Tourist Trap (1979)
Directed by David Schmoeller
When early slasher movies are mentioned you get the same list: Psycho, Black Christmas, Halloween, Peeping Tom, etc. Why is it that Tourist Trap is overlooked? Is it bad? Is it not a slasher movie? I can’t seem to figure out why this movie is forgotten, it should be a classic of the subgenre. Let’s dive in.
Tourist Trap is about a group of young people driving through the desert, when their car gets a flat. A kindly older man stops by and offers to help them, they go along and soon find themselves in an odd situation. The old man owns a wax museum that has been bypassed by a new highway, something is off about the man and the group soon finds out his sinister ways. The story really isn’t anything too groundbreaking, it is cliché by this point but back in 1979 it wasn’t so tired. The pacing of the movie and how the suspense is handled is great. They don’t give you too much too fast, but it is paced fast enough to keep you entertained. Some of the things that happen in this movie are crazy, just bat shit off the walls crazy that you really can’t understand. It is that way that makes this movie redeemable and memorable, at least for me. Aside from the lonely old man killer, there is an interesting supernatural element and tons of creepy mannequins.
The acting is rather decent. Chuck Connors from TV’s The Rifleman plays the suspicious Mr. Slausen. He gives a great performance and leaves you feeling uncomfortable the whole time. It is a strange role for him, but he nailed it and deserves more recognition. Tanya Roberts is really the only other name of note in this with her role of Becky. Fans of That 70s Show might remember her as Midge Pinciotti, the buxom airhead mom of Donna. Her acting is ok, passable I suppose, it is really hard to gauge her because she’s so ditsy sounding.
Slasher movies are always known for kills and special effects. If you are looking for gore and elaborate kills, this probably isn’t the movie for you. The most effective kill, in my opinion is the first one of the movie, a pipe impales a guy and blood flows out of the end of it on a bucket that makes an eerie sound. Another character is suffocated with plaster, which is a slow and grueling demise. The crazy mannequins are creepy as hell, especially the one with the big joker smile and insane laughter. A lot of this movie is unsettling, and the mannequins are a big part of that. The supernatural element seems a little shoe horned into this movie, and that’s exactly what it is, the producer Charles Band made the push for that, and it was implemented into the script. The powers are never truly explained, which I guess could be a good thing but I’d like to hear more about it.
Tourist Trap is somewhat of a cult movie, fans of the genre appreciate its weirdness and unsettling nature, while many others have never even heard of it. It is definitely with a watch if you are into early slasher films. The acting and environment it creates are enough to give this movie a B in my book. I have seen it a few times, but it isn’t something I seek out often.
