bayardhiler I was a little kid when we borrowed a VHS of a certain little movie called "The Funhouse" from our neighbor. Me and my mother didn't quite know what to expect, but boy we're in for a surprise! "The Funhouse" was a film that absolutely scarred the bejeus out of me as a kid, so much so that it always stayed with me. It wasn't until a little while ago that I was able to see this horror gem again and despite not having seen it in years, it was still as creepy and unsettling as I remembered it. Directed by the late, great Tobe Hooper of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" fame, it's a simple story of four teenagers who go to carnival to do what most teenagers like to do, smoke weed, get laid, etc. Then one of them has the bright idea of staying the in the funhouse after closing. Little do they know, they'll get a lot more than they bargained for! After seeing a man with a Frankenstein mask murder a would be prostitute, it's a fight to the death as they are stalked by the man in the mask (and his father, the funhouse barker) who we soon discover, has a very good reason to not show his face in public. Will any of them survive or are they doomed to die in the funhouse?"The Funhouse" is one of those films that doesn't get a lot of attention, which I've always found unfortunate and a little odd, for, though it may not be the best horror film ever made, I always found "The Funhouse" to be a very well made movie. It captured the seedy underbelly of traveling carnivals, a phenomenon that has largely disappeared as I understand it (Unfortunate, as I wouldn't mind have seeing this myself). The colors of the carnival lights are rich and vibrant, and hide the darkness that permeates the carnie world. The film is made better by Kevin Conway who plays all three carnival barkers, and who adds a sense of menace and sleaziness throughout the picture. Elizabeth Berridge should also be mentioned here for adding a touch innocence as Amy, one of the teenagers, who seems to know that under the veneer of fun there's darkness and seediness surrounding her and her friends. Then there is the monster himself. We have no idea what lies under that mask, but after he takes it off, we wish he'd have kept it on. As someone who's seen his fair share of horror monsters, I can unequivocally say the face of the monster here is hideous, terrifying, and beyond ugly. Rick Baker should be congratulated for creating such a gruesome make up effect, especially for a film that doesn't get much notice. The movie is able to show the horror of the creature while at the same time showing a pitifulness to the creature we are left with not doubt this deformed individual has been abused and ostracized it's all life. Indeed, I don't think the fact that the creature wears a Frankenstein monster's mask is a coincidence. And of course, Tobe Hooper should be given credit for weaving such a horrific tale. Indeed, one wishes he would have had a more successful career in Hollywood, as it's evident here he had a few more good movies in him other than just Texas Massacre. So if you're ever in the mood for a great scare, check out "The Funhouse". Beware the funhouse!!!!!

Michael_Elliott The Funhouse (1981) ** 1/2 (out of 4)A teenage girl sneaks off with three friends to a carnival even though her father warned her that there were issues with this sideshow the previous year. At first the four are having a great time but after witnessing a murder they become the hunted by a mutant.Tobe Hooper's THE FUNHOUSE was released at a time when slashers were taking over the genre and if you look at the poster you'd think that this was going to be another but it's actually not. I think the film had a pretty negative reputation for quite sometime because people were going in expecting something that what they actually got. Technically speaking this is an extremely well-made film that manages to build up a rather nice atmosphere and it certainly has some interesting stuff going for it but there are still some flaws that keep it from being a good picture.It's interesting that Hooper would go for a scare picture even though that's not what people were really wanting in 1981. The film manages to have some very good moments thanks in large part to Hooper giving it a very interesting atmosphere. You can certainly feel the carnival atmosphere as you watch the picture and the screenplay certainly gives us a lot of character development for the four leads. Another good thing the film has going for it is the cinematography and music score. Both of them perfectly capture the "shocks" of what the film has to offer. For the most part the performances are also good with Elizabeth Berridge making for a good lead and we get some nice support from Sylvia Miles and William Finley.The film has its issues as I said and this includes the fact that nothing really happens until after the hour mark. I'm sure Hooper and company were wanting to build up the atmosphere as they did but I think they should have thrown in some sort of killing to keep people caught up in what's going on. Also, logically, you have to wonder about really being trapped in such a small space. This here is what really keeps the film from being better but there's still a lot to enjoy here. If you're looking for gore then you're going to be disappointed but THE FUNHOUSE is a nice little monster movie.

Wuchak I first saw "The Funhouse" a few years ago and was impressed since it's a semi-obscure horror film from 1981, although the movie poster has gotten some mileage. I guess I was expecting something low-budget and lame, but that's not the case. This is a top-rate quasi-slasher flick from that era, taking place at a carnival, which is a great location for a horror movie. The plot revolves around two high school couples (Elizabeth Berridge & Cooper Huckabee and Miles Chapin & Largo Woodruff) who spend their double date at the local carnival and foolishly decide to spend the night at the Funhouse where they inadvertently witness a murder. Horror ensues as the masked murderer turns out to be a hideous freak.I discovered why this is such a well-done horror film from that era – it was made by Tobe Hooper who directed significant horror films like "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" (1974), "Salem's Lot" (1979), "Poltergeist" (1982) and "Crocodile" (2000). I realize a lot of people don't appreciate the last one, but I actually prefer it to the other three.The movie's effective because the protagonists represent the typical 17-18 year-old youths from that time period, or any time period really. The story takes its time to establish the characters on their carnival date before the horror goes into overdrive and the acting of the teens is convincing when it does. That's one of the things I like about this movie the most (beyond the carnival atmosphere, that is) – it's realistic tone. Don't get me wrong, there are things that happen that wouldn't likely happen in real life, like a prop at the Funhouse scaring the youths at precisely the right moment, but generally speaking the tone's very believable, plus there's no goofiness or indications that it's all a joke, as in "Crocodile." Both girls are a highlight, particularly Largo Woodruff as Liz. Sylvia Miles appears as the tarot card reader, Madame Zena; she still looked good for being in her late 50s.The freak is played by Wayne Doba who is passionate in his portrayal and extremely credible. Plus the make-up is hideous and memorable. I also liked the depiction of the monster's relationship with his dad, the Funhouse Barker played by Kevin Conway. All-around outstanding job on this front.Unfortunately, the pacing of the film is weak and there are numerous draggy sections, which causes one's mind to wander. This is the only reason I don't rate it higher. The movie would've been more effective if they cut 12-15 minutes of fat, which explains why the video version only runs 80 minutes; that's the version you want to see.The film runs 96 minutes and was shot in North Miami, Florida.GRADE: B

TheRedDeath30 Tobe Hooper is a mystery to me. His debut film, Texas CHAINSAW, might be the greatest horror film in modern times, a benchmark in which to compare all horror movies since. So, why is it that he's never really been able to come close to the majesty of that movie? Yes, you can point to POLTERGEIST, but many in filmdom would argue that movie is more Spielberg than Hooper.I would put this movie in a similar category with EATEN ALIVE, his previous film, a movie which I seem to enjoy far more than most. Both movies carry a similar problem, though. They are gorgeously filmed, stylishly lit, artistic slashers with wooden characters, dull plots and poor pacing. Part of that blame lies in the screenwriters, to be sure, but it's as if Hooper spent far too much time worrying about how to shoot his films and not enough wondering if it was a worthwhile film to make in the first place.The movie starts off with an "homage" to HALLOWEEN, introducing us to the main heroine and her kid brother who will be pivotal to the plot. We could, also, argue here that there is a fine line between "paying homage" and "ripping off". Our final girl has a typical a*hole boyfriend who is taking her to a carnival against her father's wishes, with two stereotypical teens in tow. From here, the movie spends a little bit too much time with the teens exploring the carnival. It badly cries out for something similar to the Hitchhiker scene in TCM to establish a bit of tension that will carry the plot through this portion, something that portends the doom to follow, but it's essentially nothing more than 4 generic teens walking around a carnival. When I say generic, I mean it. There is no personality to here. Nothing to like or dislike. They exist only to die later. I do think Kevin Conway's multiple appearance as a carny barker are good here and help to set somewhat of a tone. There's something inherently creepy, to me, about that poor audio, cheap microphone sound that's used well. The fun starts when the teens decide to spend the evening in the funhouse. This is where Hooper really shines. He uses the spooky qualities of the old school carnival shocks to maximum effect, combined with his always excellent sense of lighting to create a genuinely unsettling funhouse atmosphere.The teens then witness something that will spell out their inevitable doom and our creature is unmasked in a reveal reminiscent of Chaney's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. The monster makeup is excellent and provides a unique slasher villain. From here, though, the movie just never goes anywhere you want it to go. Hooper sets up these amazing sets and excellent shots and you want so much for him to use this setting to the same max effect that he was able to use the old farmhouse in TCM, but it never gets there. The killings become paint by the numbers, formulaic slasher deaths, all leading up to the inevitability that our final girl will escape and the monster will meet its' demise.It's better than the majority of generic slashers that came out in the wake of HALLOWEEN and Friday THE 13th, but can't quite elevate itself to classic level.