10 Scariest Horror Movie Clowns

Another clown that doesn't subscribe to the whole 'being human' schtick, the doll in Poltergeist has more than earned its spot on this list for its antics throughout the movie. Inhabited by evil spirits intent on stealing Carol Anne's life force, the Freeling family are accosted by their own home as they try to survive everything from corpses rising out of their swimming pool to ghostly apparitions from the closet, but it's young Robbie's encounter with a clown doll that serves as one of the most lasting terrifying moments.

First of all, it comes from under the bed, which is just unnecessarily playing up to nightmarish expectation to begin with. That it then sneaks up on the boy and begins to strangle the living daylights out of him whilst he looks back in terror just solidifies its place as expertly scary, despite only appearing for what's essentially just a bit role.