History Main / CreepyCircusMusic

* ''VideoGame/TheSims1'' has circus music making up about half the soundtrack of the ''Makin' Magic'' expansion pack, which is the most spooky/gothic expansion and, as the title indicates, has a supernatural theme.

* In ''WesternAnimation/LeagueOfSuperEvil'', this type of music serves as the {{Leitmotif}} for Chuckles, a deranged RobotClown who tortures people on their birthdays. It sounds pretty unnerving with his high-pitched voice and [[TheHyena constant laughter]].

* ''Manga/{{Gyo}}'': Towards the end of the story, the main character stumbles into a CircusOfFear where the insane ringmaster is directing a show performed by infected people and animals. There's also an orchestra of infected [[MonsterClown monster clowns]] that play an eerie tune, and the ringmaster points out that they aren't playing the instruments, but only blowing the virus gas into them which comes out as otherworldly music on its own. The ringmaster believes it's a "march from another world", that the gas is sentient and is communicating and directing all the infected circus artists, since they move along with its rhythm. Sadly the OVA downplays this scene a lot and the creepy circus music is rather bland.

* In ''Anime/DragonBallZ'', [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2okaf_qOqgE&ab_channel=BruceFaulconer-Topic several]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyR0AviIdK4&ab_channel=Otskreig of Majin Buu's themes]] in the Funimation score have circus motifs, which totally fits the childishly deranged and pretty unsettlingly nature of the ManChild HumanoidAbomination.
* The ending credits to ''Anime/ParanoiaAgent.''
* The recurring number "Dream" from ''Manga/MysteriousGirlfriendX'' is definitely inspired by this.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiU2mZYunV0 This track]] from the soundtrack of ''Literature/{{Paprika}}''.
* ''Anime/ChargemanKen'': "Waves of the Danube" in the CircusEpisode is played in a minor key, and has a very melancholic tone. This turns out to be fitting, because [[spoiler:the circus is a trap to kill Ken.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/PinocchioAndTheEmperorOfTheNight'': The infamous NightmareFuel scene in which [[EvilPuppeteer Puppetino]] transforms Pinocchio back into a wooden marionette by playing a sinister, chaotic carnival music with a cursed organ grinder.
* ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheKillingJoke'': "[[https://youtu.be/f0wJNl320eQ I Go Looney]]," the Joker's written VillainSong from the original graphic novel about succumbing to madness in times of stress, is imagined here as a deranged carnival-ish tune, with a bit of a vaudeville showtune aesthetic as well. This is quite fitting for a MonsterClown singing about insanity to a man being forced through a carnival dark ride.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Coraline}}'' has an [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome excellently creepy scene]] with the [[spoiler:Other]] Kangaroo Rats. Bonus points for occurring in an actual circus of sorts.

* "You're Only Second Rate", the VillainSong from ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheReturnOfJafar'', is a swingy Broadway-style song that contains some elements of this. For example, circus-themed imagery is used throughout the song, and when Jafar sings the line "You think your cat's a meanie, but your tiger's tame", you can hear the melody of "Entry of the Gladiators" in the background.

* The first part of "[[DisneyAcidSequence Pink Elephants on Parade]]" from ''WesternAnimation/{{Dumbo}}'' is a circus march played in a minor key, and made even more frightening by the [[DerangedAnimation surrealism]] of the scene. When the singing starts ("Look out! Look out! Pink elephants on parade!") the brass and xylophone are replaced by a circus-esque organ.

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLNklguPhY8 Facade & Blade]], [[VillainousHarlequin Joka]]'s battle theme from ''Door To Phantomile'' starts out with this type of music, but quickly switches to dark, techno-ish music. This is symbolic of Joka going from being [[LaughablyEvil incompetent and buffoonish]] to being a full-fledged MonsterClown.
** The boss theme for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACA1ry9rNps Leptio the Flower Clown]] from ''Lunatea's Veil'' also qualifies.

* Creator/KevinMacleod has written a few songs in this style, such as his "Tenebrous Brothers Carnival" series, and "Waltz of the Carnies".

[[HappyCircusMusic Done straight]], it lets everyone within earshot know that they are in a world of fun for children of all ages! However, unless you're in an [[RealLife actual circus]], then you are more likely to hear this kind of music slowed ''way'' down and played in a minor key. The effect is haunting, scary and maybe even sad and nostalgic. Often it will sound as if it's being played on an old, rusty calliope with wheezing pipes and unsteady pressure regulation, leading to out-of-tune notes.

** "Midnight Calliope," which is appropriate for a [[spoiler:MonsterClown murderous {{Juggalo}}.]]

** In "Recap/TheSimpsonsS4E10LisasFirstWord Lisa's First Word", when young Bart is scared by Homer's [[AccidentalNightmareFuel accidental]] MonsterClown bed decoration, a sinister carnival dirge builds up until Bart imagines the bed coming to life to tell him: "If you should die before you wake... ''[[EvilLaugh HHHEHEHHEHEHEHEEH!!!]]''"

** When young Bart is scared by Homer's [[AccidentalNightmareFuel accidental]] MonsterClown bed decoration, a sinister carnival dirge builds up until Bart imagines the bed coming to life to tell him: "If you should die before you wake... ''[[EvilLaugh HHHEHEHHEHEHEHEEH!!!]]''"
** When their house is getting gassed for bugs with a big striped tent covering it. Nelson and his bully pals think it's a circus and sneak in - then stagger out slurring the standard circus theme music.
* Parodied in the ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' episode "Stewie Loves Lois", in which Peter, who thinks he's been raped by Dr. Hartman after simply being given a prostate exam, embellishes his recollection of the exam in question to include the doctor laughing in a pitched-down voice and riding a carousel with a calliope playing "Over The Waves" slowed down.

* Music/AliceCooper's ''Comicbook/TheLastTemptation'' features this type of music in the outro of it's first track, "Sideshow" complete with a creepy carnival barker.

* In the beginning of the arcade game ''VideoGame/NinjaClowns'', there is a shot of [[NonIronicClown the main character]] standing on a building at night, surveying the city just like Franchise/{{Batman}}. During this shot, the background music is a slow, eerie version of "Entry of the Gladiators"

* ''Franchise/TheSimpsons'':

* Music/{{Nine Inch Nails}} - "Pilgrimage"

* In ''Film/TheCompanyOfWolves'' [[https://youtu.be/z7HlN1nfM-U?t=1076 this track]] begins to take the form of scary circus music as unsettling SoundtrackDissonance while the AssholeVictims at the wedding party freakishly turn into wolves.

** There is a music box house in Ikana Valley which constantly plays circus music to keep away the undead...[[WidgetSeries successfully]]. This song is similar to the one in ''VideoGame/SuperMario64''.

* In ''VideoGame/CaptainSilver'', the [[VillanousHarlequin Pied Piper]]'s {{leitmotif}} is a circus arrangement of Edvard Grieg's "[[Theatre/PeerGynt In The Halls of the Mountain King]]".

->''"...she suddenly heard unexpected music. It filled the night air as if it had been only waiting for Meggie’s footsteps: strange music, a carnival mixture of bells, pipes and drums, both boisterous and sad. Meggie wouldn’t have been surprised to find a whole troupe of fairground entertainers waiting for her..."''

* This type of music can be heard in ''VideoGame/BendyAndTheInkMachine'' Chapter 4, when Henry is [[BossFight fighting]] [[spoiler: Bertrum Piedmont]].

* The English dub of ''Wabuu the Cheeky Raccoon'' by Creator/DingoPictures, reviewed by WebVideo/{{Phelous}} [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEYTjTUZ_w4&t=490s here]], has a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k28HHPbOCqU circus organ tune]] [[BrokenRecord looping]] ''[[BrokenRecord throughout the entire film]]'', save for the intro and outtro, even while other situational music pieces are playing. In one scene, the loop plays ''on top of itself''. The tune [[RecycledSoundtrack appears in a few other Dingo films]] such as ''Animal Soccer World'', albeit not looped.

* In ''[[https://youtu.be/_vx3QeKecxU?si=SZsx33nYeidG4-By?t=13m34s A Day in the Life of a Two Dollar Bill]]'', the toy store scene, alongside the array of {{creepy doll}}s, features a circus march titled "Entry of the Artists" by Gerhard Narholz under the alias Otto Sieben.

* The B-section of Boots Randolph's "[[https://youtu.be/lAJB6HsYiNA?si=CrUDz8alRTx_2YrM?t=44s Yakety Sax]]" interpolates the first two bars of "Entry of the Gladiators".

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGNbE-1quX0 "Waltz to the Death"]], by Creator/DannyElfman, is ComicBook/TheJoker's {{Leitmotif}} in Creator/TimBurton's ''Film/Batman1989''. The theme actually sounds more like something from the 19th century (think Tchaikovsky's ''Nutcracker Suite''), but it's played on rather loud horns that remind one of a circus band; and while it's not very creepy in itself, the two scenes during which it's played certainly are (the Joker gleefully shooting a man several times and the Joker forcing the film's DamselInDistress to dance with him - at gunpoint - atop Gotham City's cathedral).
** In the sequel ''Film/BatmanReturns'', given the presence of the Red Triangle Gang, a malevolent group of criminals that were formerly a [[InvasionOfTheBabySnatchers children-stealing]] CircusOfFear, Elfman has implemented a creepy circus vibe and ominous organ grinder music whenever they appear, as observable in "[[https://youtu.be/gB7bBm-LvqU Shadow Of Doom/Clown Attack]]", "[[https://youtu.be/ge7RWZ-8S6o?t=43 Lair (Part 1)]]" and "[[https://youtu.be/Oz8aLIECqqM?t=37 The Rise And Fall From Grace (Part 1)]]".

* ''Series/SesameStreet'': [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1Rhm7kp-tk This creepy segment,]] which also includes several horrifying close-ups of [[CreepyDoll dolls with lifeless eyes.]]

* The "Puzzles" room in ''VideoGame/{{Shivers}}'' has its own horrific [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlO1kyWA3Tk&feature=related music.]]

* ''VideoGame/{{Blood}}'' uses this sort of music, titled ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uIksYWaZKA Dark Carnival]]'' on the soundtrack, for its circus levels. The sounds of barkers and children throughout make it even creepier.

* The 1999 version of ''Film/TheHaunting1999'' featured a rotating, mirrored room which played [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmQ9EnpDif8 a sprightly circus-type song]] composed by veteran horror composer Music/JerryGoldsmith. While this was justified in-story by Hugh Crain having built and designed his mansion for children to play in, a review of the movie said it best (in paraphrase): "No horror movie can be complete without creepy circus music." As if the original tune isn't unsettling enough, Eleanor later visits the room in the middle of the night while having her requisite freak-out, and the imbalanced spinning she suffers is augmented by [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3ddMIfgfGg a very deep, discordant bass line running in counterpoint to the calliope]].

** The [[Film/It1990 1990 miniseries]] has "[[https://youtu.be/P6bJ5t8CJwk Georgie Dies]]" which is straight-up creepy circus music in the first part, whereas [[MonsterClown Pennywise]]'s leitmotif "[[https://youtu.be/Z_ryTyCZhJQ Circus Source]]" is used more as SoundtrackDissonance, but even a happy carnival tune just feels creepy because of the association.
** In the [[Film/It2017 2017 movie]] Pennywise dances to a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF5krjVVcso deranged, distorted circus music]] in front of Bev when she awakens in his lair, while ''[[Film/ItChapterTwo Chapter 2]]'' has "[[https://youtu.be/Hu30X3m3EXE Dirty Little Secret]]" in which Pennywise sings to Richie while an eerie circus waltz is heard.