Thirty-one years after its release, the 1995 cult horror film Ice Cream Man is now available to stream for free on platforms like Tubi, Pluto TV, and Roku. The film, starring Clint Howard as a deranged killer, has gained a reputation as a so-bad-it's-good masterpiece.
Directed by Paul Norman, the movie centers on Gregory Tudor, a man deeply traumatized by witnessing an ice cream truck driver's murder in his youth. After a stint in a psychiatric institution, Gregory buys his own ice cream truck and begins lacing his frozen treats with gruesome ingredients, including human remains. The film features several unsettling scenes of Howard's character interacting with children, interspersed with his escalating acts of violence. A detective, played by Jan-Michael Vincent, investigates the disappearances, leading him to the institution where Gregory was treated.
The production itself is as strange as the film's plot. Norman, who had previously directed adult films, intended Ice Cream Man as a pivot to family-friendly horror. Despite the presence of actors like Howard and Vincent, a modest budget and peculiar directorial choices kept the film firmly in B-movie territory. Details such as a sponsorship deal with Converse, which resulted in extensive shots of characters' footwear, and the use of mashed potatoes dyed to resemble ice cream, contribute to its unique cult status. According to the film's DVD commentary, Jan-Michael Vincent was reportedly intoxicated for much of the shoot.
Ice Cream Man premiered in 1995 and initially had a limited impact. However, it found a dedicated following through physical media and word-of-mouth among horror enthusiasts. While a Kickstarter campaign for a sequel in 2014 fell far short of its funding goals, Clint Howard announced in 2025 that work had begun on a follow-up film intended to further explore the original's bizarre plot elements. The recent, critically panned Ice Cream Man directed by Eli Roth has, according to some, only highlighted the enduring appeal of the 1995 original.