Can you keep a secret? There are still filmmakers out there willing to tell stories just for the sake of irreverent fun, even if it means disregarding political correctness and risking victimization to today’s cancel culture. Such silliness comes from writer/director Richard Elfman and what appears to be a rather large contingent of Elfmans… Elfmen (sic) in sci-fi, horror, thriller, clown comedy Aliens, Clowns & Geeks.
Eddy Pine (Bodhi Elfman) is a jaded actor who’s depressed after his television series gets canceled. After almost getting run over by a pair of blondes, who are in actuality green-alien-controlled avatars manipulated by Xbox controllers from the mothership, Eddy and the girls engage in a three-way. As would happen in any alien ménage à trois, Eddy immediately poops a rather sizeable dark obelisk from his anus.
Making matters worse for Eddy, the obelisk is the key to the universe, according to the green aliens and the newly arrived Clown Emperor Beezel-Chugg (Verne Troyer). Both need to get their hands on the obelisk to rule the universe. And the chase begins, starting with a large clown sent to track down Eddy Terminator-style.
Eddy finds help in an assortment of odd characters, including his trans-sister Jumbo (Steve Agee), Professor von Scheisenberg (French Stewart), and the professor’s two tall blonde Swedish assistants Helga Svenson (Rebecca Forsythe) and Inga Svenson (Angeline-Rose Troy). Each one having his or her own particular set of skills to solve the mystery. The gang now must find a way to use the obelisk to defeat the clowns and green aliens while evading the alien-controlled blondes and a mind-controlled human clown (Nik Novicki) and his oversized partner Lenny (Steve Agee).
“…Eddy poops a rather sizeable dark obelisk from his anus.”
Elfman’s Aliens, Clowns & Geeks is 86 minutes of weird, strange silliness. Its comedy is derived primarily from presenting off-center premises. Of course, the villains have to be clowns. The aliens have to control the Earthly robots with game controllers while masturbating. Eddy’s mother has to be a prostitute with the vaginal strength to fire ping pong balls with deadly accuracy. Quite frankly, some gags would be better if more of these set-ups had punchlines following them.
There’s a lot to love about Aliens, Clowns & Geeks. First of which is a killer soundtrack from Danny Elfman (yes, that one) and Ego Plum Guerrero. It’s reminiscent of Mars Attacks and Pee Wee’s Big Adventure. But where the film shines is in its cast. Agee just kills it as the trans Burlesque dancer Jumbo. His deadpan acting is a joy to watch. French Stewart brings an amazing level of gravitas to Professor von Scheisenberg. Rebecca Forsythe and Angeline-Rose Troy create intelligent female role-models with a simple Swedish accent.
As Eddy, Bodhi Elfman has a fantastic scream when in danger and gives the greatest expressions in all things related to the sphincter. There are also great cameos, particularly from George Wendt as a priest. Also, I would be remiss not to mention Verne Troyer in his last role as Clown Emperor Beezel-Chugg. What a way to go.
I have to say, I’m not a fan of political correctness, and neither is this movie. Aliens, Clowns & Geeks has a story to tell and tells it in its own way; snowflakes be damned. Elfman pulls together a film that proudly reeks of B-movie in its production, performances, and child-like potty humor.
"…has a story to tell and tells it in its own way; snowflakes be damned."
