Hi there,
I've just discovered your wonderful site and wonder if you could help me with a kindertrauma my mum experienced as a kid.
It was a fairly old film, set in some kind of circus or carnival. There is a little girl who is always skipping around singing a song – it might be "Bye Baby Bunting" — and annoying everyone.
In the scene my mum remembers, a scary man (possibly a clown) snaps and starts jumping heavily on this kid, singing her annoying song in a kind of staccato as he stomps on her, finally realising she is dead. I think this happens behind a parked car.
My mum was going crazy trying to remember the name of this film.
Any suggestions?
Heidi
UPDATE: NAME THAT TRAUMA SOLVED! After some back & forth with Heidi, she came around to the realization that Unk was correct with DAY OF THE LOCUST.
Donald Sutherland would make one scary clown!
And let's also say that is wasn't a little girl!! But instead is an equally creepy young Jackie Earle Haley.
Was it the prequel to Casper? (Yes, I know that was in poor taste.)
That's Locust alright. It's so uncanny: my mom nudged me in the direction of that film for years (never revealing the ending) and I finally watched it a couple weeks ago (and I only started frequenting this site last week)! If that ain't the answer, I dunno what is.
Annoying song: "Jeepers Creepers"
Donald Sutherland's name in Day of the Locust? No joke, it's Homer Simpson.
I wonder if ma just got the details switched around a bit. How many kid stomping movies can there be out there?
It does sound like Day of the Locust, and I could see the weird facial effect being mistaken for clown makeup.
What happened after the kid was stomped was disturbing too!
Reader Greg emailed his two cents:
I loved "Miss Lonely Hearts," but have yet to Plow my way all the way through "Day," in fiction or film. I only recall the plywood, plaster, and chicken-wire, disaster during a battle scene.  Speaking of Matt Groening and "The Simpsons," I was recently clued into a "Breakfast Club" connection. "Nelson" is a nod to Judd Nelson, and Futurama's "Bender" is a nod again to the same character. I think there were other Hughesian echoes, but I've forgotten them.
UPDATE: It's probably not DAY OF THE LOCUST… Heidi emailed this response:
Even before I clicked the comments, I was positive it was "Day of The Locust" as well.
The movie isn't so great, but the book is essential, especially if you live in or near Hollywood. It's also very short. You can read it in a couple of hours.
UPDATE: It is DAY OF THE LOCUST!
Heidi emails: