Childhood trips that would have normally taken just under two hours took close to three, thanks to my late and very well-travelled grandparents. They insisted on stopping at every little roadside attraction, which often included themed cafes. In retrospect, I’m grateful we encountered nothing like Slausen’s Lost Oasis from the classic horror feature, Tourist Trap, as I can almost guarantee that Oma and Opa would have insisted on the full experience. Decades since those prolonged day trips, the signature classic from Full Moon Features has re-opened on Blu-ray in the UK through 101 Films with its induction to the Black Label.
After their car breaks down (aka the strangest jeep I’ve ever seen) a group of young friends find themselves stranded at a secluded off-road museum where they’re put upon by a masked killer, telekinesis, and animated mannequins.
There’s not a lot to Tourist Trap. It’s a simple yet odd little horror movie that certainly isn’t burdened by the lack of explanation surrounding its supernatural elements. To describe the film in one tweet, back when it was 140 characters or less, “Tourist Trap is basically 90 minutes of miracle teeth chattering by crudely designed animatronic figures.” The premise would later go on to be borrowed and dipped in paraffin for the House of Wax remake in 2005, which has managed to hold up a bit better than this classic.
I was ‘last week years old’ when I found out that the movie’s final girl, Jocelyn Jones, is the daughter of prolific character actor, Henry Jones, and over the past 30 years, she’s become a respected acting teacher and a creative consultant in Hollywood. She effectively taps into that madness that eventually takes over most protagonists in horror movies from the 1970s, while the villain of the piece, played by Chick Connors, is an imposing ‘Good ole boy’ with twisted desires as the owner/operator of the titular location.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- “Dolls, Toys, Mannequins!” – Interview with Full Moon founder Charles Band
- “Texas Tourist Trap!” – Interview with editor Ted Nicolaou
- “They’re Alive!” – Interview with actress Jocelyn Jones
- “Holiday Horror” – Interview with film critic Chris Alexander
ARCHIVAL EXTRAS
- Audio commentary with director David Schmoeller
- Interview with director David Schmoeller
- Trailer
101 Continue with their typical Full Moon featurette line-up, including a short sit-down with Charles Band. Editor Ted Nicolaou once again lends his retrospective thoughts on working with the distribution company, which proves to be extra insightful due to his previous work on the similarly themed Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). An interview with a lead star is always a treat, and Jocelyn Jones delights thanks to her fantastic ability to retell anecdotes. Also lending his thoughts on Tourist Trap is film critic (and fan) Chris Alexander, who explores the movie’s influences and how it sits perfectly between the classifications of “trash” and “treasure”. – by Hannah Lynch
VIDEO AND AUDIO
Much like the dilapidated “Slausen’s Lost Oasis”, the image quality is a little worse for wear and appears a little blotchy at times. Outdoor scenes tend to look the best, which have vibrant colour and ample film grain. However, there are small portions of the film that shift to video quality. I suspect these have been inserted for an uncut version of the film, which checks out based on the runtime. LPCM 2.0 stereo doesn’t lack volume and provides rich and raw audio with English subtitles included.
Tourist Trap often feels like a fever dream, or more appropriately, heatstroke from a 1970s summer. You may forget the film for the most part between viewings, but there are several shots of those waxwork figures with their haunting empty eye sockets that will be buried into your brain. 101 Films gives you much more than the 25-cent tour.
TOURIST TRAP
(1979, director: David Schmoeller)
★★★★
direct blu-ray screen captures
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