The Funhouse

The Tragedy of Tobe Hooper, Part IV

After the success of SALEM’S LOT, Tobe Hooper finally had the Hollywood credibility he’d been chasing—but the road to his next project was still full of potholes.

That next project was THE FUNHOUSE (1981), a twisted little slasher made under Universal Pictures. Though it was Hooper’s first studio-backed film intended for theatrical release, the budget was modest and the expectations were clear: cash in on the booming slasher craze.

In this episode, we take a look at Hooper’s post-SALEM’S LOT career, the development of THE FUNHOUSE, and how the film fits into both the slasher wave of the early ’80s and Hooper’s evolving (and often unpredictable) directorial style.

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Theme Song: "There's Still a Little Bit of Time, If We Hurry and I Mean Hurry" by Slasher Film Festival Strategy.

This episode was written, produced and edited by Gary Horne, Justin Bishop, and Todd A. Davis.