Director – Tobe Hooper (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Poltergeist)
Starring – Elizabeth Berridge (Montana, Miami Vice), Shawn Carson (Something Wicked This Way Comes, Cry for the Strangers), and Jeanne Austin (Stuckey’s Last Stand)
Release Date – 1981
Rating – 3.5/5
Blu Release – 4/5
I hate the term master of horror. So many filmmakers and producers receive this moniker just because they were attached to a horror project. To me that doesn’t make you a master of horror. Your body of work makes you the master of horror. Filmmakers like George Romero, Wes Craven, and Lucio Fulci are but a few that deserve that title. The late Tobe Hooper is another filmmaker that truly deserves the title.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, Poltergeist, Lifeforce, Invaders From Mars, and so many more are favorites of mine. His career spanned decades and there are very few weak links in it. One of the few films I haven’t seen was 1981’s The Funhouse. I snagged the blu release some years back but never found the time to watch it. That changed when Scream Factory sent over the UHD release of the film for review. With October in full swing I figured now was the best time to check it out. I want to thank Scream Factory for sending this one over.
**spoiler Alert** The film follows four youths that decide to stay at a traveling carnival after it closes when they hear that others did it in another town. However, their night of thrills turn to chills when they witness a murder at the hands of a disfigured man. They are then hunted by him and his “father” who want to snuff them out before they can tell anyone about the murder. **spoiler Alert**
The Funhouse is one of the many films from Hooper that doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Everyone’s go to film for Hooper is Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Poltergeist but there are so many other films of his that I personally believe are better. The Funhouse is one of those films. It’s an atmospheric horror film that really does hold it’s own against the slasher films of the day.
The acting in this one is very well done. Most of the characters are painfully generic but the cast does an amazing job with what they were given. However, we do get some break out performances that make the film even more enjoyable.
The story for this one blends slasher and creature feature. We get the cat and mouse hunt that reminds fans of slashers of the period with the fantastic disfigured carnival employee that has a knack for killing. It doesn’t follow the standard slasher formula of the time which is what makes it stand out from the dozens of slashers released in 81. The film does have a few dry spells but once you stick with it you will find it like a roller coaster with a huge peak at the end.
Finally, the make-up effects on the monster looks great and his big reveal makes the film for me. I loved the look and I’m shocked it’s not a bigger part of the horror community than it is. The kills are a little underwhelming but I enjoyed them for what they were. Overall, The Funhouse is not one of Hooper’s popular titles but I fucking loved it. It’s leagues above some of his popular films. Scream Factory did an amazing job with this release. I highly recommend snagging this UHD release for your Halloween season.
Special Features:
DISC ONE (4K UHD):
NEW 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative – Presented In Dolby Vision
Audio Commentary With Director Tobe Hooper, Moderated By Filmmaker Tim Sullivan
DISC TWO (BLU-RAY):
NEW 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative
NEW Let’s Spend The Night Together – An Interview With Actor Miles Chapin
NEW Carnival Of Blood – An Interview With Actor Largo Woodruff
NEW Dance In The Dark Ride – An Interview With Actor Wayne Doba
NEW Alive, Alive, Alive – An Interview With Special Effects Artist Craig Reardon
Audio Commentary With Director Tobe Hooper, Moderated By Filmmaker Tim Sullivan
The Barker Speaks! – An Interview With Actor Kevin Conway
Something Wicked This Way Comes – An Interview With Executive Producer Mark L. Lester
Carnival Music – An Interview With Composer John Beal
Audio Interview With Actor William Finley
Additional Scenes Added To The Network Television Broadcast Version
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Theatrical Trailer
