Blu-ray Review: The Funhouse (1981)

"This may be Tobe Hooper's most underrated film."

(aka Mongoloid Carney Massacre)
Release Date: March 13, 1981.
Country: USA.
Rating: R.
Written by: Lawrence Block.
Directed by: Toby Hooper.
Starring: Elizabeth Berridge, Kevin Conway, and Sloth from The Goonies.

After being scared to death in the shower by her creeper of a little brother (which played A LOT like the opening scene from Halloween where Michael killed his sister), Amy and her friends decide to go and check out the traveling carnival that just arrived in town. Amy's father forbids it, because he knows that carnies are not to be trusted, but she sneaks off anyway, which leads to nothing good for any of them. That's what she get for not listening to her daddy.

THAT KID NEEDS AN ASS-WHIPPING.

While at the carnival, the friends smoke some week, take in a half-assed strip show, and eat lots of carnival food. Finding themselves bored to death, they decide to take a ride through The Funhouse... and get off mid-ride, so that they can spend the night there, because that sounds really exciting, and not terrifying at all.

IDIOTS.

Unbeknownst to them, The Funhouse is run by a rapey old creeper and his murderous mongoloid of a son, both of whom love bloodshed and pretty girls. So basically, they're all about to die. Trapped in a Funhouse. What a shitty way to go.

SO, DID YOU HAVE FUN AT THE CARNIVAL?

Long after he did Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), and right before he and Steven Spielberg teamed up for Poltergeist (1982), Tobe Hooper decided to make a Slasher flick that not only had a unique setting, but offered a mongoloidal monster as its killer, instead of just some normal dude wearing a mask. That point alone made it different enough to stand out from the Slasher pack, and coupled with its intense atmosphere and claustrophobic setting, made The Funhouse one of the most underrated 2nd tier Slasher flicks of its time.

The thing about 80's Horror, which this movie exemplifies perfectly, is that everything back then still felt fresh and new. When The Funhouse was made, Slasher flicks were just catching on with audiences at large; names like Stephen King and Clive Barker had yet to make their biggest movie splashes; they still filmed movies, even the shitty, B-grade ones, on film back then, which gave them all that gritty, filmic look; and it was easier to scare us, because we hadn't seen it all done before at that point.

This was the right movie by the right director at the right time. If The Funhouse were made today, it would look cheap and digital, and would probably pass without much fanfare.

RUN, RABBIT, RUN!

The first two acts feel like set-up for a third act that's meant to deliver on the intensity and Horror, but seems to do so a bit quicker than it should.a small complaint, but it could have used a bit more Horror earlier on.

LIKE THIS.

When I was a kid, I was convinced that the monster from The Funhouse and Sloth from The Goonies were the same creature, and so every time The Goonies would come on cable, I''d cry and shake uncontrollably. Alright, maybe I didn't cry or shake, but this movie ruined The Goonies for me. Kinda.

"HEY YOU GUYS!"

This movie is definitely more style over gory substance, and while there are some cool kills in the third act, none of them are as gory as we'd have liked them to be.

COOL VISUALS THOUGH.

As per the standard for most 80's Slasher flicks, there's some nudity throughout this one, most notably Elizabeth Berridge's topless shower scene.

THE BLONDE SHOULD HAVE HAD A SHOWER SCENE TOO.

The third Blu-ray title that Scream Factory ever released (Halloween II & III were #1 and #2), the then brand new boutique Horror label did a nice job with this Collector's Edition of The Funhouse. The visuals are sharp (not perfect, but they pop in many places), and the DTS-HD 5.1 track is impressive.

The disc also boasts some fun Special Features, the best of which is the Tobe Hooper commentary. He's a lot of fun to listen to.

Special Features:

• Audio Commentary with Director Tobe Hooper and Moderator/Filmmaker Tim Sullivan.
• The Barker Speaks! An Interview with Actor Kevin Conway.
• Something Wicked This Way Comes: An All-New Interview with Executive Producer Mark L. Lester.
• Carnival Music: An Interview with Composer John Beal.
• Audio Interview with Actor William Finley.
• Deleted Scenes.
• TV and Radio Spots.
• Trailer.
• Reversible Cover Art.

SHE'LL PROBABLY NEVER GO TO A CARNIVAL AGAIN. OR A COUNTY FAIR. OR OUT IN PUBLIC.

An early 80's Slasher flick that is anything but traditional, The Funhouse just may be Tobe Hooper at the top of his game. The guy knows how to make a movie, and with The Funhouse he effortlessly blends the Slasher, Creature, and Haunted House sub-genres together to give us one hell of a captivating and intense fright flick.

Overall, this Blu-ray may not be truly spectacular on the A/V front, but it's a great movie that looks and sounds excellent, and offers some solid bonus content, and it's definitely one that belongs in any Horror Collection. 

B+

The Funhouse is available now on Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD.

80's QT Elizabeth Berridge bares it all for her craft in The Funhouse.