Funland (1987)

When a mob family takes over an amusement park after the owner dies under mysterious circumstances, the recently-fired clown mascot seeks vengeance for the loss of his job.

Director:

Michael A. Simpson

Writers:

Michael A. Simpson (screenplay), Bonnie Turner (screenplay)

Stars:

William Windom, David L. Lander, Bruce Mahler

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
William Windom	...	Angus Perry
David L. Lander	...	Bruce Burger
Bruce Mahler	...	Mike Spencer
Robert Sacchi	...	Mario DiMauro / Bogie
Clark Brandon	...	Doug Sutterfield
Jill Carroll	...	Denise Wilson
Michael McManus	...	T. G. Hurley (as Mike McManus)
Mary Beth McDonough	...	Kristin Cumming (as Mary McDonough)
Terry Beaver	...	Carl DiMauro
Lane Davies	...	Chad Peller
Richard Reiner	...	Larry DiMauro
Bonnie Turner	...	Darlene Dorkner
Jan Hooks	...	Shelly Willingham
Randal Patrick	...	Chip Cox
Gene Murrell	...	Randy Grossman

Storyline

Funland is about to open for the new season, and we follow several employees through the rituals of opening the park for the season. Owner Angus Perry refuses to sell the land to a shady development company. A few days later, he's found dead, and the company, headed by Maurio DeMauro, buys up his shares. Concerned only for the profit margin, they start to cut costs and install less family-oriented rides. No one is more upset by this than clown mascot Bruce Burger. Once park accountant Neil Stickney, and one of the founder of the park, he suffered a nervous breakdown, and was kept on by Perry out of pity, he has started to believe he really IS Bruce Burger, and considers himself and Stickney separate people. When a prima donna named Chad Peller is hired to replace him, Burger starts to lose his tenuous grip on reality. He is soon visited by Perry's ghost, who tells him he was murdered. Enraged, Burger plots to take down the park, but decides to first get rid of his replacement...

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Plot Keywords:

clown | amusement park | mafia | one word title | independent film | 

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Taglines:

Where a clown can get away with murder.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

16 October 1987 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Six Flags Over Georgia - 7561 Six Flags Parkway, Austell, Georgia, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Double Helix Films, RMC Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed at Six Flags Over Georgia in Atlanta.

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Soundtracks

Mama Please (Take Me to Funland)
Written by James Oliverio
Performed by The O-Men

User Reviews

The joke's on anybody who watches

Sometimes I have the luxury of reading IMDb comments about a movie before watching the flick. Such was the instance here. So I was anticipating that this might be one of the worst. But it didn't impress me that way. Don't get me wrong...we ain't got no Citizen Kane here. However, my opinion is that it's not as awful as some. The jist is that a long-time, unstable employee of Funland is eventually given the heave-ho when the park's ownership changes. The takeover family arranged the death of their predecessor. Wacky as he is (he's a clown, with a puppet which he talks to), our hero deduces this, and snipes at his replacement. Oh yeah - he's also so goofy as to converse with his deceased boss and a wax figure of Humphrey Bogart. It's one of those films that can't possibly be taken seriously. The most intelligent reaction is for the audience to realize that it has been "put on", because we sure have a campy result.