This is The Killer Inside Me week. Killer Klowns from Outer Space is currently available on instant Netflix.

WATCH: Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988) – Rated PG-13.

“An alien band of killer clowns descends from the cosmos to harvest scores of small-town victims, cocooning their prey in cotton candy to eat later. With the extraterrestrials disguised as simple circus workers, the authorities do not suspect a thing. But the joke is on the clowns when two streetwise teens (Grant Cramer and Suzanne Snyder), armed with an ice cream truck, do battle to save their friends in this cult favorite.”

“They took your wife away in a balloon? Well you dont need the police, pal, you need a psychiatrist! “

Killer Klowns from Outer Space is obviously a labor of love. Many films try to walk the fine line of spoof while trying to be their own film. Killer Klowns excels at it – making the most of a bizarre premise while still spoofing many films and genres.

This is the only feature film ever directed by Stephen Chiodo. He also co-wrote and co-produced Killer Klowns with his brothers Edward and Charles. My only guess is that somehow this movie did not make them much money (a la George Romero and Night of the Living Dead) even though I feel it is a bona fide cult classic.

Thankfully the Chiodos managed to get a couple veteran actors for character roles.

Royal Dano starred in virtually every western TV series and many movies during the 50s and 60s. Here he plays Farmer Gene Green. Ironically considering which week this is, he also played Father in The Killer Inside Me (1976).

John Vernon adds yet another professional butthead to his distinguished repertoire. This time he is an annoying cop instead of a principal (Dean Wormer of Animal House) or mayor (Dirty Harry). His distinctive voice lent some gravity to many videogames prior to his passing in 2005.

John Vernon and Royal Dano had previously appeared together in The Outlaw Josey Wales. Royal Dano played Ten Spot and Vernon played Fletcher.

The rest of the cast including the leads are comprised of (then)(and umm mostly now) unknowns. Suzanne Snyder plays Debbie Stone. Grant Cramer is the oddly named Mike Tobacco and John Allen Nelson plays Dave Hanson.

While the acting is not particularly good, the joy in this film can be found in the details. Everything is clown and circus themed. The movie starts in Big Top Burger.

I love the lit circus tent in the middle of the forest. The set design is marvelous, especially for a movie that cost only $2 million to make. They make marvelous use of color, particularly in the alien spacecraft. The cotton candy body bags are a particular delight as are the balloon animals, the popcorn gun and much more.

Specifically the movie spoofs The Blob (the initial fly over, the farmer character, many of the plot details), Psycho (the shower scene naturally – no one ever seems to spoof Martin Balsam on the stairs), Alien (the poster tagline is “In Space No One can Eat Ice Cream”), The Wizard of Oz (Oz specific) and Godzilla (Clownzilla).

Is this a good movie? No it certainly is not – the acting is either wooden or over the top, the budget is miniscule and shows so much that the movie spoofs even that, labeling locations generically as “Police Station” and “Drug Store” and the beer cans are simply labeled “Beer”.

On the other hand, the movie accomplishes every thing it means to, the art direction on everything relating to the Klowns is simply marvelous and the special effects are quite good for a no-budget film from 1988. I heartily recommend this tongue-in-cheek B movie.

People Watch: Christopher Titus plays Bob McReed. Yes that would be the Christopher Titus who would later star in his own TV series, Titus. Producer, production designer and co-writer of Killer Klowns, Stephen Chiodo also appears as Klownzilla, the King Klown.