The Funhouse (1981)
6/10
Cool movie about a group of teens trapped in the carnival attraction of the title
26 January 2023
Four teenagers visit a local carnival for a night of innocent amusement, but soon discover that nothing there is innocent or amusing. Something is alive in the funhouse...something that has the form of a human, but not the face...something that feeds off the flesh and blood of young innocents...Something is alive in the funhouse...something that, tonight, will turn the funhouse into a carnival of terror! Pay to get in. Pray to get out. Something is alive in the funhouse!

From the director who brought you the cult favorite "Texas Chain Saw Massacre" going on this ¨The Funhouse¨ about four teenagers spending a night at a carnival funhose , they then witness a murder , and become next on the list of victims . This is a nice and entertaining film but nothing that hasn't been seen before . If you are looking for a watchable 80's horror film this is a cool choice providing buckets of blood and several limbs essential elements to movie terror. Tobe Hooper's Terror film in medium budget and lots of violence and gore with excellent make-up from notorious Rick Baker ; made just after the classic ¨Texas Chainsaw Massacre¨ . Hooper's success with "Chainsaw" landed him in Hollywood , then Tobe rejoined the cast of "Texas" and with Kim Henkle again for "Eaten alive" (1976), and subsequently this Funhouse (1980). Filmmaker Tobe proceeds a bestial and savage picture with plenty of grisly killings , disembowelled and butchered corpses , terrible events , sleaziness , and anything else . This is a suspenseful and frightening yarn , and adequately paced with plenty of chills , thrills, surprises , twists and turns. This noisy as well as visceral film contains images of graphic violence , and ominous scenes and it may not be suitable for all audiences , viewer discretion is advised. It boasts a nice main and support cast , such as : Elizabeth Berridge, Kevin Conway, Miles Chapin, Wiliam Finley and Sylvia Miles.

Dark and sinister cinematography by cameraman Andrew Laszlo and the camera often assumes a pointedly aggressive stance . Screeching and eerie musical score by means of strange and offbeat sounds composed by John Beal . The motion picture was competently directed by Tobe Hooper . Hooper had greater success with Stephen King's 1979 mini series ¨Salem's Lot¨ (1979). In 1981, Hooper directed the teen slasher film ¨The Funhouse¨ (1981) for Universal Pictures. Despite its success, "The Funhouse" was a minor disappointment. In 1982, Hooper found greater success when Steven Spielberg hired him to direct his production, haunted house shocker ¨Poltergeist¨ and the inferior remake ¨Invaders from Mars (1986)¨ and the disappointing , minor sequel Texas Chainsaw massacre 2 (1986) . But his essential big success was forever ¨Texas chainsaw massacre¨ that in 2003, Hooper co-produced the hit remake for New Line . In the 1990s, Hooper continued working in both film and television with ¨Spontaneous Combustion¨, ¨The Mangler¨, ¨Crocodile¨ , ¨Mortuory¨, ¨The Apartment Complex¨ , ¨Dark Skies¨, ¨Perversions of Science¨, ¨Shadow Realm¨, ¨Night Vision¨,¨I'm Dangerous Tonight¨ and ¨Djinn¨ got notorious failures . Rating : 6.5/10 . Passable and acceptable.
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