Actors: Ross Noble, Tommy Knight
Directors: Conor McMahon
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Dark Sky Films
Release Date: April 2, 2013
Run Time: 87 minutes
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars
Who isn’t afraid of clowns…I would like to thank “Stephen King’s It” for sealing that deal many many years ago. Coulrophobia is the fear of clowns. “Stitches” is a pretty fun slasher flick with a nod to 80’s horror. Ross Noble, who plays Stitches, is a real life comedian but isn’t very funny in the film despite being a clown. But since it is horror, I will give it some slack but who doesn’t love a wise-cracking villain ala Freddy Kreuger. Tommy Knight (known for his “Doctor Who” fame) is a nice addition the cast though. There is definitely no shortage of gore and some fun kills if you can look past the occasional CG blood. Not the best killer clown flick but still worth a watch. I would recommend this as a rental for horror fans.
Official Premise: Ten years after a prank on his birthday left hired clown Stitches dead on his kitchen floor, Tommy’s childhood friends gather to plan one last birthday party to end all parties. But they didn’t count on the degenerate jester returning from the grave to seek vengeance on the children who caused his untimely end. Now Tommy and his friends are on the run from an undead jokester who’s ready to use every trick in the book to exact his revenge. Dead Meat director Conor McMahon delivers a delirious slasher with STITCHES, the hilariously twisted and blood soaked tale of one very bad clown.
The film looks good enough with its Blu-ray presentation. The 1080p transfer looks very good with its 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The dark scenes are well crafted to add that necessary eerie effects. Keeping with the eerie effects, there are two audio options available to assist with the hororr sound. There is a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and a Dolby Digital 2.0 track. They are both impressive but I think the 5.1 track deliver the score and action the best. The special features are not bad either for this release. There is a 35 minute Q&A at the film’s premiere with Ross Noble and director McMahon. There is a 20 minute “The Making of Stitches” featurette looking into the production. Lastly there is a gag reel, theatrical trailer and a picture gallery included.