Tourist Trap(1979)

8.5/10

WARNING! MILD SPOILER ALERT. 

More often than not, the truly scary movies that we watch aren't the goriest or most brutal ones, but the films with the eerie atmospheres and bizarre storylines. One of the finest examples of this is a little known gem from the 1970's called "Tourist Trap." Directed by David Schmoeller, and produced by "Puppet Master" creator Charles Band, this film boasts one of the weirdest plots ever, the scariest dolls I have ever seen, great acting, and some truly terrifying scenes of horror. 

In "Tourist Trap," a group of college kids have a car breakdown, and they go on a search to find a tire. While looking, they run into a man named Slausen, and he shows them his wax museum. Things get weird when the mannequins come to life, and it starts a chain of bizarre and terrifying events. The question is, who is the mastermind of these terrors? And will the students make it out alive?

Part of what made "Tourist Trap" freaky was its bizarre nature and characters. The mannequins are some of the scariest things I have ever seen, with their flappy mouths, creepy eyes, and horrible craft. I will have to work very hard to unsee them, because they are images that stick really well. The remainder of the footage is very hallucinogenic, with objects flying, crazy camera shots, and brief slow motion. While the actual scenes of scariness are spread apart, this always makes them all the more effective. The "wax scene" in particular made me uncomfortably frightened much like scenes in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

Most horror movies can go without fantastic acting, but this one didn't even make you think twice. Jocelyn Jones showed some serious "Scream Queen" talent with her role of Molly, but she also portrayed intelligence very realistically. The other young actors all did a good job with their characters, and while none of them would've been Oscar winners, I enjoyed their presence on the screen. The real cream of the crop was Chuck Connors as Mr. Slausen. He had the ability of going from an upstanding and normal guy to a creepy and severely insane man in seconds, showing some great diversity in his acting. He had me scared during many times in the movie, and I can't say that often about actors. 

The final climax was very unsettling as the villain was revealed. While I didn't come as a complete surprise to me, the reactions of the characters still made it intense. Following this, there was one of the most bizarre final shots that I have ever seen. The dark comedy of it made me question whether I should laugh or shudder, and it was an amazing ending. 

While "Tourist Trap" is not at the level of "Halloween," it is a very freaky and worthwhile horror flick that I recommend to everyone. So definitely give it a watch, and feel free to comment your reaction below.