THE FUNHOUSE (1981)Seven years after Tobe Hooper changed the face of horror with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), he gave us a mediocre teen thriller called The Funhouse. Two young couples spend the night in a fun house at the local fair and witness a murder by a disfigured man in a Frankenstein mask. There's not too much to say about this one, but if you like carnival horror and bypass the cotton candy in search of a haunted house at the local carnvial like I do, then this one's for you. I always enjoyed spending $2 to sit in a little car and spin around in the dark for less than a minute, getting cheap scares from props and fake monsters inside the fun house. This movie plays out like one of those rides - cheap and quick with few scares. The only real interesting aspect of the film is the setting -- we really get a feel for the carnival atmosphere as we are introduced to the freak show, fortune teller, and all the other freaky sideshows that come with the territory. It's almost hard to believe that this film is by the same director was responsible for one of the most famous horror films of all time, but I guess every dog has its day. Nonetheless, The Funhouse is still an entertaining part of the 80's slasher genre, so step right up and give it a shot!
The Funhouse on IMDB:
