The Funhouse (1981)

Genre: Horror, Slasher

Source: Netflix (Instant View)

Grade: B


 One thing i`d like to say before I get started is, I for one am not crazy about slashers. I`m some what critical of them and they very rarely make my priority list. That being said my utmost approval of this movie and the fact that i`m reviewing it is actual saying a lot!
   Though true this movie isn't one of the greatest horror movie`s ever, but i`d have to say it was one of the best slashers, but that's mainly having to do with its well made, interesting, creepy story.  

         Yes, the first thing i`d like to talk about is the movie`s awesome story. Which in a nutshell consists of four teenagers who decide it`d be cool to spend the night in a travelling carnivals infamous Funhouse. But after witnessing a murder and stupidly stealing some of his money behind his back, the furious carnie sends his huge son who wears a Frankenstein mask to go and kill them all. Plus to make it better they are locked inside this big old Funhouse with no escape. As for characters they are all your typical teens from a slasher movie, and that's all to be said about that. Now but whats interesting is the masked killer, well actually he`s only masked for about a quarter of the movie, and the main reason he wore a Frankenstein mask is since this movie was distributed by Universal studios they wanted director Tobe Hooper to use one of there "monsters" as the mask. Anyhow when the killer takes off the mask its not exactly what you`d expect, but its definitely Shocking! 
           
           One of the films biggest pluses is its set design! I mean wow, these sets were extremely well put together. They truly added a sense of fear that you'd usually only get in like a Halloween maze at Knott`s Scary Farm. Then the brilliant set design just really added to the movie`s atmosphere, giving it this creepy, run-down, suspenseful atmosphere. Not something you typically find in a slasher movie.

  Well keeping this review brief, its definitely worth checking out, even if your just mildly interested. Its not as bloody as I thought it`d be but instead it was way more suspenseful then I thought it was going to be. Then Tobe Hooper puts in a swell job of with his directing style in all the areas of the movie,(atmosphere,shock value, etc.). Plus with the superb set design that adds so much suspense and atmosphere, it will over shadow the movies semi predictable ending, which i`m not even going to get into. So bottom-line Tobe Hoopers The Funhouse is a movie that's definitely be worth a view