Stitches

Plot synopsis:
Richard Grindle (Ross Noble), a clown with the stage name "Stitches", is having sex with a woman in his van. While they are having sex, she notices an egg encased in a glass tube with a face painted on it. Stitches explains that "they" made him do it when he signed up. Stitches arrives late at Tommy's (Ryan Burke) tenth birthday party. He attempts to entertain the children, but they instead ridicule him. Tommy's best friend Vinnie (Gerald Ahern) ties Stitches' shoelaces together, and Tommy throws a football on his face, causing him to trip and land on a kitchen knife on the other side of the room, unseen to the children, which penetrates his face. As the children come to find out, Stitches slowly gets up. Seeing him, all kids scream in terror and run away.However, Tommy stays transfixed, but when Stitches removes the knife, blood gushes out of the gaping wound, causing him to fall, and the knife flies above him. Stitches falls onto the floor as the knife falls onto his eye, killing him. Tommy visits Stitches' grave and finds a group of clowns performing a ritual. The group's leader, The Motley, threatens Tommy.
Six years later, Tommy (Tommy Knight) is preparing for his sixteenth birthday. He is still haunted by the memory of his past birthday, and begins to have frightening hallucinations, such as a teacher turning into a clown and ripping off Vinnie's testicles before tying them to a party balloon. Hesitating at the idea of throwing a large party, he considers instead inviting only a few friends. Ultimately, he settles on a large gathering, and Vinnie secretly distributes many more invitations over the internet. Tommy, Vinnie, Richie (Eoghan McQuinn) and Bulger (Thommas Kane Byrne), all of whom had been present when Stitches died, prepare the house. As the guests, including Tommy's childhood crush Kate (Gemma-Leah Devereux), arrive, Stitches comes back to life and leaves his grave.
Tommy, startled by Paul (Hugh Mulhern) dressed as a clown as a joke, injures his head. Bulger takes Tommy to find a first-aid kit, and Tommy retreats to his treehouse with Kate. There, Tommy discusses his memories of the ritual he encountered as a child. Meanwhile, Paul is attacked by Stitches, who rips off his ear and one of his arms and pulls a live rabbit out of his throat before kicking his head off. The clown then finds Bulger, opens up his skull with a can opener, and removes his brain with an ice cream scooper. After serving up three perfectly round scoops of brain in a glass bowl, Stitches adds blood as a topping to complete his grisly ice cream sundae. Sarah, (Roisin Barron) Paul's girlfriend, enters the attic to look for him. There, she is attacked by Stitches, and manages to fight back. As she escapes, Stitches drives an umbrella through her skull, killing her. Through his telescope, Tommy sees Stitches in the house, and goes to warn Vinnie of his presence, but is at first unsuccessful, due to Vinnie's desire to have sex with a formerly overweight classmate. Tom asks Kate to leave, but her boyfriend Dan (Tommy Cullen) stops her.
Outside, Stitches attacks Richie. Richie attempts to flee but trips and falls. Stitches rips out his intestines and fashions them into a balloon animal before stabbing him with a bike pump and inflating him. Stitches manages to pump enough air into Richie to cause his head to explode. Vinnie, on discovering Tommy to be telling the truth, attempts to leave, but Stitches attacks them. Tommy stabs him, Vinnie covers him with a blanket, and they escape. Tommy and Vinnie rescue Kate, but Stitches knocks her unconscious as they attempt to escape. Tom tries to resuscitate her, and Vinnie leaves them behind, and Stitches attempts to drown Tommy in a sink that Vinnie had previously vomited in. Kate awakens and throws a knife at Stitches, while Tommy deduces a manner in which to defeat the clown; to kill him, they must destroy the egg he kept in his van. Tommy and Kate, pursued by Stitches, make their way to the den in the graveyard. While hiding, Tommy begins to hiccup, and Kate kisses him in order for him to stay quiet and hidden. Tommy searches for Stitches' egg among a collection of them while Kate keeps an eye out for Stitches, but the pair are soon discovered by him. While deciding which of the two to kill, Vinnie ties Stitches' shoelaces together again. He trips, and drops his egg. Tommy forces Stitches to smash the egg, and Stitches explodes in a mixture of magic trick supplies and yolk.
Six months later, Tommy has moved to a new house and is dating Kate. While the couple are in Tommy's old treehouse, Kate gives Tommy a new telescope, and his old one is positioned so as to focus on the den in the graveyard. There, The Motley is attempting to piece Stitches' broken egg back together while receiving a blow job. The egg is now fully restored indicating that Stitches will return. After the film cuts to black, Stitches' catchphrase, "Everybody happy?", is heard.

Tags: revenge, prank

Review:
Ross does a brilliant job bringing his character to life, and the story and kids wrapped around the concept are just tacky enough to reek of stereotype, but just different enough to keep you entertained and smiling (such as Bulger doing the splits at the gym, or the 'bully' actually being the only character in a stable, functional relationship).Brilliant film, a lovely surprise to what would have otherwise been a disappointing evening!.
Stitches is a very funny take on the slasher genre, using comedy and horror combined, it reminded me of the latter Elm Street movies, where the villain has to use a comic gag to kill his victim!
I am sure die hard fans of the horror genre will balk at the effects in this little gem of a comedy but then most die hard horror fans have a pole up their backsides the size of Nelsons Column judging by some of the reviews here at IMDb of other movies...This is a delightful comedy romp that pokes fun of the horror genre much in the same vein as "Funny Man", even the effects are a parody of horror effects that underlies the difficulties in producing them...Characterisation is simplistic and yet effective for a comedy (Nobody is expecting the type of characterisation of Anna Karenina in a simple comedy)...I personally feel that Ross Noble did a good job in playing the slobby and vengeful clown and many of the gags made me laugh out loud, not least the site of him riding a kiddies tricycle...If you want deep go and watch Anna Karenina or read war and peace but for a comedy this rings all the bells.....
While the slasher/comedy/horror genre has been done to death, the Irish film 'Stitches' takes the main elements of the genre and puts a fresh twist on it.The story has a real 'Nightmare on Elm Street' vibe: Ross Noble plays Stitches, a cynical clown who is accidentally killed by some bratty kids at a birthday party.
A clown cult preserves his spirit and six years later Stitches returns to exact revenge on the same kids, now teenagers.While 'Stitches' may be a lot more low-budget than modern horror fans are used to, it works because it's funny, it has imaginative and creative death scenes (another 'Elm Street' nod) and the over-the-top gore: including intestines being turned into a balloon animal, a head being blown up with a balloon pump, an umbrella through the eye and brains being scooped out with a can opener and an ice cream scoop.
It's basically an old-school slasher film with a few updates.Noble is the only known actor in the film and he carries is: rather than lazily trade on his stand-up persona, he manages to balance the funny and creepy side of Stitches (even killing a poor, innocent cat during his rampage).
He seems to be genuinely enjoying it, delivering his kills with bad clown puns.The teenage cast does a serviceable job but play second fiddle to Stitches' killing spree.If you're a fan of old-school slashers which balance the funny and the gory, then 'Stitches' is worth a look..
I watched 'Stitches' mainly because, as well as loving horror, I'm also a big Ross Noble fan and was interested to see how his stand-up would transfer to acting.
To be fair, he doesn't have much to do in the way of acting.His 'unconventional' (sorry, Ross) looks make it easy for the make-up department to transform him into an evil, undead clown, hell-bent on seeking bloodthirsty revenge on the party of children who caused his death in the first place.In short, Ross Noble steals every scene he's in.
He doesn't really come into it (proper) until midway through and, by then, you've been forced to watch your usual 'teen drama.' As this is a British film, I was hoping for something a little more original than 'uber-geek falls in love with beautiful girl who just so happens to be going out with an arrogant jock.' Sadly, that's all we get.
Some of the death scenes are truly disgusting (and hilarious in their over-the-topness).Stitches is worth watching if you like horror and Ross Noble.
I really enjoyed Stitches I thought it was a lot of fun an awesome gory comedy and Ross Noble did a great job as the clown I never really knew who he was until I came across and watched this movie I remember seeing the trailer and thinking this might be another stupid killer clown movie but I was wrong it was hilarious to me also the kills were fun to watch.
To be honest I didn't expect much when I decided to watch this movie.A cast I hadn't heard of, an irish production and a comedy-horror story involving a killer clown, how good could it be?
Stitches has some gory killing scenes but even during those scenes you will probably find yourself laughing (It might scare you a bit if you are not used to watching horror movies but that's it).Yes, the most unique and intriguing point of this movie is its dark, weird and even at times disturbing humor.
The clumsy and unfunny clown Richard "Stitches" Grindle (Ross Noble) goes to the birthday party of little Tom (Tommy Knight) and the boy and his friends play a prank with Stitches, tying his shoelaces.
Six years later, Tom gives a birthday party for his friends at home and the clown revives to haunt the teenagers and revenge his death."Stitches" is an unfunny and gore movie with a terrible storyline.
One of the better elements in this one is the rather freaky look attributed to the main clown here, which is always important in these types of movies and manages to get some great mileage out of his look when it treats him like a threat which scores pretty well with his creepy antics.
The other really enjoyable part to this is easily the main party where everything goes down which manages to play on numerous teen comedies for numerous scenes while also doling out the bloodshed, scares and chases with great aplomb, making it something that very easily could've transcended into boredom but sticking it out for the better produces a lot to like here.
The fact that the party is played straight and tense among the attendees who are all caught up in typical teen melodramas while the slashing itself has a comical tone coming from the infusion of his supernatural powers makes for an oddly ill-fitting sequence, as rather than being repelled by the over-the-time and extreme gore found in these kills we are supposed to find it funny not only in concept but execution as well which is hardly ever the case.
Well yes it does sound rubbish and it really shouldn't work, but give this comedy/horror movie, focus on the comedy, a go and you may well be pleasantly surprised.The story, minimal as it is, focuses on Stitches', a clown who comes back from the dead to exact his revenge on a group of children after he died in a OTT party accident.
This harks back to Vincent Price's delicious revenge movies as Dr. Phibes in the early 70s, also his Theatre of Blood.It also has something in common with the Chucky movies, Bride of Chucky is a personal favorite.It switches between the suburban and the demented but because I already know that most of the suburban will be killed by the demented I'm really just waiting for the killings, and they are very funny, old school horror with very little use of CGI.It's a homage to a different time in horror, it's cheesy, you can see what's coming but you go for the ride.It's a genre movie, there's nothing else to say except that I enjoyed it..
Other users on this site seemed to enjoy STITCHES, an Irish comedy horror about a clown who comes back from the dead to seek revenge on those who had him killed, but I thought it made for a pitiful viewing experience.
As a comedy horror it's a dreadfully unfunny film, one of those low budget productions with a script that confuses crudity for wit and remains continually unfunny as a result.Even worse, STITCHES is saddled with a grating lead performance from non-actor Ross Noble, who seems to regard himself as some kind of comedian; well, not on the strength of this amateurish production.
But its strength lies in the fact it doesn't pretend to be anything different.About ninety percent of the budget is blown on the death scene effects - which are pretty standard but entertaining - so the rest of the film weighs on Ross Noble and the cast of unknown, young actors who give great performances.
I really wasn't expecting anything from "Stitches", but to my surprise, it actually turned out to be an immensely entertaining slasher joint out of Ireland.While putting on a half-assed show for a bunch of misbehaving brats at a birthday party, Stitches the Clown has an unfortunate mishap that results in his bloody accidental demise.
Cut to six years later, those same kids are in high school and the birthday boy from the ill-fated party is still haunted by the death of Stitches, especially after having stumbled across a strange clown ritual going on in the cemetery following Stitches' funeral.
At his 10th birthday party, young Tom (Ryan Burke) witnesses the accidental death of slobbish kids entertainer Stitches the clown (comedian Ross Noble), who falls face down on the business end of a large knife after several unruly brats play a silly prank on him.
Six years later, Tom (now played by Tommy Knight) reluctantly throws another party for his teenage schoolmates, but the fun is interrupted when Stitches returns from the grave to exact revenge.Low budget Irish horror/comedy Stitches really isn't all that funny—but it sure is fun: although the film rarely made me laugh, most of the crude humour falling very flat, the frivolity and sheer absurdity of the whole thing means that one cannot help but have a good time.
Writer/director Conor McMahon conducts matters with style, introduces some clever little touches (love the clown's red nose sniffing out the guilty), and commands reasonable performances from his young cast, but it is the film's outrageous splat-stick gore effects that impress the most, with Stitches getting real creative with his kills: pulling a rabbit from a bloke's throat before decapitating him with a swift clown shoe to the head; making balloon animals from one poor sap's intestines before over inflating his head with a balloon pump; opening someone's cranium with a tin-opener and scooping out their brains; impaling a girl though the head with an umbrella.
There's also a nasty emasculation dream sequence and some gratuitous cat mutilation for good measure.After much splattery excess, the film sees Tom and his love interest Kate (Gemma-Leah Devereux) being stalked through the local cemetery, which holds the key to destroying the evil clown (McMahon incorporates some interesting mythos about painted clown eggs here), and finishes by hinting at a possible follow up, which I will be all in favour of, especially if they try harder with the jokes next time around.6.5 out of 10, rounded up to 7 for not killing off Monster Munch Mary, meaning that she can return in the sequel!.
Well, having seen this movie I definitely think that people over 17 are the ones who will actually be having a hard time watching Stitches.When I looked this movie up I had in mind the clown character from Spawn.
While there are a few noticeable faces in "Stitches" -and Ross Noble is GREAT- being that it's an Irish film there are loads of non-Hollywood actors, which is part of the charm of this bloody little flick.
Nonetheless, there are 7-10 example of heavy blood and/or gore.This is definitely not a funny clown movie for the kiddos, but any horror fan will enjoy this, as well dark comedy lovers, and fans of Beatleguice..
Before i start this i got just one question to ask is "Everybody Happy?" if not you will be after watching this movie.Stitches is everything you could ask for in a Horror/Comedy It's entertaining, funny, gory and for the most just a great well made movie, it really delivers everything a Horror/Comedy stands for and is up there with the best of them if not on the top!
The acting is great I've never seen a better Clown played so perfectly by anyone, Ross Noble aka Stitches is now up there near the top of the Clown ranks, Funnier then Krusty, More Dangerous than The Joker, Pennywise, ICP, and Pogo(Gacy) combined, and with a little help from viewers he'll be more famous than the Big Clown himself Ronald McDonald in no time.I hope to see a sequel or two in the future, there's not many Teen Slasher Clown Horror Comedy's out there that are worth watching I'm glad to say I've seen this movie.http://www.plentyofhorror.com.
To summarize the movie's story in a few lines; a clown is tragically killed at a kid's birthday party, and returns from the grave several years later to seek out those who led to his demise.There, that basically wraps up the entire story.But if you enjoy campy horror movies that is dripping with stupid punchlines and jokes, then "Stitches" is well worth checking out.
This film has been getting a lot of good buzz, but can it liven up the party like only a killer clown can or will it's balloon pop way too soon?
Each and every kill is not only creative and entertaining to watch, it is well thought out to match each character's past to be the perfect revenge.As if the fun of this movie wasn't enough, each kill makes sure to deliver the buckets of blood that is sure to please all the gore hounds out there.
The horror is so over the top, think Evil Dead blood levels, but also inventive.Great script, fun performances, clever references, in fact the only bad thing was how sad I felt when it was over, slightly cheered up by the out-takes in the closing credits.If you enjoy films like The Evil Dead, the Hatchet trilogy, or off-beat UK and Irish horror, do yourself the biggest favour and catch this gem.Please do a Stitches 2: Return of the clown...
So obviously Stitches comes back from the dead to waste everyone, because, according to some sinister Clown guy at the start of the film, a clown must finish a party to find peace.Therefore, Stitches turns up again to kill all those folks from the original party, pulling their guts out, making balloon animals of their intestines, making their heads explode.While not everything works in this film, like it taking its time getting to the kills, and the dodgy one liners that Noble is forced to say, it's good enough for at least one viewing.
Tom will have find a way to survive with another friend and girl he has a crush on, and to eliminate Stitches once and for all.Clown horror movies usually don't work for me.
Even aside from the clown theme, Stitches succeeds at being a good fast-paced horror movie..
Now a creepy clown movie that play on the comedy and horror elements is actually a cool idea.
At the start, it seemed like this movie had potential to be a really good horror/comedy but it starts to go downhill after Stitches the clown goes off screen.
A clown (stand up comedian Ross Noble) comes back from the dead to haunt those who took his life during a fatal party mishap.This film is a dark comedy at times, especially in the beginning.
The death scenes are gruesome as well as funny(mostly funny) and the humor is right up my alley(as it should be for the type of movie).BUY OR AVOID: If you like horror comedies then I would suggest this.
Over The Top Fun. Killer clowns is something that we don't see that much off in the slasher genre, which is a shame as they can be quite scary or funny if handled right (It & Killer Clowns From Out Space) are the only ones that come to mind and now we have "Stitches" , a British Slasher flick mixed with comedy, which is somewhat rather tough to get right and doesn't always work, but with this movie I can gladly say that they got right.Stitches is the name of the clown himself, who starts off as a children's entertainer and is accidentally killed at 10 year old Tommy's birthday party and of course swears revenge on Tommy and his friends and then fast forward 6 years later, Tommy now an awkward teenager still haunted by the freak accident and fears that Stitches will one day come back and kill him, and in true fashion he does come back.The film moves along at a swift pace which is a good thing firstly when we are introduced to the kids now as teenagers we get the usual hijinks and some gross out humour and then the tone quickly changes and we are of course treated to a variety of creative and fun kills and the gore effects are really great, (that's where all the budget went) but it's money well spent we get exploding head, private parts ripped apart, brain's scouped out with ice cream scoop and a nasty umbrella accident.
We follow the clown Stitches who has some work to do at Tom's birthday party but things don't work out as he wants and he gets accidentally killed.
This movie is about a clown (named Stitches: SHOCKER) who dies in a freak accident while entertaining at a kid's birthday party.
Basically Richard Grindle (Ross Noble) better known as 'Stitches' the clown is a low-rate children's entertainer, he is not completely happy while performing and has a pretty grouchy bad attitude, and his latest job is to amuse children at the birthday party of Young Tom (Ryan Burke).
I agree with critics that this feels just like a classic 80's scary movie, it may remind you of Stephen King's It or one of those other ridiculous but fun films filled with cheesy blood and guts, and the evil clown plot is nothing new but you can still have fun, a good enough British horror.