Save your money for something good and enjoyable

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

This film goes to show how stringent the English film board was back in the eighties as this got an X certificate on release and then ended up banned... and now in its UNCUT version, it rates a 15 certificate.To be truthful though, after watching - and still viewing - the video nasties list I cannot understand why or how this film achieved a banned status. In Tobe Hooper's other banned film Eaten Alive there are scene's of torture and animal cruelty, whereas in Funhouse there's nothing along these lines. In fact, this is pretty standard fayre in the slasher mould.You have a deformed man who is unable to find love due to his looks and personality buying sexual favours from the carnival's fortune teller. Unfortunately, for her, he finishes prematurely and when she demands money for services rendered he gets upset... and she gets dead. This interlude is viewed by four teenagers who thought it would be fun to hide out in the ghost train. Of course, one of them makes a noise and draws the attention of the deformed killer who must dispatch them to keep his secret safe.Though the concept is good its development onto film is strained. As most of the action takes place in a limited area Tobe Hooper should have tried to develop a tension of claustrophobia as our witnesses find it increasingly difficult to escape the funhouse. However, the carny ride appears massive and unending - could it be a Gallifreyan Time Machine(?) For me, there wasn't enough tension or excitement and at times I found my attention drifting.The actors are above average and cope well with building their characters and making them realistic, though none of them stands out above the others. It would have been nice to have been introduced to some of the major characters back stories and more personal insights so the viewers could relate to them a little more. This would make their murders more emotionally stronger and bring the viewer into the story more.There is one brilliant thing about this film and the writer, Lawrence Block, and the director should have tried to work it into the story more as it would have added more depth, mystery, and paranormal atmospheres if done correctly. At each of the carnival's rides and shows, there's a barker shouting the attractions merits to entice the people in. Though the barkers are constantly at their positions and could not be the same person, each one is played by Kevin Conway. This is a subtle thing that when spotted adds a mysterious element to the story, which is then completely ignored. It's like somebody had an idea but couldn't come up with a suitable resolution to it.This is not a bad film, by any means, it's just average; one of those films you'd watch if you'd not seen it before and there was nothing else on. Worth watching at least once. Not Tobe Hoopers best film and not his worst.

A deformed killer is stalking a group of teens at a carnival because they saw him murder a prostitute. Heavens to Murgatroyd! Director Tobe Hooper, responsible for one of the greatest horror movies of all time (TCM) and at least partially responsible for another (Poltergeist), takes a stab (ha!) at the '80s slasher craze. On the surface it seems like just another "mental defective/weirdo/lunatic" goes on a killing spree movie. Those were hardly rare in the '80s. But it's put together well with stylish direction and ample amounts of suspense. The cast is decent with Elizabeth Berridge doing a fine job as the Final Girl. She also has a nice nude scene at the start of the movie, for all the breast enthusiasts out there. The main flaws with the movie are the pacing in the first hour and the overall familiarity of the material. Still, it's worth a look if you like '80s horror.

Tobe Hooper made this film after the success of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). After an aborted project (Eaten Alive, 1977) and a telefilm (Salem's Lot, 1981). The film shows a sure directorial skill that would fade little by little after his Lifeforce (1985). The film revolves around a group of teenagers who decides to spend the night inside a dark ride (The Funhouse) and witness a murder between two members of the circus. After this they are hunted by the by the deformed killer and his father and... well, the rest is the usual nerve wrecking scenes. This film had a huge mark on me when I watched it in television in my infancy, I remembered it for long time and unfortunately it was rare to show on TV and since I didn't had a VCR I couldn't watch it anywhere, when I got older I imported it on DVD, which is the copy I own. After a gap of some 15 years, the film still has the sinister mood of my recollection. It is sad that Hooper career followed a downward spiral, none of his films has the force of TTCM, though he came close in Funhouse and with Poltergeist (1982).

Director Tobe Hooper is not one to have many theatrically released films under his belt but for it's his earliest efforts people seem to remember them the most. Most notably would be The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), but that also means including this one. Although it is not as cleverly crafted nor as strangely terrifying as Mr. Hooper's first outing; it does have some redeemable qualities. The part that works the best to this picture's credit is the idea of which it focuses on. Funhouses are never what they promise, anywhere. The only intent funhouses are made for are to have fun by being creeped out. Nobody really goes there for actual fun and games.Well not according to these characters. Meet Amy (Elizabeth Berridge) a young teen girl looking to have fun with her hotshot boyfriend Buzz (Cooper Huckabee) and two other friends. Together they head out to the local carnival that's running in town and decide to be there snobbish young selves. Adding to that particular attitude is completely ignoring her parents wishes of not attending the carnival since there were some issues with it from the year before. Oh but no harm should come this time, it was all a misunderstanding - sure. Protagonist wise there isn't any particular actor that stands out. Lawrence Block's screenplay is at best average. It has interesting ideas but doesn't bother to conclude them with much closure except for its main plot.Funny thing is that Block only wrote for one other production and that was the failed and now cheap looking Captain America (1990). But perhaps even stranger is that there are various elements to the story that are similar to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). Specifically that some characters have the Southern accents, work as a family and do not have normal lives. All very similar to the cannibal family that Leatherface belonged to. The man in charge of this family is The Barker (Kevin Conway - who would play better roles later on his career). Conway is probably the best part when it came to characters but sadly he was underused. Along with Conway were other strange characters that appeared from time to time. An example of this would be of some old preacher woman. And her significance was for?As for the funhouse itself, since that is where our story takes place mostly, it works at times. Some of the vintage props look great because by today they look rather creepy. But there were also other items that felt like something today's funhouses would include too. The best particular scene would be the chase in the basement. That was creepier than the actual funhouse. Andrew Laszlo's cinematography, the guy behind First Blood (1982) got some nice shots of the carnival but once inside the funhouse, nothing was really interesting. John Beal's music was alright occasionally. He did have some creepy tunes but other than that it wasn't very memorable. It's not unwatchable but there are better things to see unless carnivals are truly unsettling to you.The setting can't fail at being creepy because what funhouse isn't? What makes it average though is its non-engaging characters and flimsy writing.