You remember the trolls. If you grew up in the early 90s, the "Trantor" troll from Ernest Scared Stupid was probably the reason you checked under your bed for three years straight. He was slimy. He was snotty. He turned kids into little wooden dolls. But if you’ve ever looked at those trolls and thought they looked suspiciously like the neon-colored invaders from Killer Klowns from Outer Space, you aren't imagining things.
There is a direct, tangible link between the 1991 Jim Varney classic and the 1988 cult hit. It isn't just a fan theory. It’s a matter of practical effects history.
The connection lies with the Chiodo Brothers—Stephen, Charles, and Edward. These guys are legends in the world of stop-motion and creature suits. They are the masterminds who wrote, directed, and created the effects for Killer Klowns from Outer Space. A few years later, they were hired to bring the nightmare fuel to life in the Ernest universe. When you see Trantor’s bloated, rubbery face or the way his skin folds, you’re seeing the exact same DNA—and in some cases, the literal same molds—used for the Klowns.
Why Ernest Scared Stupid Killer Klowns Feel Like the Same Movie
Most people don't realize how small the world of 80s and 90s creature effects actually was. Honestly, it was a tight-knit community of weirdos with latex and airbrushes.
The Chiodo Brothers brought a very specific aesthetic to Ernest Scared Stupid. It’s that "grotesque but tactile" look. They don't just make monsters; they make characters with exaggerated, almost caricatured features. Look at the nose on Trantor. Now look at the nose on "Shorty" or "Jojo" from Killer Klowns. The texture of the foam latex is identical.
Actually, the connection goes deeper than just a "vibe."
It’s a well-documented fact in horror circles that the Chiodo Brothers reused assets. When you’re working on a mid-budget Touchstone film like Ernest Scared Stupid, you have to be smart. You’ve got a dozen or more "troll" suits to fill out the background of the final battle. Creating twenty unique, high-end animatronic suits from scratch is expensive.
So, they dipped into their own archives.
If you look closely at the background trolls in the climax of the Ernest film, several of them are wearing repurposed masks and pieces from the Killer Klowns production. They were repainted, covered in slime, and given different hair, but the skeletal structure of those clown faces is right there. It’s a literal crossover of physical props.
The Chiodo Brothers’ Mastery of the "Ugly-Cute"
Why does this matter? Because both films occupy this strange space in pop culture where they are technically for kids or teens, but they are genuinely disturbing.
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Jim Varney was a genius of physical comedy. He was the "clean" guy. But Ernest Scared Stupid is surprisingly dark. It’s got a high stakes feel. The trolls aren't just minions; they’re ancient, demonic beings that steal the souls of children. The Chiodos treated the trolls with the same respect they gave their Klowns. They weren't just "movie monsters." They were individual puppets with blinking eyes, moving lips, and slime-drooling mechanisms.
The Technical Crossover
Let’s talk shop for a second. The Chiodo Brothers use a technique called "over-sculpting."
Most modern CGI feels flat because it lacks "micro-textures." The Chiodos, however, obsessed over every pore. In Killer Klowns, the faces were meant to look like distorted rubber masks that were actually the aliens' real skin. In Ernest Scared Stupid, they applied that same logic to the trolls.
- They used cable-controlled animatronics for the facial expressions.
- They layered "ultra-wet" slime coatings that caught the light, making the rubber look organic.
- They utilized forced perspective to make the trolls seem more imposing against the child actors.
I’ve seen interviews where the brothers talk about the "troll tree." That set piece was a massive undertaking. To populate it, they needed volume. That’s where the Killer Klowns molds came in handy. It’s the ultimate "if you know, you know" for horror fans.
The Legacy of the 1991 Troll Designs
Honestly, the trolls in Ernest are probably more technically advanced than the Klowns.
By 1991, the Chiodo Brothers had refined their craft. Trantor is a masterpiece of early 90s practical effects. The way his throat moves when he talks—that’s a bladder system they perfected over years of creature work. It’s a shame we don't see this level of craft in mid-budget movies anymore. Everything is a digital blur now.
There’s also the "Bulgaria" connection. No, not the country. The "Great Red Wall."
Wait, I’m getting off track. Let's talk about the milk.
The "Mi-alk" scene in Ernest is iconic, but the Chiodo Brothers were the ones who had to figure out how to make the troll suits react to the liquid without ruining the expensive electronics inside. They had to waterproof the interior of the latex skins. It was a logistical nightmare that they handled by using similar sealing techniques they’d used for the "acid pies" in Killer Klowns.
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What Most People Get Wrong About These Monsters
People often think these movies were "cheap." They weren't.
Ernest Scared Stupid had a respectable budget for its time, and a huge chunk of that went to the Chiodo Brothers. They weren't just hiring guys in masks. They were building complex machines.
Another misconception? That the Killer Klowns were just "scary clowns." They were actually intended to be an ancient race of aliens that influenced our perception of clowns. Similarly, the trolls in Ernest were an ancient race that had been trapped for centuries. Both films use the trope of "ancient evil that looks like something we recognize."
The Chiodos love that stuff. They love taking something familiar—a clown, a fairytale troll—and twisting it until it’s unrecognizable.
Behind the Scenes at Chiodo Bros. Productions
If you ever get a chance to look at the Chiodo Brothers' studio archives, it’s a graveyard of 80s nostalgia. You’ll see the Critters (from the Critters franchise), the Klowns, and the trolls all sitting on the same shelves.
- Critters: Small, puppet-based, heavy use of fur.
- Killer Klowns: Large scale, foam latex, animatronic heads.
- Ernest Trolls: Mid-scale, high-detail facial articulation, heavy slime work.
They are all cousins. If you’re a fan of one, you’re naturally a fan of the others because the "hand of the artist" is so visible. You can see the thumbprints in the clay, metaphorically speaking.
Why We Still Talk About Trantor and the Klowns in 2026
We are currently living through a massive practical effects renaissance.
People are tired of the "uncanny valley" of CGI. They want to see something that was actually in the room with the actors. That’s why Ernest Scared Stupid and Killer Klowns from Outer Space have such long tails. They feel "real." When Trantor sneaks into the girl's bed, the fear on the actor's face is bolstered by the fact that there was a 150-pound animatronic nightmare sitting next to her.
The "Killer Klowns" brand is actually bigger now than it was in the 80s. With the recent video game and the constant rumors of a sequel (Return of the Killer Klowns from Outer Space in 3D), the Chiodo Brothers are finally getting their flowers.
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And for those of us who grew up with Ernest? We know the truth. We know that the trolls were the Klowns' swamp-dwelling cousins.
Actionable Steps for Creature Effects Fans
If you want to dive deeper into this specific niche of cinematic history, don't just take my word for it. The evidence is out there if you know where to look.
Watch the "Making of" Featurettes
Specifically, look for the Ernest Scared Stupid behind-the-scenes footage. You can see the Chiodo Brothers on set, adjusting the trolls. Pay attention to the background masks. If you’ve seen Killer Klowns recently, the shapes will jump out at you.
Follow the Chiodo Brothers on Social Media
They are still active. They frequently post "Throwback Thursday" style photos of their old molds. Sometimes they even show the restoration process of the original troll heads. It’s a masterclass in foam latex preservation.
Check the Credits
Start looking at the "Special Makeup Effects" credits on your favorite 80s and 90s movies. You’ll start to see a pattern. The Chiodos, Rick Baker, Stan Winston, Tom Savini—they all traded secrets and sometimes even traded staff.
Analyze the "Klown" Cameos
There is a long-standing rumor that one specific mask from the Killer Klowns "popcorn" scene was used as the base for the troll "Rimshot" turns into. It hasn't been 100% confirmed by Stephen Chiodo, but the eye-socket geometry is a near-perfect match.
The link between these two properties is a testament to a time when movies were made by hand. It’s a bit of movie magic that proves even a "silly" Ernest P. Worrell movie can be a landmark for creature design. Next time you watch Ernest battle the forces of darkness with a garbage bag full of milk, remember the Klowns. They’re closer than you think.
To truly appreciate the craft, compare the movement of Trantor's ears to the movement of the "Baby Klowns" in the 1988 film. The mechanical rigs are nearly identical in their "spring and pull" frequency. It’s this kind of technical consistency that defines the Chiodo Brothers' legacy. They didn't just make monsters; they built a visual language that defined a generation's nightmares.