The Funhouse
Encyclopedia
The Funhouse is a 1981
horror film
in which four teenagers are trapped in a dark ride
and stalked by a deformed killer. The film was directed by Tobe Hooper
, and the screenplay written by Larry Block. The cast includes Kevin Conway, William Finley
, Southern Mississippi University football star Cooper Huckabee, and two-time Academy Award-nominee Sylvia Miles
.
exhibit, and view a magic show.
Richie dares the group to spend the night in "The Funhouse" - actually a dark ride
. After the park closes, the teenagers settle down inside the ride, at which point they witness the ride assistant - a man in a Frankenstein
suit who never speaks - engage Zena as a prostitute. He experiences premature ejaculation
, but despite his request Zena won't return her $100 fee. He murders her in a violent rage.
The teenagers try to leave, but find themselves locked inside the ride. As they attempt to escape, Richie secretly steals the money from the safe
from which "Frankenstein's monster" took Zena's fee.
The ride's barker
, Conrad Straker, discovers what "Frankenstein's monster"—his adopted son Gunther—has done to Zena. Conrad also realizes that the money is missing. Thinking Gunther took it, he attacks him. Gunther's mask is removed revealing a gruesomely deformed face with sharp protruding teeth and ruby-red eyes.
The teens see this, and Conrad realizes someone is watching. He stalks the ride to eliminate any witnesses and heckles Gunther into a murderous rage. Various ride props are used as murder weapons.
The teens die one at a time by the hands of Conrad and Gunther, until only Amy and Buzz remain. Buzz kills Conrad, but is then killed by Gunther. During a showdown between Gunther and Amy in the funhouse's maintenance area, Gunther is electrocuted and crushed to death between two spinning gears.
As dawn breaks, Amy emerges from the funhouse while the animatronic
fat lady perched atop the ride laughs.
of the Chicago Tribune
liked the film and gave it a positive review.
Composer John Beal's
mostly orchestral score was praised by critics, and the soundtrack CD later became a collector's item.
, under the pseudonym Owen West. As the film production took longer than expected, the book was released before the film.
On July 18, 2011 Arrow Video
will be releasing a new Special Edition Blu-ray, with the following special features:
1981 in film
-Events:*January 19 - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer acquires beleaguered concurrent United Artists. UA was humiliated by the astronomical losses on the $40,000,000 movie Heaven's Gate, a major factor in the decision of owner Transamerica to sell it....
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
in which four teenagers are trapped in a dark ride
Dark ride
A dark ride or ghost train is an indoor amusement ride where riders in guided vehicles travel through specially lit scenes that typically contain animation, sound, music, and special effects....
and stalked by a deformed killer. The film was directed by Tobe Hooper
Tobe Hooper
Tobe Hooper is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for his work in the horror film genre. His works include the cult classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre , along with its first sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 ; the three-time Emmy-nominated Stephen King film adaptation...
, and the screenplay written by Larry Block. The cast includes Kevin Conway, William Finley
William Finley (actor)
William Finley is an American actor who has appeared in the films Simon, Silent Rage, Phantom of the Paradise, Sisters, Obsession and The Wedding Party. Finley has had a long film relationship with director Brian De Palma, beginning with the student films "Woton's Wake", and "Murder a la Mod"...
, Southern Mississippi University football star Cooper Huckabee, and two-time Academy Award-nominee Sylvia Miles
Sylvia Miles
-Early life and career:Miles was born Sylvia Reuben Lee in New York City, the daughter of Belle and Reuben Lee, a furniture maker....
.
Plot
Against her father's orders, teenager Amy visits a sleazy traveling fun fair with her new boyfriend Buzz, her best friend Liz, and Liz's irresponsible boyfriend, Richie. At the carnival, the four teens smoke marijuana, peep into a 21-and-over strip show, heckle fortune teller Madame Zena, visit the freaks-of-natureFreak show
A freak show is an exhibition of biological rarities, referred to as "freaks of nature". Typical features would be physically unusual humans, such as those uncommonly large or small, those with both male and female secondary sexual characteristics, people with other extraordinary diseases and...
exhibit, and view a magic show.
Richie dares the group to spend the night in "The Funhouse" - actually a dark ride
Dark ride
A dark ride or ghost train is an indoor amusement ride where riders in guided vehicles travel through specially lit scenes that typically contain animation, sound, music, and special effects....
. After the park closes, the teenagers settle down inside the ride, at which point they witness the ride assistant - a man in a Frankenstein
Frankenstein's monster
Frankenstein's monster is a fictional character that first appeared in Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus. The creature is often erroneously referred to as "Frankenstein", but in the novel the creature has no name...
suit who never speaks - engage Zena as a prostitute. He experiences premature ejaculation
Premature ejaculation
Premature ejaculation is a condition in which a man ejaculates earlier than he or his partner would like him to. Premature ejaculation is also known as rapid ejaculation, rapid climax, premature climax, or early ejaculation....
, but despite his request Zena won't return her $100 fee. He murders her in a violent rage.
The teenagers try to leave, but find themselves locked inside the ride. As they attempt to escape, Richie secretly steals the money from the safe
Safe
A safe is a secure lockable box used for securing valuable objects against theft or damage. A safe is usually a hollow cuboid or cylinder, with one face removable or hinged to form a door. The body and door may be cast from metal or formed out of plastic through blow molding...
from which "Frankenstein's monster" took Zena's fee.
The ride's barker
Barker (occupation)
A barker is a person who attempts to attract patrons to entertainment events, such as a circus or funfair, by exhorting passing public, describing attractions of show and emphasizing variety, novelty, beauty, or some other feature believed to incite listeners to attend entertainment...
, Conrad Straker, discovers what "Frankenstein's monster"—his adopted son Gunther—has done to Zena. Conrad also realizes that the money is missing. Thinking Gunther took it, he attacks him. Gunther's mask is removed revealing a gruesomely deformed face with sharp protruding teeth and ruby-red eyes.
The teens see this, and Conrad realizes someone is watching. He stalks the ride to eliminate any witnesses and heckles Gunther into a murderous rage. Various ride props are used as murder weapons.
The teens die one at a time by the hands of Conrad and Gunther, until only Amy and Buzz remain. Buzz kills Conrad, but is then killed by Gunther. During a showdown between Gunther and Amy in the funhouse's maintenance area, Gunther is electrocuted and crushed to death between two spinning gears.
As dawn breaks, Amy emerges from the funhouse while the animatronic
Animatronics
Animatronics is the use of mechatronics to create machines which seem animate rather than robotic. Animatronic creations include animals , plants and even mythical creatures...
fat lady perched atop the ride laughs.
Cast
- Elizabeth Berridge as Amy
- Cooper HuckabeeCooper HuckabeeCooper Huckabee is an film and television actor.-Early life:Huckabee attended Davidson High School in Mobile, Alabama. At USM, he received an Athletic Administration Degree.-Acting career:...
as Buzz - Largo Woodruff as Liz
- Miles ChapinMiles ChapinMiles Chapin is an American actor.Chapin was born in New York City, New York, the son of Betty , a descendant of Henry E. Steinway , and Schuyler Chapin, an author who was the General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera...
as Richie - Kevin Conway as The Funhouse Barker
- Wayne Doba as The Monster
- Sylvia MilesSylvia Miles-Early life and career:Miles was born Sylvia Reuben Lee in New York City, the daughter of Belle and Reuben Lee, a furniture maker....
as Madame Zena - William FinleyWilliam Finley (actor)William Finley is an American actor who has appeared in the films Simon, Silent Rage, Phantom of the Paradise, Sisters, Obsession and The Wedding Party. Finley has had a long film relationship with director Brian De Palma, beginning with the student films "Woton's Wake", and "Murder a la Mod"...
as Marco the Magnificent - Shawn Carson as Joey Harper
- Jack McDermott as Mr. Harper
- Jeanne Austin as Mrs. Harper
Reception
The Funhouse opened in 814 theaters in the United States on March 13, 1981, and earned $2,765,456 in the opening weekend and grossed $7,886,857 in total. Film critic Gene SiskelGene Siskel
Eugene Kal "Gene" Siskel was an American film critic and journalist for the Chicago Tribune. Along with colleague Roger Ebert, he hosted the popular review show Siskel & Ebert At the Movies from 1975 until his death....
of the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
liked the film and gave it a positive review.
Composer John Beal's
John Beal (composer)
John Beal is an American film composer working in Hollywood, California, and is notable for composing the music for numerous hit television series, such as Vega$ and Eight is Enough, as an orchestral conductor, composer of movie trailer music, and for his work with the Hollywood Symphony...
mostly orchestral score was praised by critics, and the soundtrack CD later became a collector's item.
Novelization
A novelization of the screenplay was written by Dean KoontzDean Koontz
Dean Ray Koontz is a prolific American author best known for his novels which could be described broadly as suspense thrillers. He also frequently incorporates elements of horror, science fiction, mystery, and satire. A number of his books have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List, with...
, under the pseudonym Owen West. As the film production took longer than expected, the book was released before the film.
Release
Arrow Video
Arrow Films is a UK distributor of classic, horror, and cult films on Blu-ray and DVD.-Arrow Films:Arrow Films is an independent distributor of world cinema, arthouse, horror and classic films...
will be releasing a new Special Edition Blu-ray, with the following special features:
- Audio commentary with The Funhouse S/FX wizard Craig Reardon and Jeffrey ReddickJeffrey ReddickJeffrey Reddick is an American screenwriter best known for creating The Final Destination series. He also wrote the horror film Tamara and the remake of Day of the Dead. Raised in Jackson, Kentucky, he graduated Breathitt County High School in 1987 and attended Berea College...
(creator of the Final DestinationFinal Destination (film series)The Final Destination series is a series of horror films based on an unproduced script written by Jeffrey Reddick for the X-Files television series. Distributed by New Line Cinema, all five films are centered on the themes of fatalism, predestination, and precognition, in relation to death...
series) - Audio commentary with producer Derek Power and genre scholar Howard S. Berger
- Audio commentary with Justin Kerswell, author of Teenage Wasteland and host of the slasher cinema website Hysteria Lives, and author Calum WaddellCalum WaddellCalum Waddell is a British writer and film critic.-Biography:His books include Minds of Fear, Taboo Breakers and the forthcoming work Jack Hill: The Exploitation and Blaxploitation Master, Film by Film and his work has been published in such magazines as Neo, Dreamwatch, Impact and Fangoria.In...
- Carnage at the Carnival: Tobe Hooper Remembers "The Funhouse"
- Miles of Mayhem: Acting in Tobe's Funhouse with star Miles Chapin
- A Trilogy of Terror: The Make-up Madness of Craig Reardon, the S/FX wizard recollects his collaborations with Tobe Hooper; Eaten AliveEaten AliveEaten Alive is a 1977 horror film directed by Tobe Hooper...
, Poltergeist and The Funhouse - Master Class of Horror: Mick GarrisMick GarrisMick Garris is an American filmmaker and screenwriter born in Santa Monica, California.-Biography:He is best known for his adaptations of Stephen King stories, such as directing the horror film Sleepwalkers starring Madchen Amick and is the creator of the Showtime series Masters of Horror...
, the director of SleepwalkersSleepwalkers (film)Sleepwalkers is a 1992 American horror film based on an original screenplay by Stephen King and directed by Mick Garris.-Plot summary:...
and the miniseries adaptation of The ShiningThe Shining (TV miniseries)The Shining is a three-part television miniseries based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. Directed by Mick Garris from King's teleplay, the series was first aired in 1997.-Plot:...
reflects on the crimson-covered career of his longtime colleague Tobe Hooper - Live Q&A with Tobe Hooper from San Francisco
- Never before seen behind the scenes photographs from the collection of Craig Reardon
- Trailer
- Brand new transfer of the film in high definition (1080p)
- 4-panel reversible sleeve options with original and newly-commissioned artwork
- Double-sided fold-out artwork poster
- Collector's booklet featuring brand-new writing on the film by critic and author Kim Newman.