends/family of Billy Pon, or friends/family of the actors/actresses of the film. As the critical reviewer sees it, how could anyone like "Circus of the Dead". Their disdain for the film isn't because it is poorly made film, but because of the subject matter (which disgusts them). These are the same people who would go see a film about Ted Bundy and complain about the senseless violence. What did you expect from a film about a serial killer? Same principle here. "Circus of the Dead" film description pretty much spells it out for the viewer, and if the didn't read the film's description, the first five minutes of the film gives the viewer a slap-in-the-face hint about what kind of film it is. If violence and depravity on film isn't you cup of tea, then move on. Don't sit through the film, only to whine about it later.

People have always been attracted to the grotesque. It has been presented as a form of entertainment since the days of Shakespeare, topping its popularity between 1890 to 1940 with the Grand Guignol of Paris. And as they say, it isn't called "Show Art", but called "Show Business". Theater of the Grotesque can be cheaply produced, and if done correctly, can fill the seats with paying customers. That's the reality.

Billy Pon's "Circus of the Dead" is more than a splatter-filled indie horror film - it's a contemporary resurrection of Grand Guignol, dragged screaming out of the Parisian backstreets and thrust into the neon-stained hellscape of modern Texas. Like the infamous Théâtre du Grand-Guignol that once shocked and thrilled turn-of-the-century Parisians with its grotesque stage plays, Pon's film serves as a deliberate, depraved spectacle designed to provoke, unsettle, and mesmerize. "Circus of the Dead" is, by all accounts, a grindhouse film (which the critics of this film seem to have forgotten).

Back in its heyday, the Grand Guignol packed in audiences eager for staged beheadings, eye gouging, and bloody eviscerations - a cultural phenomenon so intense that some theatergoers reportedly fainted mid-show. Pon doesn't just echo that tradition - he retools it, weaponizes it, and douses it in gasoline.

At the center of this cinematic freakshow is Papa Corn - a sadistic clown, philosopher of pain, and pure embodiment of moral decay. Bill Oberst Jr. Delivers a performance so committed and electrifying it feels theatrical in the best way - as if he could've stepped out from the Grand Guignol stage itself. He's captivating, charismatic, and completely unhinged - the kind of villain that transcends the screen and leaves claw marks on your mind.

The narrative is simple, but like the best stage horror of old, it's a vehicle for escalating depravity and moral collapse. A regular man is pulled into the orbit of a traveling troupe of psychopathic clowns, and what follows is less a story than a descent - a freak show baptism in blood and nihilism. And like the Grand Guignol, Circus of the Dead refuses to offer comfort or redemption. It wants you to squirm.

But what makes Pon's film special isn't just the brutality - it's the intelligence behind the chaos. The film is deeply aware of what it's doing: blending classic theater horror tropes with grindhouse cinema grit, all while lacing every frame with jet-black satire and a twisted sense of humor.

Just as the Grand Guignol once shocked the bougie elite of Paris and became a must-see underground attraction, Circus of the Dead has earned its place as a cult sensation among modern horror fans who crave something raw, unfiltered, and absolutely fearless.

There are faults in Billy Pon's film. The majority of the actors/actresses seem to be at the level of a high school drama club. Unfortuantely, most low-budget films suffer from this. You get what you paid for. The cast do their best to be believable characters, but with the exception of Bill Oberst Jr. As Papa Corn, the actors and actresses don't make their mark. This is to be expected, though. It is, as stated before, a grindhouse film.

Billy Pon isn't just making horror - he's reviving a lost art of transgressive theater through film. In another century, his name would be on a playbill in Montmartre. Today, it belongs in every horror fan's library.

Critique the film, but not it's subject matter.

For most of the movie it is just a bunch of clowns killing people in disgusting ways. No good qualities in the entire movie. No motive for the clowns killing people other than to kill people. Where is the plot? Where is the suspense? Where is the good acting? Just torture, screaming, torture, spurting blood, etc. Etc. Etc. I did watch the whole movie with the last hour of the movie with the volume turned down really low while doing something else as I couldn't stomach all the torture, screaming etc. I always try to watch a movie to the end in case it gets better. With this movie it did not, terrible in the beginning, terrible in the middle and terrible in the end. I would not recommend this movie for anyone who enjoys a good horror movie that is actually scary, has a plot, has good acting and has good direction. I would give this movie a zero if I could.

If you like bad horror movies this is a must watch. I'm a fan of poorly done b horror but this is like D or E level. Everyone that had anything to do with this film is terrible at that job. The actors or beyond bad, the filming is bad the story is bad the costume department is bad, but whenever everything is bad it sometimes makes for an entertaining experience and this movie accidentally does that. My favorite part is the dad who appears to maybe be 60 but is trying to look like hulk hogan with bleaching his hair then making his facial hair jet black. Once he comes on screen you know you are in for a real terribly funny movie.

I really wanted to enjoy this movie. There have been some good reviews and I can understand how people had a good time, but I guess I just felt like it didn't go far enough in many ways. Violence for the sake of just making the film disgusting just doesn't work for me, and given how barren of humor this film is, I just felt nasty and bored. Many deaths seem similar and for a film like this, didn't really shine. Bill Oberst Jr. is very good here and he really carries the film. Otherwise, the clowns can be creepy, but they lose their scary steam and there seems to be no consequences and no connection to reality. The film is polished and it looks like they spent some money. It has some nice camera and lighting work and I think this director can do well in the future. Maybe come up with a more compelling story with less torture and more suspense.

WE WANT CLOWNS! Said no audience in the history of entertainment. If you dig sadism, this is for you. And you like extremely stupid cops and main characters. Someone is a huge fan of Rob Zombie here and thought "Captain Spaulding + 4 other clowns." And apparently the clown posse murders and rapes in every town they stop on, yet NO one thought of any connection? Surveillance cameras EVERYWHERE? The writers know that we have telephones and computers, right?

I will say most of these other user reviews must be people working on the production or hired bots.