The Funhouse (1981)

Director:

Tobe Hooper

Writer:

Lawrence Block (writer)

Release Date:

13 March 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Something is alive in the funhouse...something that, tonight, will turn the funhouse into a carnival of terror!

Plot:

Four teenage friends spent the night in a carnival funhouse and are stalked by a deformed man in a frankenstein mask.

Plot Keywords:

Funhouse | Night | Carnival | Murder | Deformed Man

US TV Schedule:

Thur. Jan. 7

4:35 AM

MAX

Cast

Elizabeth Berridge	...	Amy Harper
Shawn Carson	...	Joey Harper
Jeanne Austin	...	Mrs. Harper
Jack McDermott	...	Mr. Harper
Cooper Huckabee	...	Buzz Dawson
Largo Woodruff	...	Liz
Miles Chapin	...	Richie
David Carson	...	Geek (as D. Lee Carson)
Sonia Zomina	...	Bag Lady
Ralph Morino	...	Truck Driver
Kevin Conway	...	Funhouse / Freakshow / Stripshow Barkers
Herb Robins	...	Carnival Manager
Mona Agar	...	Mona - a strip show dancer
Wayne Doba	...	The Monster
William Finley	...	Marco the Magnificent
Susie Malnik	...	Carmella
Sylvia Miles	...	Madame Zena
Sid Raymond	...	Stripshow MC
Larry Ross	...	Girly Show Heckler
Frank Grimes	...	Strip Show Voyeur
Frank Schuller	...	Poker Player #1
Peter Conrad	...	Midget with Lady
Mildred Hughes	...	Tall Lady
Glen Lawrence	...	Spectator
Shawn McAllister	...	Garbage Collector
Sandy Mielke	...	Garbage Collector
Mike Montalvo	...	Spectator
Allison Caine	...	Additional Voices (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sherman 'Big Train' Bergman	...	Carnival worker (uncredited)
Raymond Forchion	...	Man in Tent Show (uncredited)

Directed by
Tobe Hooper

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lawrence Block		writer (as Larry Block)

Produced by
Steven Bernhardt	....	producer
Mark L. Lester	....	executive producer
Brad Neufeld	....	associate producer
Mace Neufeld	....	executive producer
Derek Power	....	producer

Original Music by
John Beal

Cinematography by
Andrew Laszlo

Film Editing by
Jack Hofstra

Casting by
Pamela Basker
Fern Champion

Production Design by
Mort Rabinowitz

Art Direction by
Jose Duarte

Set Decoration by
Tom Coll

Makeup Department
Rick Baker	....	special makeup design
Craig Reardon	....	special makeup artist

Production Management
Norman Cohen	....	unit production manager
John Orland	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Adrienne Bourbeau	....	second assistant director

Sound Department
Dale Johnson	....	sound editor
David A. Whittaker	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Oscar Barber	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Oscar Barber	....	camera operator: second unit
Daniel Pearl	....	additional photographer
James Pergola	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Jonathan Lane	....	casting: Miami

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Andre Lavery	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Vicki Hiatt	....	post-production assistant
Robert Leader	....	assistant editor
Angelo Ross	....	location editor

Music Department
John Beal	....	conductor
John Beal	....	orchestrator
Tom Catalano	....	music supervisor
Daniel J. Johnson	....	music editor
Ken Johnson	....	music editor
Rick Riccio	....	music scoring mixer
John Rosenberg	....	orchestra contractor

Other crew
Kathy Day	....	assistant: Mr. Neufeld
Jonathan Lane	....	assistant to director
Arnold Leibovit	....	production assistant
Cynthia Streit	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Mace Neufeld Productions
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Succéfilm AB (1983) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Arrow Films (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• Esselte CIC Video (1984) (Belgium) (VHS)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Megerle Shows  Carnival rides provided by

Also Known As:

Carnival of Terror

Runtime:

96 min | Sweden:90 min (cut) | Belgium:80 min (video version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

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

Company:

Mace Neufeld Productions

Trivia:

The opening sequence is an homage to both Psycho (1960) and Halloween (1978).

Quotes:

Funhouse: ...I've been expecting you.
Amy Harper: Why are you doing this?
Funhouse: I'm just protecting my family.
Amy Harper: Your family? It's not even human.
Funhouse: The Lord works in mysterious ways, little lady... He ain't such a bad fella; he does get himself in all sorts of trouble, though, don't he? Anyway, blood is thicker than water; I'm sure he's gonna be a real comfort to me in my old age. Now, how many people know you're here?
Amy Harper: Lots. They all know.
Funhouse: Well, no matter. We'll be pullin' outta here tomorrow mornin'. There's plenty other carnivals.
Buzz Klemmet: What'd you do with Liz?
Funhouse: Oh, I expect by now he's just finishin' up with her. We'll just wait here till he gets back.
[Richie's corpse appears]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Features Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Possibly the last watchable Tobe Hooper's horror film.

"The Funhouse" is based on a screenplay by Larry Block and Dean Koontz's "The Funhouse" novel was written and released as a tie-in with Tobe Hooper's movie,under the pseudonym of Owen West.The story moves around a group of teenagers who decide to break into a carnival funhouse and spend the night there for a bit of fun.Soon they're stalked by a ghastly freak from the carnival."The Funhouse" is no "Texas Chain Saw Massacre"(1974)or even "Eaten Alive"(1976-check out my review of it!),but Tobe Hooper really creates some thrills and a good deal of suspense.The film probably ended up on a video nasties list by mistake,as it may have been confused with "Last House on Dead End Street"(1977)which was also known as "The Fun House".So if you like horror genre-check out this quite sleazy and occasionally very scary film.