Review of The Funhouse (1981) by Ann D — 21 Jun 2010
The exposition is shockingly well-directed, acted, and scripted. elizabeth berridge is a fetching, no-nonsense protagonist. then the characters get trapped in the funhouse, and all hell breaks loose, in terms of the plot and the quality of the film.
the potential to create compelling horror imagery out of a funhouse is completely squandered here, as tobe hooper frames his location as drab and fake, virtually a sound stage with no dressing. hooper does nothing to create an atmosphere of dread, claustrophobia, and hysteria.
death scenes just happen with no sense of urgency, wit, or perspective. the plot holes confound as well, and the makeup effects especially on the main monster leave MUCH to be desired. there are moments, by the same token, of real intelligence, humor, and weirdness.
and they all happen outside of the context of the funhouse itself. my favorite part was the handjob/murder scene, staged brilliantly with our monster wearing a Frankenstein mask. Then there are the scenes of chicken-fried hick psycho family bonding that contain beautifully written monologues and harken back to texas chainsaw massacre.
This review of The Funhouse (1981) was written by Ann D on 21 Jun 2010.
The Funhouse has generally received mixed reviews.
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