I was an 80’s baby, which means I was still fairly young when the internet really started to boom. Even still, I’ve never been up on all of these viral sensations, creepypastas, or whatever else you want to call them. Apparently there is one so effective it deserves a documentary exploring its lore. I’m referring to Wrinkles the Clown and the documentary by Michael Beach Nichols.
The Plot
Parents in Florida can hire Wrinkles the Clown to scare their children into behaving properly. This doc tells the story of how Wrinkles’ journey all began…
My Thoughts
I’m not going to pretend to have ever heard of Wrinkles the Clown until now. The story behind him is fascinating enough, however, that I knew I had to watch this new documentary to learn more.
Just as all good documentaries do, Michael Beach Nichols’ Wrinkles the Clown contains various interviews from individuals who have firsthand accounts of working with the man under the mask, experts, and more.
We are not only treated to stories and accounts from Wrinkles himself, but also behavioral therapists, folklorists, and parents who have used him as a threat or have called him to come in person to scare the ever-living crap out of their unruly children.
The internet has really changed the way we digest information on a daily basis. Things that used to only be spread by word of mouth, perhaps taking days, weeks, or even longer to dissipate from one area to another, can now be discovered across the country in mere seconds. The stories, made-up or otherwise, involving Wrinkles the Clown are no different.
The popularity, for lack of a better term, of this infamous scary clown has blown up exponentially thanks to countless YouTube videos from children of all ages. Some claim to have spotted Wrinkles randomly in their backyards, while others simply upload clips of themselves calling and leaving the “65-year-old clown” a voicemail.
The voicemails are rather interesting in and of themselves, too. Wrinkles the Clown welcomes us, the audience, with a deeper look at what he deals with on a daily basis. To date, he has received hundreds of voice messages, texts, and other notifications to his phone, some of which contain the most heinous things I’ve ever heard.
The threat of a clown who may come and terrorize children is enough to make the ugliest things come out of a parent’s mouth. Adults and children alike leave voicemails for Wrinkles claiming that they will cause him bodily harm, chop him into pieces, and perform just about any other form of savagery you can think of against the man.
Is Wrinkles the Clown real? Does he kidnap and eat children or is he just out there to make a living off of frightening young kids who need a little discipline? This documentary explores all of the possibilities and sheds some light on just who or what Wrinkles is.
Wrinkles the Clown at Home
This 2019 documentary will officially be available on DVD and Digital tomorrow, January 7, from Magnolia Home Entertainment’s Magnet label.
The 78 minute documentary is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen format and contains an English 5.1 Dolby Digital audio track. Unfortunately, there are no subtitles available for this home release.
The bonus content is also slim here, as we are only treated to a few minutes of deleted scenes.
The Verdict
If you are someone who suffers from Coulrophobia, or the fear of clowns, and/or are fascinated by things like Slenderman, Midnight Man, or Bloody Mary, Wrinkles the Clown is a documentary that you do not want to miss.
Michael Beach Nichols has done a fantastic job compiling interviews, online video clips, and other firsthand accounts of the menace that Wrinkles has created, allowing this larger than life phenomenon even more of a spotlight.
Be sure to pick up a copy of Wrinkles the Clown for yourself, as I give this one 3.5 masks that look like Michael Myers and my grandfather out of 5.
