Killer Clown

Director Stuart Page's music videos are sometimes controversial and always arresting. His video for Auckland trio Superette's 1995 track 'Killer Clown' is no exception. A child's birthday party is in full swing, but no one present is under 25; cake is mushed, jelly is mutilated, and food fights reign while the hired entertainment (Superette members Dave Mulcahy, Greta Anderson and Ben Howe) join the sugar-fuelled 'fun'. Page drew on the pop song's creepy inspiration — America's own 'killer clown', convicted murderer John Wayne Gacy. Page went on to make videos for Superette singles 'Touch Me' and 'Kiss Someone'. 

'Killer Clown' was a perfect entrée single, with the slightly unsettling guitar riff and sliding bass part given forward momentum by the drums. The band then fell in synch for the melodic chorus, though this was when the topic of the song was made clear by the lyrics ("of the 33 dead, I only touched one"). The inspiration was the serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who had a part-time job as a clown . . . the final verse describes his death by lethal injection.

– Music writer Gareth Shute on the source material for the song, AudioCulture, 22 March 2024

Key Cast & Crew

Stuart Page

Director, Camera, Editor

Simon Cuming

Actor

Sharron Ward

Art Director