Two couples go to the amusement park at night and soon after they arrive they enter the fun house and witness how a freak kills a woman. That's when the typical killing starts as the freak and his father chase the teens in order to "hide" the murder.
The film begins with something I suppose the film-makers feel was "clever": a scene that mimics two infamous movie sequences: "Halloween"'s opening scene and "Psycho"'s shower scene. Is this an homage or a ripoff? You be the judge.
The final scene is an excellent juxtaposition of visual and audible horror and the suspense is harsh and unrelenting. Mixing bright flashes of light and the ear piercing chimes of steel cogs and chains, the director creates an atmosphere of unease that provides an outstanding backdrop to a tense showdown. The movie is helped no end by an excellent performance from the final girl, and the gore is kept minimal, which adds further credit to the director's artistic flair. We humans are obsessed with our image, and Hooper makes an intelligent social commentary as the youngsters glare in amusement at the freaks on display at the carnival. Their brash attitudes are ruthlessly avenged when they realise that they are alone with something they had previously considered to be defenceless against their mockery. Revenge is dished out coldly as the protagonist emerges psychologically warped and drained like the creatures on display at the 'freak show'. Funhouse's subtle ethical theme shows an intelligence largely unseen in the genre.
If you are a slasher fan, if you are a Tobe Hooper fan, or if you just want to see good ol' slasher flick, watch THE FUNHOUSE.
2.5/5
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