Tourist Trap

This is a bizarre oddity, directed by the guy who edited "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." Chuck Conners gives a hilariously over-the-top performance as the owner of a roadside "wax" museum which our doomed teenagers happen to break down near. The wax figures look "so real," one of the teen's points out. Heh, heh, heh...Not so much a slasher film as a weird mix of psychological horror and old fashioned "House of Wax"-style terror. I can think of many, many horror films that are worse than this one.

After many of my friends recommended this to me, I figured I had to check it out, so I bought the (relatively) new Blu-Ray release, settled in for the night, and checked it out. To my surprise, Tourist Trap lives up to its hype and then some. One can see why it never became a huge mainstream success like, say, Jaws or Halloween, but it has all the makings of a cult classic.

The set up is nothing spectacular. In fact, it owes a lot of its plot to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Psycho, and House of Wax (even more surprising, the 2005 remake of that film is more of a remake of Tourist Trap than the '53 film). What makes this one stand out from the then growing slasher genre is a sense of the surreal, the dreamlike, and the nightmarish. Attractive teens aren't just killed one by one by some creep in a mask. There's a lot more at play here than your average stalk 'n slash flick. By the last 20 minutes of the film, everything seems like a bizarre fever dream and hope is a thing of the past.

A lot should be said for Jocelyn Jones' wonderful performance - going from kind wallflower to woman in the process of a nervous breakdown. Chuck Connors is also terrific as Mr. Slausen, the owner of the titular Tourist Trap whose motives seem to always be up in the air. And yes, that's future Charlie's Angel, Tanya Roberts, as one of the other victims.

For those looking for something creepy and different, Tourist Trap delivers in spades. Perfect for a Halloween party or even for a kid's first horror film (it is rated PG after all).

"Tourist Trap", is a very unique and forgotten movie. Its definitely a weird one, its not for everybody. However, its pretty creepy and disturbing. Though some of the acting is poor, and its just flat out strange, it's original and creepy enough to keep you entertained.

I'm a bit late to the Tourist Trap party and I don't know what to wear. For years, I'd heard stories from my friends about how they'd seen this film when they were children on TV or at the video store (somehow, this nightmarish flick was rated PG!) and how much it had traumatized them. I'm in my 40's now, but I found myself equally as traumatized during portions of this movie.

The plot is simple enough. Think Texas Chainsaw Massacre mixed with House of Wax with a dollop of Carrie thrown in and you'll get the idea. This is a movie that builds and builds until you realize you're standing in the middle of someone else's nightmare. The atmosphere is filled with doom and gloom and escape seems impossible.

The score by Pino Donaggio is equally as odd as the narrative itself. His opening theme is, perhaps, a bit too playful and doesn't do much to conjure an oppressive mood, but once the film starts kicking it into high gear, the imagery and performances do that by themselves as Donaggio's score becomes more and more lyrical and rather beautiful. It's like trying to imagine Ennio Morriconne scoring Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It doesn't always fit, but it sure is beautiful and makes the film even more bizarre than it already was.

Acting wise, no one is any worse than your typical slasher film, but Jocelyn Jones does stick out as being a bit more interesting than the others. There's a slightly haunted quality about her that I really loved and you get the sense that, in some ways, she might be as lost and stuck in the past as the Chuck Connors character. Just look at the way she's dressed as compared to her friends. She looks like she's ready for Sunday school.

The ending itself is incredibly haunting and I don't think I'll be forgetting about that one for quite awhile.

Tourist Trap more than deserves your time.

I have no idea where Tourist Trap even came from or how someone even dreamnt this strange movie up. On paper, it sounds like your average Texas Chainsaw Massacre rip off following a handful of young adults who break down during a road trip and find themselves stuck at a creepy, nearly abandoned wax museum and tormented by a deranged psychopath.

Tourist Trap takes this already well-worn formula and injects it with a pleasant amount of surrealism and nightmarish imagery. Chuck Connors stars as Mr. Slausen, the proprietor of said wax museum who seems concerned that his brother, Davy (who lives in the house down the hill from the museum), won't take too kindly to intruders. It's an unexpected and fun performance from him and he really gets into it.

Future Charlie's Angel Tanya Roberts offers up some eye candy in a halter top as one of the victims, but it's Jocelyn Jones as the prudish Molly who steals the show and creates a very genuine nervous breakdown as the horror builds.

There are elements of House of Wax, Carrie, and a few others thrown in, but Tourist Trap really isn't like anything else from that time (or any time). It's a unique and creepy entry in the 70's horror cannon.