Clowns exist to entertain and make us laugh. But there’s no denying that clowns, with their frozen smiles and heavily painted facades, can be absolutely terrifying. Rome-based photographer Eolo Perfido captures the scary side of these uncanny characters in his photo series Clownville — which we first spotted on Lava360. The photographs were inspired by silent film stars Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin — two expressive actors who used their faces and mannerisms for comical effect. But the clowns that Perfido captures are the kind you see in horror movies, not silent pictures. See more creepy clowns in our gallery for Halloween inspo.