MovieChat Forums > Tourist Trap (1979) Discussion > One of my favorite movies

One of my favorite movies

posted 15 years ago by rodneylacey
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I have always loved "Tourist Trap". It is one of my top 3 horror films of all time. I also love "Phantasm" as well as some other 1970's horror flicks. I'm glad Tourist Trap is available for me to get on DVD now. I first saw the movie when I was little at a local drive-in back in the late 1970's. I saw it again later on when it came on VHS video. I loved it so much that I bought it special order on VHS from my local video store clerk back when I was in college. It was such a unique item that it costed me $56 at the time, but I didn't mind since I wanted the movie so bad. I still have that VHS copy, but the audio is going bad so I'm looking forward to getting it on DVD.
I have many favorite scenes. Of course I love the opening and ending scenes, but I also love the one scene where after the girl hit "Davey" over the head and he is lying on the floor faking he lost consciousness, the mannequins eyes' start glowing and they start that ominous singing and falling on her. My favorite moment is that split second scene after the girl is on the floor and the mannequins are all over her, the camera pans upward or something to show a whole another group of mannequins in a circle ready to fall on her if she tries to get up again. Very creepy indeed! It's a quick shot, but effective nonetheless. Something that always confused me though: I know Slausen has telekinetic powers, but when Molly was strapped in the bed and the female mannequin sitting in the chair came to life and leaned over and wiped off Molly's forehead, was that supposed to be an hallucination? I always assumed Slausen was nowhere around at that point and so I don't know how he could have caused that to happen. I love that there are so many unanswered strange occurrences in this movie!
One of my other favorite scenes is of course Slausen chasing Molly along the fence line and he throws Woody's head at her and it looks at her and screams her name. I also love the moment right before Molly stabs Slausen and the mannequins turn towards her screaming in fear with their mouths gaping wide open. Love it!

[–] wallacesawyer 15 years ago

I know Slausen has telekinetic powers, but when Molly was strapped in the bed and the female mannequin sitting in the chair came to life and leaned over and wiped off Molly's forehead, was that supposed to be an hallucination?

A hallucination. As we see later on she pretty much goes crazy.

I love this film too. I bought the DVD years ago as it was a Charles Band produced film, also directed by David Schmoeller (PUPPET MASTER). I hope you get the DVD soon, it's got some good special features too.

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[–] rodneylacey 15 years ago

It is such a great film! I'll be buying it on DVD real soon. I had one of my buddies from college watch it awhile back since i like to tell people who like scary movies about it (if they haven't already seen it). I watched it with him. At the beginning he was kind of joking around because it's a low budget film, but by the time we got to the end he ended up saying something like "these mannequins are beginning to freak me out". I think he liked it. I also let a co-worker borrow my VHS copy awhile back. She's only 27 (I'm 39) so she wasn't around when it first came out in the theaters. She liked the movie as well.
When I get a DVD copy I want to get my cousin to see it. He has never seen the film. I'm sure he'll like it.
As other's mentioned on here, the music from this film is very good as well. I love the lighting, sound, camera angles, storyline, effects, etc. It's definitely in my top 3 all-time faves.

[–] Pinky2000 15 years ago

rodneylacey - completely agree. This is in my top 3 horror flicks as well.
I do have it on DVD - definitely worth the purchase.

To this day, this movie creeps the hell outta me. Every time I see mannequins in the store I just imagine their mouths dropping open and letting out those weird screams.

Incidentally - I believe this is also Stephen King's favorite horror movie.

YOU MADE ME PLAY SECOND BASE!

[–] wallacesawyer 15 years ago

Incidentally - I believe this is also Stephen King's favorite horror movie.

Yeah, he mentioned it in one of his books. Can't remember which. I wonder if he still thinks so.

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[–] rodneylacey 15 years ago

I was wondering if you could help me find a certain movie. I believe it's from the 1970's. The details are pretty vague so i apologize in advance. I remember seeing it with my parents at my local drive-in when I was young. It had a creepy old lady or something up in an attic of an old house in a rocking chair. I recently rented "Burnt Offerings" thinking that was the film, but it isn't. I can't remember a whole lot of details other than I think there was a scene where the maid was looking for her little pet dog and she thought it may have somehow wandered upstairs. Never mind how it could have gotten up in to the attic, but I remember the camera rapidly zooms in to her face as she is standing on the stairs and looking around the attic with a flashlight calling her dog's name. I guess she sees the old lady or something and it comes after her or whatever. I fell asleep through parts of the film since I was kind of young at the time but i kind of remember a scene at the end where the police arrive or something and a body is floating down a river behind the house.
I've done a search on the internet of scary movies by decade and none of the listed films seem to match this film. I've pretty much given up on finding it, but just thought I'd mention it to see if it rings a bell for anyone. Thanks in advance.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] RainWeirdo 15 years ago

Do you remember at all if the film is supernatural or more slasher in tone?

Really unsure if this is the one you're looking for, but some of your description reminds me of "Black Christmas" (1974), it's strictly "Halloween"-esque slasher fare. Not a creepy old lady in the attic, but there is a woman's dead body wrapped in plastic sitting in a rocking chair in the attic while an offscreen voice that sounds vaguely like an old lady mutters to it. Also, there is a scene where the house mother (it's set in a sorority house) is looking for her cat and stands on the stairs looking around the attic while calling out her cat's name. She sees the plastic wrapped body in the rocking chair and the camera does a similar zoom as you describe. There is also a scene at the end where the police arrive, but nothing about a dead body in a river. There is, however, an earlier scene where police and volunteers are searching a wide snowy field/forest and find a little girl's body.

Just throwing it out there. Hope this helps.

[–] rodneylacey 15 years ago

Thanks! That sounds like it could be the movie I'm thinking of. I'll look for a copy. Thanks again.

[–] aceofspades70 15 years ago

A fantastic film for it's time, and very creepy with a psychological aspect.

Lee Vervoort

"Get to work."
www.leevervoort.com

[–] PrimordialDreamer 15 years ago

I thought it was average and it was like a weird boring episode of Scooby Doo.

Out of light cometh darkness.

[–] Tracey73 15 years ago

I have always loved horror movies. I was about 6 or 7 when I first watched this. (I've seen it a couple of more times.) For some reason this movie has always been one of the creepiest movies. Whether it's the mannequins or the music/sound effects or both, this movie seriously left an impression on me. It's been years since I've watched this and finally broke down and bought it. I cannot wait to see if it still creeps me out, now that I'm 36 lol. (And, yes, to me the creepiest scene is the one where Molly is on the floor and the mannequins are hovering over her and those creepy voices/music is playing.) Also, I remember almost feeling sorry for Chuck Connors' character. Something about him was pitiful. He did a great job with his character. This is definitely one of my faves!

EDIT: Just watched it. Yep, still creeped me out! lol

Committed at 22 just to get over you
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[–] A_Hufflepuffy_Pumpkins 15 years ago

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[–] bhobnine 14 years ago

Those mannequins with their jaw droppin' " MOLLEEEEEE"'s going on. Chuck Conners as a telekinetic whackjob villain. The Texas chainsaw wannabe guy pouring liquid latexy stuff on that chicks face while he does his villain monologe about suffocation and all. Creepy vibe to this thing. Great ending. One of my favorites as well. Another drive in classic.

"Pffft, my suspension of disbelief has higher standards than that"

[–] HarryDeanStanton 13 years ago

I love this movie also

[–] 13 years ago

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