Scary and Weird Movie...Its a brain tingler This is a classic horror movie. Excellent beacuse it plays with your mind. This is one that will be sure to grab your interest...
A difficult-to-rate cult film People are going to be all over the place in rating this one, mostly due to its cult magnetism and status. In fact, it says right on the packaging, "Cult Video"! For the folks (like myself) who are into this genre, it's a movie you'll like.
I knew and spent a considerable amount of time with many of the old western stars (mostly dead now) and not one of them had the first good thing to say about Chuck Connors, the star of this film. Of course, they were talking about his personality on a personal level and not about his acting skills which was chiefly seen in television's "The Rifleman". ("The Rifleman" was one of the few American shows allowed on Russian television at that time because it was Brezhnev's favorite!) Here, Connors was a perfect casting choice. That abrasive, prickly, unpredictable personality barges right through to portray him as the crazed monster whom he plays.
All these slasher films run about the same. The idea behind the bulk of them is that young people are going to be punished (first tortured, then murdered) for having sex. This one is a little different in that the guys and gals clearly are setting out to have sex but don't even get that far along before encountering Mr. Slauson ("Slaughters 'em"), played by Chuck Connors. Slauson is the proprietor of an out of business wax museum, well off the new main highway which passed his business by, causing it to fall on bad times, (which is another common theme).
Do I really need to tell you what happens once the young folks are stranded there in their broken-down vehicle?!? Slauson is aided in his long, drawn out work by his wax assistants. The special effects are pretty good for a low-budget film. In the end, one gets away... sort of! (Yet another common theme!)
"Tourist Trap" is in color, shot in letterbox format, and is a product of the late 70s. The unique and occasionally upbeat, jokesterish filmscore, (by Pino Donaggio), also adds to this movie's dubious charm. I actually saw this film when it first premiered and liked it then which is why I ordered it recently on DVD.
If you savored "The [Original] Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Friday the 13th," and "Sleepaway Camp," then you'll surely love this great old slasher flick as well; however, the casual movie viewer might wish to look elsewhere for his or her Satuday afternoon entertainment.
Just for biographical interest, Chuck Connors, born in 1921, died on November 10th, 1992. He had also worked as both a professional basketball and baseball player.
creepy This movie was really creepy. It starts with a group of kids who are going across country. They stumble onto this type of wax museum, run by this odd man. They all start to disappear one by one, and are at the mercy of a madman, who wants to turn them into display's for his museum. The end has a creepy twist, but if your smart to these types of movies you'll see it coming a mile away...
Stop in at Slausen's for a Fun Ol' Time 3.5 Stars.
Aaaah, the Seventies. Horror from this decade had such a particular 'vibe' to it. "Tourist Trap" is no exception. It oozes all the grand fun of a cheesy 1970's shockfest. And what's more, it's not completely bad. After a head-scratcher of an opening in which a poor lad is done in by objects that should be inanimate, we meet our group of happy travelers. The kids need help with their car, and the kindly proprietor of the old wax museum is glad to be of service. What follows is a blend of Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Carrie, and the original House of Wax.
There''s not much original material here but a few things elevate this above the usual slasher fare. Chuck Connors is enjoyable, with his tongue firmly planted in his cheek. And Pino Donaggio's frenetic score is unsettling and appropriate (he had also scored Carrie, and his music seems like a cousin to Bernard Hermann's score for Psycho).
"Tourist Trap" plays by the rules of horror films: The kids poke their noses where they shouldn't, and pay the price. Nothing is what it seems. Strangers offering assistance can only lead to danger. Endings aren't always happy or tidy. Maybe this film is cheesy and predictable, but there is something about it that makes it more enjoyable than many other horror features of the same era. Maybe it's the mannequins, or the horrible voice of brother Dave, or Chuck Connors. You either love it or loathe it, I guess.
One of the best horror films from the 70's & 80's This was by far one of the best horror films from the late 70's. I can remember seeing this on TV on a program called "Friday Fright Night" on local television in the early 80's. Back then it scared the crap out of me and my sister. Now I look back and realize that it wasn't actually scary by today's standards, but it still has the ability to disturb and frighten like it did back then. The horror films from this era (70's & 80's) always delivered the goods. For some reason no one can make a horror film today that compares to these gems. The acting wasn't always top notch, but if you were looking for oscar nominees you wouldn't be interested in the first place. I love this movie and would recommend it to anyone who loves horror films. Great movie!
Anything Goes Trivia
Trevor
Megaton Man
