Search - The Funhouse on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Nudity, Adult Situations, Not For Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1981 DVD Release: 10/19/1999 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: English Subtitles: English, French, Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 35 mins Studio: Universal Studios Members Wishing: 2 Genres: Horror, Horror Comedy, Slasher Film, Teen Movie See Also: The Funhouse

This low-budget horror film about teenagers trapped in a carnival funhouse with a freakish monster is pretty standard stuff. Director Tobe Hooper manages a few shocks and includes some typically peculiar supporting characters, but this film is less entertaining than either of his previous excursions into such territory. Not as scary as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) nor as bizarre as Eaten Alive (1976), The Funhouse may as well have been directed by an anonymous hack as one of the foremost names in the genre. The movie tie-in novel, penned by Dean R. Koontz under the pseudonym "Owen West," is actually far more frightening than the film on which it was based. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide

Elizabeth Berridge - Amy
Cooper Huckabee - Buzz
Miles Chapin - Richie
Largo Woodruff - Liz
Sylvia Miles - Madame Zena

Director Tobe Hooper scares up some fun in the '80s horror classic The Funhouse. The film is presented in a passable 2.35:1 non-anamorphic widescreen transfer. This is a very mediocre transfer that sports solid colors and black levels, though the print includes a generous amount of grain and blemishes which are often distracting to the viewing. The soundtrack is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround in English, and, much like the video presentation, is only okay. While there is little activity in the way of directional effects or surround sounds, overall, the mix is free of any excessive hiss or distortion. The Funhouse certainly isn't filled with all kinds of wacky extra features -- the only supplement included on this disc are some short production notes on the making of the film. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide