There is once again panic in the small world of cinema. And this time, the covid crisis and the advent of streaming platforms have nothing to do with it. The person responsible for the current film shake is a clown. Not the Joker, but another evildoer called Art the Clown. Making wonderful use of the possibilities of the means of communication, this serial killer who is having a red Christmas a few weeks early has found a way to thwart all the protection measures put in place by the 7th art.
In the United States, a country where the majors are very careful about the classification of their films as this can impact the box office, the Cineverse studio has chosen not to show Terrifier 3 to the classification commission, Cara (Classification and Rating Administration). A choice which generally results in a boycott by major cinemas and most media. What Cineverse, owner of 30 digital channels followed on average by 80 million people every month, and mainly horror fans, is royally mocking. The promotion on these channels was enough to develop huge anticipation in the fan community. And as no blockbuster is a hit yet, the biggest cinema chains have not resisted the temptation to attract a large audience. Result: 2,514 screens available. And a box office of $21.5 million in just four days. Huge for a production of only two million dollars.
The marketing campaign, estimated at $500,000 (compared to more than 100 million for major Hollywood productions), proved particularly impactful. On social networks, the most alarming information leaked: spectators vomited during the screening, others fainted or fled, unable to bear the atrocities crudely portrayed on the screen. “The scariest thing is seeing parents bring their young children to see it.”explains a movie buff. A “bad buzz” whose “bad” was quickly forgotten to become nothing more than an event.
In France, which has not happened since Nymphomaniac 2 by Lars von Trier in 2014 and Love by Gaspard Noé in 2015, Terrifier 3 was banned for those under 18 due to its explicit ultra-violence. And there too, this seems to have boosted the audiences. For its first day of operation, it attracted 45,012 spectators, barely less than the champion of the day, The wild robot (45.556).
In Belgium, it is only expected on the big screens on Wednesday October 23. But without any age-related ban. Since January 8, 2020, it has disappeared in favor of recommendations. The Cinecheck classification in force with us “includes 6 content pictograms (violence, anxiety, sex, discrimination, drug/alcohol abuse, foul language) and 7 age categories (general public, 6, 9, 12, 14, 16 and 18 years old)”as explained by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. The objective here is to advise. No forcing. In this case, the Cinechek 18 is indicated. But no matter the age or the support, Terrifier 3 will be visible to everyone in Belgium. And that, too, sends shivers down your spine.
