Tourist Trap (1979)

*Get a physical copy of "Tourist Trap" (Uncut) on Amazon here*
*Get a physical copy of "Tourist Trap" on Amazon here*
*Watch "Tourist Trap" on Amazon Prime Video here*
*Watch "Rifftrax: Tourist Trap" on Amazon Prime Video here*

A (PG)-rated slasher film that has been on my radar for decades, "Tourist Trap" is both creepy and ridiculous.

Mr. Slauson (Chuck Connors) is a kindly old gentleman living at his all-but-abandoned wax museum and tourist attraction, "Slauson's Lost Oasis." A new highway has rerouted all of his business away, save the occasional car that conveniently breaks down. After the opening murder of Woody (Keith McDermott) at an abandoned gas station on the new highway, Woody's friends Molly (Jocelyn Jones), Jerry (Jon Van Ness), Eileen (Robin Sherwood), and Becky (Tanya Roberts) conveniently break down in Jerry's hideous car at Slauson's oasis. Slauson loves the company, warning the group not to stray from the museum after dark, and definitely stay away from the big house on the hill. Victims being victims, they start wandering off one by one- stalked by a masked killer, and experiencing what appears to be paranormal activity around the museum and house.

The old VHS copy of this film was a mainstay at video stores across the country. It was also MPAA rated (PG), a rating that stunned the filmmakers themselves, and probably a reason Teenage Me never bothered with it. Connors, past his "The Rifleman" prime, turns in a sincere and sympathetic performance as Slauson. He played stoic and tough in his best known role but his output after the show ended was spotty and disappointing. The small cast goes through the routine in a film that came out a year after "Halloween" and a year before "Friday the 13th"; there are a few slasher film tropes, but also some telegraphed plot points that are often silly. Roberts stands out in a sexy early role, and the behind-the-scenes trivia and stories from director/co-writer Schmoeller and others are often more interesting than the actual film. However...

The opening murder of Woody, and the scenes involving the wax mannequins, are often terrifying. There is something about the vacant expressions on the figures suddenly springing to life, and intercut with actual humans, that gave me the creeps (thanks to future director Ted Nicolaou's editing). The killer often wears a mask of plaster and a wig, looking like Leatherface from "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," and the figure is quite a presence onscreen. Pino Donaggio's bizarre musical score adds to the weird events, the opening titles theme sounds like it was written for a comedy before his screeching strings invade the viewers' ears during the film. I've had the scary movie poster of this film burned into my memory since I was in elementary school.

I'm glad I finally got "Tourist Trap" checked off my "I should really see this someday" list- a middling but notable horror film that made me miss watching Connors and Roberts onscreen.

Stats:
(1979) 90 min. (* * 1/2) out of five stars
-Directed by David Schmoeller
-Written by David Schmoeller and J. Larry Carroll
-Cast: Chuck Connors, Jocelyn Jones, Jon Van Ness, Robin Sherwood, Tanya Roberts, Keith McDermott, Dawn Jeffory, Albert Band, Linnea Quigley, Dal McKennon, Arlecchino, Victoria Richart, Millie Dill
(PG)- Strong physical violence, mild gun violence, mild sexual violence, some gore, mild profanity, mild sexual references, some adult situations, mild alcohol use