IMDb > The Funhouse (1981)
The Funhouse
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The Funhouse (1981) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 2 NEW)
The Funhouse (1981) -- Four teenage friends spent the night in a carnival funhouse and are stalked by a deformed man in a frankenstein mask.
The Funhouse (1981) -- Four teenage friends spent the night in a carnival funhouse and are stalked by a deformed man in a frankenstein mask.

Overview

User Rating:
5.7/10   3,036 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 3% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Tobe Hooper
Writer:
Lawrence Block (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Funhouse on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
13 March 1981 (USA) more
Genre:
Horror | Thriller more
Tagline:
Something is alive in the funhouse...something that, tonight, will turn the funhouse into a carnival of terror! more
Plot:
Four teenage friends spent the night in a carnival funhouse and are stalked by a deformed man in a frankenstein mask. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
NewsDesk:
(16 articles)
Staunton Hill Coming to DVD
 (From Dread Central. 11 September 2009, 5:24 PM, PDT)

G. Cameron Romero’s Staunton Hill coming to DVD
 (From Fangoria. 10 September 2009, 12:57 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Unappreciated Hooper more (110 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Carnival of Terror
more
Runtime:
96 min | Sweden:90 min (cut) | Belgium:80 min (video version)
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Certification:
West Germany:18 (cut) | UK:15 (re-rating) | Norway:15 (2009) (uncut) | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Finland:(Banned) | France:-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | Norway:(Banned) (1981-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted
Filming Locations:
North Miami, Florida, USA

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Steven Spielberg asked Tobe Hooper to direct E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) but he turned it down because he was busy on this movie. However Hooper and Spielberg would work together on Poltergeist (1982). more
Quotes:
Richie Atterbury: ...Amy'll hit it off for sure. Buzz is a terrific guy.
Liz Duncan: She's stoned. When you're stoned, *Charles Manson* is a terrific guy.
more
Movie Connections:
References "Mister Ed" (1961) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
23 out of 31 people found the following comment useful.
Unappreciated Hooper, 7 November 2006
8/10
Author: Hal-900 from WA, USA

"The Funhouse" is one of my favorite American horror films of the '80s. Director Hooper made this movie during his most creative period, sandwiched in between "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "Poltergeist." The movie is very intense, even intelligent. I also enjoyed all the references to other great films in the genre ("Frankenstein," "Psycho," "Halloween," etc.). It is interesting to see how the film plays with an integral part of the slasher subgenre; the triumph of conservative values over progressive ideas. In Hooper's universe, those people who mock the status quo are punished while the only person who has shown respect for the establishment is rewarded. The acting in the movie is above average. I thought Elizabeth Berridge ("Amadeus") was spectacularly effective in the role of the nominal scream queen. Technically, the movie is exceptionally well crafted. Hooper is just as much interested in character development as he is in building suspense. You get to know the characters before the body count starts. I think it is the kind of movie that deserves to be reevaluated. IMDb's low rating baffles me.

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Opening music and freaky images jpjasonphelps
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