Damien Leone’s Terrifier Isn’t ‘Just Entertainment’—Horror Is Always Political
Horror Filmmakers Should Acknowledge the Genre’s History of Censorship, Free Speech Battles, and Political Impact
Damien Leone, the director of the Terrifier franchise, recently made a statement claiming that his films are not political and are meant to be pure entertainment. This statement, however, has sparked backlash, and for good reason. Horror, like all art, is inherently political, whether the artist intends for it to be or not. The genre has long been a battleground for censorship, morality debates, and cultural shifts, and filmmakers should be well aware of this history, especially horror filmmakers.
For decades, horror films have been the target of political movements and censorship. The Hays Code in the United States prevented filmmakers from exploring certain themes and forced them to sanitize their work. The very existence of films like Terrifier owes a debt to the filmmakers and activists who fought against these restrictions. Without their efforts, the extreme violence, gore, and boundary-pushing elements that define the Terrifier franchise might not be allowed to exist at all.
Consider the controversy surrounding Silent Night, Deadly Night in the 1984. The film was protested by political action groups, banned in several countries, and subjected to widespread outrage. Leone himself has acknowledged Silent Night, Deadly Night as an influence on Terrifier 3, yet he seems to overlook the historical context in which that film was released. The battle against censorship, waged by filmmakers and audiences alike, paved the way for his franchise. He should be acknowledging and respecting that history, rather than dismissing the idea that his films hold any political significance.
Politics is not just about party affiliations or left-versus-right divisions. Politics encompasses societal values, cultural shifts, and the freedoms we fight to protect, such as free speech and artistic expression. The very act of releasing an unrated film in theaters, as Leone did with Terrifier 3, was a political statement against the MPAA’s grip on the industry. Whether he acknowledges it or not, his film pushed the boundaries of free expression in the same way that past horror films did when they challenged censorship boards.
What makes Leone’s statement even more disappointing is its context. The statement was clearly addressing his film’s lead, David Howard Thornton, who portrays Art the Clown. Thornton has only used his platform to express support for LGBTQ+ groups and to take a firm stance against fascism and Nazism. These are all positions that should be uncontroversial to any decent human being. So why did Leone feel the need to distance himself from these statements? There are a few possibilities: he may be trying to appeal to a broader audience for financial reasons, he may genuinely misunderstand the implications of his own work, or he may simply have made an ill-advised attempt to stay out of controversy.
What Leone fails to recognize is that if censorship or moral outrage were to gain traction again, Terrifier would be one of the first franchises targeted. His work would be blacklisted in an instant. We are already seeing books being banned for their content. Films could easily be next. The so-called “Video Nasties” era in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s proved that horror films are easy scapegoats for reactionary political movements. Horror classics like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Last House on the Left, Possession, and The Evil Dead were all banned or heavily censored because of moral panic. If it happened then, it can certainly happen again. And that is political, whether Leone likes it or not.
For more on the Video Nasties, check out my short documentary on the subject below.
So Leone has two options: either he doesn’t know his history, which would be deeply disappointing for a filmmaker in this genre, or he is more concerned with maintaining a politically neutral image to avoid alienating certain audiences. Either way, his response feels like a betrayal to the very spirit of indie horror. His franchise has been built on defying the mainstream industry’s restrictions, yet when it comes time to stand by the people who have helped elevate it, like David Howard Thornton, he chooses to distance himself instead.
Leone needs to understand that his movies do stand for something, whether he intended them to or not. Terrifier 3 gave the finger to the MPAA, changed the landscape for indie horror, and followed in the footsteps of films that challenged the system. If he refuses to see that, the Terrifier franchise risks losing what made it special, becoming just another forgettable killer clown movie. And that would be a real shame.
There was a time when I was younger when I felt that we should have full and complete freedom and autonomy on books, music, film, video games and media in general.
But as I have gotten older, gotten life experience and seen how degraded our society is becoming morally, spiritually and otherwise, I realize it is past time for society to take a collective breath and to again take a stand and make limits. With regard to what is morally acceptable for children to see and/or consume.
I say all of that as someone who isn't religious and someone who also doesn't like government interference. I also say it as a music artist who has released over 75 songs with explicit lyrics during my 35 years in music. And someone who has acted and appeared in multiple R Rated films, including bloody and violent horror films.
But it is becoming more and more apparent to me that these forms of media have a profound long term affect on the health and well being of our society. And especially our children. Kids playing violent, uber realistic video games desensitizes them to death, murder, robbery, crime, ect.. And likewise, my genre of music has long not talked respectfully about women. And the young artists of it (rap, hip hop) now glorify shootings and violence more than ever.
Look at all of these things collectively. Including disgusting and pointless films like the Terrifier series. And it is little wonder why our society is so violent and mentally sick. Movies like "The Purge" series (one of my friends was one of the stars of one of the Purge films). Even he has since said how damaging these violent films can be to developing minds such as teens and young adults. Nevermind young, underage kids who have no business watching these films.
No, it is time for society to take a step back and start to place some common sense censorship back up on things. And to promote morality and common sense once again.
It is more than clear the free for all has caused massive amounts of de sensitivity to violence. Violent behavior in people and society in general. And a massive lack of empathy, compassion and care for fellow man in general.
Social media has made all of these things even worse. But the core of these things begins with the free for all people have promoted for the last few decades on media consumption. I am not suggesting that these medias be censored for adults. But I believe we need to ban these things for children.
The counterargument people always give is that it should be parents doing this job. In a perfect world, that is correct. However, we live in the real world. A world where a lot of parents are degenerates themselves. And they are morally screwed up themselves. So they aren't going to do the right things to protect their kids. And in turn, we end up with violent kids who can't cope with reality and the real world today. And who take things to the point of no return in many horrible ways.
What we are doing as society CLEARLY aren't working. We never had the levels of violence we do today just 3-4 decades ago. Yet we had open access to weapons then. Even more of a variety then today. Fully auto weapons were legal.
So what has changed? We all know what has changed. And that includes multiple types of super violent content available to underage kids. Constantly, 24 hours a day. And everywhere. From TV, to streamers, to Blu Ray, to radio, to video game consoles. And on and on and on.
Kids need to be fully banned from the Terrifier films until 18. And any films or content that violent to be honest. As well as games and music that are similar in adult themed content. We have rules to not let kids drink. Not let them smoke. Not let them do drugs. And not watch adult content films. They can't even vote until 18. So it only makes sense that the same rules should apply to kids with any violent content and any sexual content. So I fully support these bans of books in schools. Have you seen some of the more explicit content of some of those books? Nothing that children should be reading.
Even with parent's permission. ZERO good comes from young minds seeing such violent or explicit content. There is no logical or sensible benefit to it. Research on this is overwhelmingly clear that it damages kids long term. And in many cases permanently. So censorship is not just a good thing in certain cases, it is absolutely necessary at times. To preserve a society....
Again, I say all of this as someone who works in multiple areas of these fields... Having moral, ethical and legal standards for content that kids consume is absolutely necessary in society. Because many parents are massively falling their kids on that front.
Damien’s statement was refreshing coming from Hollywood…why isn’t anyone at the Oscars/Netflix stating the same thing about Karla Sofia Gascón?! I mean it’s ridiculous. Hollywood is in bed with the Democratic Party and their far left ideology and Karla got a taste of the authoritarian left…hopefully this is the end of “Woke” Hollywood? Who knows but Damien is trying to eloquently navigate a political pendulum swing that is happening in the culture and please both sides in a commendable way. He knows where it’s going with the rise of the right (probably for the next 12 years at best, in my opinion) and he wants to make his movies as is. I’m sure he will reference politics big time at some point like bring Art to the White House! They did with Chucky! lol