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The Funhouse

  • 19811981
  • RR
  • 1h 36m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
14K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Funhouse (1981)
Trailer for The Funhouse
Play trailer1:29
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Horror

Four teenagers visit a local carnival for a night of innocent amusement. They soon discover, however, that there is nothing innocent or amusing there at all.Four teenagers visit a local carnival for a night of innocent amusement. They soon discover, however, that there is nothing innocent or amusing there at all.Four teenagers visit a local carnival for a night of innocent amusement. They soon discover, however, that there is nothing innocent or amusing there at all.

IMDb RATING
5.9/10
14K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Tobe Hooper
  • Writer
    • Lawrence J. Block
  • Stars
    • Elizabeth Berridge
    • Shawn Carson
    • Jeanne Austin
Top credits
  • Director
    • Tobe Hooper
  • Writer
    • Lawrence J. Block
  • Stars
    • Elizabeth Berridge
    • Shawn Carson
    • Jeanne Austin
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 173User reviews
    • 148Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    The Funhouse: Collector's Edition [Blu-Ray]
    Trailer 1:29
    The Funhouse: Collector's Edition [Blu-Ray]

    Photos121

    The Funhouse (1981)
    The Funhouse (1981)
    The Funhouse (1981)
    Largo Woodruff in The Funhouse (1981)
    Sylvia Miles in The Funhouse (1981)
    Mona Agar in The Funhouse (1981)
    Sylvia Miles in The Funhouse (1981)
    Elizabeth Berridge and Largo Woodruff in The Funhouse (1981)
    Elizabeth Berridge in The Funhouse (1981)
    Ralph Morino in The Funhouse (1981)
    Jack McDermott in The Funhouse (1981)
    Jeanne Austin in The Funhouse (1981)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Elizabeth Berridge
    Elizabeth Berridge
    • Amy Harperas Amy Harper
    Shawn Carson
    Shawn Carson
    • Joey Harperas Joey Harper
    Jeanne Austin
    Jeanne Austin
    • Mrs. Harperas Mrs. Harper
    Jack McDermott
    Jack McDermott
    • Mr. Harperas Mr. Harper
    Cooper Huckabee
    Cooper Huckabee
    • Buzz Dawsonas Buzz Dawson
    Largo Woodruff
    Largo Woodruff
    • Liz Duncanas Liz Duncan
    Miles Chapin
    Miles Chapin
    • Richie Atterburyas Richie Atterbury
    David Carson
    • Geekas Geek
    Sonia Zomina
    Sonia Zomina
    • Bag Ladyas Bag Lady
    Ralph Morino
    • Truck Driveras Truck Driver
    • (as Ralph Marino)
    Kevin Conway
    Kevin Conway
    • Freak Show Barkeras Freak Show Barker…
    Herb Robins
    Herb Robins
    • Carnival Manageras Carnival Manager
    Mona Agar
    • Strip Show Danceras Strip Show Dancer
    Wayne Doba
    Wayne Doba
    • The Monsteras The Monster
    William Finley
    William Finley
    • Marco the Magnificentas Marco the Magnificent
    Susie Malnik
    Susie Malnik
    • Carmellaas Carmella
    Sylvia Miles
    Sylvia Miles
    • Madame Zenaas Madame Zena
    Sid Raymond
    • Strip Show MCas Strip Show MC
    • Director
      • Tobe Hooper
    • Writer
      • Lawrence J. Block
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    The teenager Amy Harper dates Buzz Dawson for the first time and they go to the carnival with their friends Richie and Liz. They smoke grass and have good-time visiting the attractions including a side show with freak animals. The silly Richie suggests the group to spend the night in the Funhouse for fun. During the night, they witness the murder of the fortune teller Madame Zena by a man wearing a mask of Frankenstein from an opening in the ceiling of a room. They decide to leave the fun house but they find all the exits locked. Meanwhile Richie sneaks in the room and steals the money of the manager of the place. The masked man returns with his father and owner of the fun house to show the corpse of Madame Zena; when the man realizes that he had been robbed, he presses his son that removes the mask and shows his horrible face. Richie startles and drops his lighter in the room. The owner asks his freak son to chase the thieves and eyewitnesses in a night of terror for the teenagers. —Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
    • carnival
    • funhouse
    • character's point of view camera shot
    • reference to the wolfman
    • deranged
    • 314 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Something is alive in the funhouse...something that has the form of a human, but not the face...something that feeds off the flesh and blood of young innocents...
    • Genre
      • Horror
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Dean R. Koontz wrote a novelization of the screenplay under the pseudonym Owen West. The book contains a lot of backstory added by Koontz. Because of this, and the fact that the book was released before the movie due to a delay in post production, it is often mistaken that the movie is based on the book, but the book is in fact based on the movie.
    • Goofs
      Despite the funhouse being a portable carnival attraction, it has a basement.
    • 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.

    • Alternate versions
      Although the 1987 UK CIC video release was uncut in terms of violence it ran around 3 minutes shorter than the cinema version, and the differences appeared to be some dialogue and narrative edits. It contained the scenes of reefer smoking which were missing from some later Film Four showings.
    • Connections
      Featured in Terror in the Aisles (1984)

    User reviews173

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Slaughter At The Funhouse!
    Four hormone-driven teens sneak into a funhouse at a traveling carnival, and plan to stay the night. Little do they know, it harbours a deformed sex-crazed maniac. Now, they've seen too much, and must find a way out, before the monster and his father find them...to dole out their own brand of carny justice.

    The way the whole sub-plot with the little brother plays out is really weak. It's only included to offer a possible out that never comes to fruition...and it plays out as awkwardly as does that last molestey scene with the little kid in it.

    Petty criticisms aside, however, it's an entertaining film. The funhouse robots are pretty rad, and the monster is badass. The kills could have been a little more gory...but the one where they accidentally axe their friend is great! There's a nice amount of tension in that final scene too.

    While not a masterpiece of horror or anything, this Tobe Hooper film is certainly worth a watch. But it's not particularly scary.

    6 out of 10.
    helpful•5
    2
    • meddlecore
    • Oct 1, 2017

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 13, 1981 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Kuca straha
    • Filming locations
      • Dade County, Florida, USA
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • Mace Neufeld Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $7,886,857
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $2,765,456
      • Mar 15, 1981
    • Gross worldwide
      • $7,886,857
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 36 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

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