Many horror fans have crowned the Terrifier franchise as the most gruesome and violent of the slasher sub-genre. Each film is a relentless gore fest, topped off with outrageous dark comedy and a deliciously sadistic antagonist – Art the Clown.

The first instalment made its debut in cinemas in 2016. Despite a meagre budget of $35,000, writer and director Damien Leone utilised practical effects to create retch-inducing realism, pushing the boundaries of grindhouse terror. Its great return of $339,946 in domestic gross merited a larger-budget sequel, which saw the franchise really take off. The sequel, Terrifier 2, released in 2022, dialled up the gore even further. It became a social media sensation and an unexpected box office hit after reports circulated of people vomiting and fainting at screenings. Terrifier 3 was released at the end of last year, surpassing everyone's expectations with its rave reviews and the franchise's most successful box office gross to date.

Fans eagerly anticipate the return of the blood-soaked clown in all his killer glory in Terrifier 4. However, the University of Warwick decided to wet our taste buds by holding the world's first-ever Terrifier conference.

Academics came to offer a different perspective by treating the franchise as an object of scholarly importance. Aesthetics, religious imagery, gender presentation, costume, marketing and accessibility were all examined across the two-day conference.

While I was only able to attend the online day, this was a fulfilling and in many ways enlightening experience. Right from the beginning, it was clear to see the organisers were beaming with excitement. University professors, Dr Reece Goodall and Dr Hannah Straw, began the conference by admiring the diversity of attendees. Horror fans, writers, students, and academics united to create a deep sense of community. Each talk was followed by an active question-and-answer session, prompting a rich exchange of perspectives amongst a dedicated fan base.

It is difficult to recap the entire event with over a dozen talks just on Friday. However, there were some highlights. The first talk from Megan Mitchell and Calvin Halliday from Matchbox Cine set a high standard. They discussed their work on providing the subtitles and audio descriptions for Terrifier 3.

Mitchell began by examining how the film's evocative audio elements are captured within descriptive subtitles. She explained that their priority was to ensure that a hard-of-hearing person's viewing experience closely adheres to that of a hearing audience. Halliday added, “high-quality immersive subtitles can elevate a film from merely accessible to genuinely immersive.” This was perfectly exemplified with “viscous squelching” accompanying a particularly heinous kill in Terrifier 3, provoking the same discomfort as the sound itself. They also emphasised how audio descriptions should not downplay or omit violence to capture the brutality of Art the Clown. One of their favourite descriptions was “Art collapses Santa's face with a hammer with a sadistic grin”, matching the film's sinister and gory tone. Both speakers gave a captivating insight into the processes that help to bring Terrifier 3's visceral gore to blind and hard-of-hearing audiences.

Another standout talk was with Ilan Sheady and Mariam Draeger, artists and the marketing team for Grimmfest. The pair discussed their creative journey with Terrifier, coming across the first film while working with the Liverpool Horror Club. Their passion for the franchise was evident and touching. Draeger described how it felt like “watching history”, relishing the films for their “bloody, gory fictional fun.”

This excitement spurred them to create a marketing campaign for Terrifier 2′s UK screening at the 2022 Dead of Night Film Festival. Each attendee received their own vomit bag, designed by Sheady and Draeger, adorned with a grisly image of Art the Clown and a red warning sign.

a film festival is giving VOMIT BAGS for people going to watch Terrifier 2

you've got my attention. you've got all of my attention. completely. tell me more. pic.twitter.com/d76xMNMBvw

— thaís ✧ (@thaisgarela) October 2, 2022

These quickly became a popular talking point for the film on social media and across various news outlets. This clever marketing gimmick capitalised on the film's shock value, helping to catapult the horror film to a global market. Exploring the film from a marketing lens was fascinating, accentuated by the pair's warm and engaging manner during the talk. Sheady and Draeger also demonstrated how the publicity around the horror genre is constantly evolving. An overtly gory film is no longer shunned by the public but instead celebrated.

While not all talks were as memorable, with some speakers more difficult to follow, there's no denying the franchise's indelible mark on the horror genre and cinema culture. With such a broad scholarly appeal, it's becoming clear that slasher films are gaining wider critical respect and appreciation. The Terrifier Conference was a riveting event for fans to lovingly dissect the franchise while emphasising its great legacy.