The Funhouse *** (1981, Elizabeth Berridge, Kevin Conway, William Finley, Miles Chapin, Cooper Huckabee, Sylvia Miles, Shawn Carson, Jeanne Austin) – Classic Movie Review 5985

Directed by Tobe Hooper’s effectively nightmarish, teen-aimed 1981 American slasher horror film stars Elizabeth Berridge, Kevin Conway, William Finley, Cooper Huckabee, Miles Chapin, Largo Woodruff and Sylvia Miles, with Shawn Carson and Jeanne Austin.

The film’s plot, in the script written by Lawrence [Larry] Block, concerns four teenage friends who become trapped for the night in a dark funhouse ride at a local travelling carnival and are stalked by a deformed killer in a Frankenstein mask.

Elizabeth Berridge, Miles Chapin, Cooper Huckabee and Largo Woodruff play the four friends on a double date. Kevin Conway plays the key role of Freak Show Barker / Strip Show Barker / Funhouse Barker.

Released by Universal Pictures, the film is director Hooper’s first major studio production following his successes with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and Eaten Alive (1977).

Shot on location in Miami, Florida, it was released on 13 March 1981 and grossed $7.8 million.  John Beal’s orchestral score is outstanding.

The Funhouse was also released as Carnival of Terror.

The full version runs 96 minutes, the cut version runs 90 minutes and the video version runs 80 minutes.

Rob Bottin is the makeup effects artist. He was also to play the monster, until Hooper saw a performance by mime Wayne Doba and hired him instead.

Though relatively tame, it was prosecuted as a video nasty in the UK a few years after its initial release, but the prosecution case was unsuccessful. It was released uncut on VHS in 1987 and on DVD in 1999.

RIP horror maestro Tobe Hooper (25 January 1943 – 26 August 2017).

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5985

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