A real hidden gem. Extremely underrated. Very creepy atmosphere and Chuck Conners is amazing here. Love the fact that the killer has telekinetic powers.
I love Tourist Trap. Those mannequins creepy even when they weren't moving. Chuck Connors was a professional by giving a great performance in a horror film. Thanks for the video.
I was surprised to see Conners here and even more surprised to see how all-in he went. I would have expected him to phone it in considering the seemingly low budget production, but he came off as a total pro.
I rented this film in November of 1990 for the cast party of "Macbeth" that our high school drama department put on. The cast wanted to have the party on the final night at my parents house, an 1888 Victorian that they had purchased the previous year. It was in mostly original condition but badly neglected and looked haunted. This movie haunted my dreams as a kid in the 80's. It showed in heavy rotation on cable stations back then, especially on the creature feature type shows and USA Networks "Saturday Nightmares". I was ecstatic when I found it on the shelf at the mom and pop video store after having not seen it for years, so I rented it as it was the perfect spooky film to show that night in that house. To this day, I still have people who were at that party who randomly message me on Facebook asking what that weird film was that they saw that night. No one remembers what that movie was called, but they all remember the plaster scene, Woody's death, and "See my friend!" and that mannequin head's mouth dropping open and screaming "MOLLEEEEE!!!. Just to mess with them, I tell them I rented "The Three Amigos", which makes them question why they remember something so creepy if it never existed. It's gaslighting, I know, but the beauty of this film is that it really does feel like a weird fever dream. It starts as a typical slasher from the era before completely going off the rails in the first five minutes. It's also unusual in its treatment of the victims. The men are terrified and toyed with as much as the women. Then there's the claustrophobic atmosphere where every scene is packed with mannequins or their parts, and the inescapable isolated setting. Adding another layer to the weirdness and creep factor is the score by Pino Donaggio which veers from somewhat light and silly, to lush and romantic, to dark and menacing. It's like another character in the film that's always there and really makes the film seem much higher budget than it really is. The uncut version, by the way, contains an additional three minutes of footage missing from the DVD's that came later, including the scene where Molly answers a phone that isn't even hooked up and she figures out something is very wrong. It's sort of an essential scene in that it sets up the chase scene that follows. Great review of this weird, creepy gem! (BTW, I eventually tell my old classmates that this movie really does exist)
Saw this as a very little kid with my Grandpa one night - and it lingered in my mind for over 20 years. I could never figure out what the name of it was, or what happened after that first kill. I only knew it scared the absolute crap out of me. Out of all the scary movies I watched when I was little - this one ruined me. Then one night, about ten years ago, I popped in this VHS I bought for a buck at the flea market - and there it was. There was the movie I'd been thinking about since childhood. It took my breath away. I couldn't believe it. It all came full circle as I watched with my 10 year old son. He can't remember the name either. We talk about movies and he'll say, "what was the VHS we watched that one night about the mannequins - the one that scared the crap out of me?" Tourist Trap is maybe the best underseen horror movie ever. It absolutely delivers. It's everything you want a 70s horror movie to be.
I saw this movie at the drive in with my parents when I was a kid. I couldn’t remember the name but the suffocation scene scarred me for life!! Wow the memories came flooding back watching this video.
Saw the Rifftrax version of this one. Thought it was pretty good in spite of the riffing. Pretty neat seeing Chuck Connors in his role here after seeing him mostly as the Rifleman all these years.
I stumbled on this film ,not knowing what I was getting into. The final girl was great, and Chuck Connors was all in! Such an unnerving film! Loved it!
I still don't know *how* I missed this one when I was younger, given how heavily in rotation on cable it apparently was. It would've been right up my alley, what with all the creepy mannequins (I was always scared of evil dolls, and as you said what are mannequins but bigger versions of those) and the villain having psychic powers (which are never explained, though this only adds to the movie's eerie, dreamlike atmosphere imo; it makes it feel like just about anything could happen). And that tune that plays when the wife mannequin's shrine is lit up is so pretty yet haunting... I'd honestly love to have a music box that plays it. I just sorely regret that I saw the Rifftrax version of this movie first, because as hilarious as it is it kind of ruined what could have been a genuinely unnerving horror film for me. It'd be difficult to watch it now without hearing the riffs in my head, though I might still give it a try one of these days, as the movie really does feel like one of those hidden gems that wasn't given a fair enough shake.
I thought I'd seen every 80s horror movie made. Then my friend from Belfast, Ireland turned me on to this. Funny that I watched your video on some stupid Irish holiday. That guy is a fantastic drummer living in Washington state.
I love this movie!! The scene when he puts the plaster on the girls face paralyzed me with fear my first ti.e watching it as a kid. The sound design was very well done too. Great movie.
I watched this movie for the first time a few months ago before you guys reviewed it. This movie is literally is a total favorite of mine now and I like it how it caused the hair on my skin to rise up and yes it gave me a icky feeling for sure in parts but it was totally cool!! For that reason!! I am so looking forward to watching this movie again but with a friend because this is such a great horror film. What drew me to this movie was the corny thing with the mannikins like that is so corny it’s awesome!! THANKD FOR GIVING THIS AWESOME MOVIE A REVIEW GUYS!!!!! Love you my brothers!! Yall are awesome for introducing and reintroducing some of the old classic horrors that are over looked sadly. Continue to be awesome guys!!
I recently purchased the Hamilton Books exclusive bluray + DVD complete with slipcover in extremely impressive perfect condition off their site for a very low price compared to eBay. Haven't opened it yet but am excited to watch it again after some years of seeing it on DVD way back.
I’ll add this last comment. I was blown away by Chuck Connors acting I was expecting a low performance from him considering he’s much older and with all the movies and shows he’s been in since before this. Chuck Connors in my opinion gave a grand performance as the evil killer dude in weird shop!!
I started thinking about the House of Wax remake before it was mentioned. The inspiration is clear. I can't believe I never saw this, and it will be great fun now that I've watched The Rifleman.
I know a guy who has a mannequin in his living room. He dresses it up, moves it around , named it and it’s been that way for almost 30 years. Can confirm he is crazy.
I had nightmares of mannequins as a child. I'm old enough to have seen these old school designs as featured in Tourist trap. In my nightmares, those things would be after me whenever I'd separate from my mom. Many years later as an adult, I found out about this movie. Tourist trap was definitely a nightmare come to life, but also one of my favorite horror films.
Chuck Connors looked like my grandpa on my mother's side. We used to watch black and white war movies together in the 80s of Sgt York and Auddie Murphy.
Always been one of my favorite horror movies! Old department store mannequins have always creeped me out. That suffocation scene is well known, but I read that the director said they used flour and he regrets it doesn't really look like plaster. I doubt anyone at the time could tell.
I watched this last night as I try to watch films that you do videos on that I have missed in life (not many though). I really enjoyed this. Given it was before the boom of slashers, I loved the blend of Norman Bates, Carrie and TCM. Made it stand out from other slashers in the genre. I don't advocate for remakes but there's something here that could be remade. This one is going into my collection. Cheers JoBlo
I was one of those '80s kids who first saw Tourist Trap in the late '80s, along with Killer Klowns from Outer Space and The Deadly Spawn. 0:03 Stephen Gammell-inspired for sure. 9:36 Ackchyually, he says that her heart will burst from fright before she loses consciousness from suffocation.
This movie made me realize what a masterpiece TCM is. So many similar elements & falls so short. For me personally I knocked it for being a much lesser imitation. Also when we hear Davey’s voice it’s instantly recognizable. For slasher completists like me you can definitely do worse but despite all it’s positives it ends up leaving a bad artificial taste in my mouth. All hail TCM
I remember seeing this as a kid, then becoming a fan of The Rifleman later on in life, then to revisit this movie a few years ago, it was strange seeing Connors in this role. The movie was okay, certainly not terrible by any means, it has some creeps to it, and if you're a horror fan, definitely see it.
I am appalled that I am just now finding out about this movie. I can tell it is a cult classic, just from the trailer. Kinda like how I just found out about Black Christmas last Halloween.
Didn’t Connors take this role to try to get away from his “good guy” persona. Anyway, I remember stumbling across this as a preteen and it has stuck with me for years- it was so unsettling, the atmosphere is grotesque, and as the narrated stated, makes you feel like you need a shower after watching it.
Well done and well said. This movie creeped me out as a kid as many have commented. The PG rating is laughable as well. The thought of a sequel never occurred to me but given the change in generations and cgi effects I wonder if an equally practical effects movie would work? I watched a short film that consisted of manequins in a storage space had a mini war against each other. Haven't been able to find it since. It was done using stop motion photography and was just as creepy. Anyone know what this film is named? Thanks again for the review, Jason Hewlett sounds alot like Norm Macdonald.
I saw this when i was like 5 or 6...I just saw about 5 mins of it and always wondered what it was called..I remembered the singing mannequins, they scared me bad lol
Just wanted to throw this out there but one of the masks with the weird hat looks a lot like Zeke the plumbers from the Haunted Bunkhouse episode of salute your shorts on Nickelodeon.
tourist trap, is like black christmas, they didn't get sequels. and, that might of been for the best. christmas, did receive, 2 remakes, both questionable at best. is tourist trap, due for one ?......i hope not.......
