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Roadside Attractions and Creepy Mannequins: ‘Tourist Trap’ Turns 40

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When Tourist Trap arrived in limited theaters on March 14, 1979, its quiet release meant it didn’t last long at the box office nor did it create much of a fanbase. Heavily inspired by The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and early on in the wave of the golden age of slashers, Tourist Trap fell through the cracks. But its PG rating (which ironically likely doomed it at the box office) made the film suitable for airing on syndicated television, where it received plenty of broadcasting throughout the ‘80s. Its creepy atmosphere, marked by a great score and eerie mannequins that lurk at a roadside attraction, makes this slasher memorable. That was the beginning of Tourist Trap finally finding the following it deserved, and now, 40 years later, it’s well regarded as a cult classic.

Writer/director David Schmoeller was a budding filmmaker and grad student at the University of Texas in Austin. He just so happened to be shooting his thesis film, a short called The Spider Will Kill You, while Tobe Hooper was filming The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. When Hooper’s film broke out in a huge way, Schmoeller was inspired to turn his short into a feature length film in the hopes of following Hooper’s footsteps. He co-wrote the feature length script with J. Larry Carroll. They then took the premise of his short, which revolved around a blind man and creepy mannequins, and implemented elements from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Psycho. Thus, it became about a group of traveling young friends who find themselves getting stalked by a masked maniac when they stop by a secluded roadside museum.

It was Carroll who pitched their script to executive producer Charles Band, who produced it under Charles Band Productions. It was Band who suggested the killer have telekinetic powers, pushing this slasher into supernatural territory and taking away the psychological mystery Schmoeller originally envisioned. Schmoeller also wanted John Carpenter to direct, but he was far too expensive for their meager budget and Carroll convinced Schmoeller to direct himself, making this is feature debut.

Tourist Trap effectively uses its mannequins in unsettling ways, long before the actual killer is revealed. A large part of that is the special masks and mannequin effects by the makeup department, which boasted names like Bob Burns (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Hills Have Eyes), Ken Horn (The Hills Have Eyes, Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers), and Ve Neill (Beetlejuice, Constantine). The other vital component of what makes the mannequins so creepy is Pino Donaggio’s score. Schmoeller had met Donaggio on Joe Dante’s Piranha, where he served as the non-English speaking composer’s interpreter. Band also hit it off with the composer, and was willing to concede the higher fee for his work.

Despite the inherent creepiness of mannequins, they’re eventually revealed to be mere tools for telekinetic killer Mr. Slaussen, the friendly owner of the isolated tourist trap. Slaussen is played by Chuck Connors, an accomplished actor known for his work in films like Soylent Green, Old Yeller, and The Rifleman. When most masked killers in slashers are silent, the talkative Mr. Slaussen stood out. His initial charm gave way to frightening madness. Essentially, he’s one of horror’s more entertaining psychopaths.

A decade later Schmoeller would reteam with Band again to create a new generation of puppet-filled horror in Puppetmaster, which spawned a long-running franchise of its own. It’s a shame that Tourist Trap never took off in the way that it should’ve in 1979, because that final frame is chilling and ripe for continuation. There’s been talk in recent years about a reboot, but I’d argue that 2005’s House of Wax might’ve beat any reboot to the punch – it owes a lot to Tourist Trap. This unique slasher is also one of the rare entries in the golden era of slashers to not borrow from Halloween. Instead, it’s a close Texan sibling to Hooper’s classic. Tourist Trap is a fun horror movie that was likely killed by its not so scary sounding title and a PG rating. It may have taken 40 years to fully find its audience, but some movies are worth the wait.

Horror journalist, RT Top Critic, and Critics Choice Association member. Co-Host of the Bloody Disgusting Podcast. Has appeared on PBS series' Monstrum, served on the SXSW Midnighter shorts jury, and moderated horror panels for WonderCon and SeriesFest.

Editorials

‘Leprechaun Returns’ – The Charm of the Franchise’s Legacy Sequel

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leprechaun returns

The erratic Leprechaun franchise is not known for sticking with a single concept for too long. The namesake (originally played by Warwick Davis) has gone to L.A., Las Vegas, space, and the ‘hood (not once but twice). And after an eleven-year holiday since the Davis era ended, the character received a drastic makeover in a now-unmentionable reboot. The critical failure of said film would have implied it was time to pack away the green top hat and shillelagh, and say goodbye to the nefarious imp. Instead, the Leprechaun series tried its luck again.

The general consensus for the Leprechaun films was never positive, and the darker yet blander Leprechaun: Origins certainly did not sway opinions. Just because the 2014 installment took itself seriously did not mean viewers would. After all, creator Mark Jones conceived a gruesome horror-comedy back in the early nineties, and that format is what was expected of any future ventures. So as horror legacy sequels (“legacyquels”) became more common in the 2010s, Leprechaun Returns followed suit while also going back to what made the ‘93 film work. This eighth entry echoed Halloween (2018) by ignoring all the previous sequels as well as being a direct continuation of the original. Even ardent fans can surely understand the decision to wipe the slate clean, so to speak.

Leprechaun Returns “continued the [franchise’s] trend of not being consistent by deciding to be consistent.” The retconning of Steven Kostanski and Suzanne Keilly’s film was met with little to no pushback from the fandom, who had already become accustomed to seeing something new and different with every chapter. Only now the “new and different” was familiar. With the severe route of Origins a mere speck in the rearview mirror, director Kotanski implemented a “back to basics” approach that garnered better reception than Zach Lipovsky’s own undertaking. The one-two punch of preposterous humor and grisly horror was in full force again.

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Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

With Warwick Davis sitting this film out — his own choice — there was the foremost challenge of finding his replacement. Returns found Davis’ successor in Linden Porco, who admirably filled those blood-stained, buckled shoes. And what would a legacy sequel be without a returning character? Jennifer Aniston obviously did not reprise her final girl role of Tory Redding. So, the film did the next best thing and fetched another of Lubdan’s past victims: Ozzie, the likable oaf played by Mark Holton. Returns also created an extension of Tory’s character by giving her a teenage daughter, Lila (Taylor Spreitler).

It has been twenty-five years since the events of the ‘93 film. The incident is unknown to all but its survivors. Interested in her late mother’s history there in Devil’s Lake, North Dakota, Lila transferred to the local university and pledged a sorority — really the only one on campus — whose few members now reside in Tory Redding’s old home. The farmhouse-turned-sorority-house is still a work in progress; Lila’s fellow Alpha Epsilon sisters were in the midst of renovating the place when a ghost of the past found its way into the present.

The Psycho Goreman and The Void director’s penchant for visceral special effects is noted early on as the Leprechaun tears not only into the modern age, but also through poor Ozzie’s abdomen. The portal from 1993 to 2018 is soaked with blood and guts as the Leprechaun forces his way into the story. Davis’ iconic depiction of the wee antagonist is missed, however, Linden Porco is not simply keeping the seat warm in case his predecessor ever resumes the part. His enthusiastic performance is accentuated by a rotten-looking mug that adds to his innate menace.

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Pictured: Taylor Spreitler, Pepi Sonuga, and Sai Bennett as Lila, Katie and Rose in Leprechaun Returns.

The obligatory fodder is mostly young this time around. Apart from one luckless postman and Ozzie — the premature passing of the latter character removed the chance of caring about anyone in the film — the Leprechaun’s potential prey are all college aged. Lila is this story’s token trauma kid with caregiver baggage; her mother thought “monsters were always trying to get her.” Lila’s habit of mentioning Tory’s mental health problem does not make a good first impression with the resident mean girl and apparent alcoholic of the sorority, Meredith (Emily Reid). Then there are the nicer but no less cursorily written of the Alpha Epsilon gals: eco-conscious and ex-obsessive Katie (Pepi Sonuga), and uptight overachiever Rose (Sai Bennett). Rounding out the main cast are a pair of destined-to-die bros (Oliver Llewellyn Jenkins, Ben McGregor). Lila and her peers range from disposable to plain irritating, so rooting for any one of them is next to impossible. Even so, their overstated personalities make their inevitable fates more satisfying.

Where Returns excels is its death sequences. Unlike Jones’ film, this one is not afraid of killing off members of the main cast. Lila, admittedly, wears too much plot armor, yet with her mother’s spirit looming over her and the whole story — comedian Heather McDonald put her bang-on Aniston impersonation to good use as well as provided a surprisingly emotional moment in the film — her immunity can be overlooked. Still, the other characters’ brutal demises make up for Lila’s imperviousness. The Leprechaun’s killer set-pieces also happen to demonstrate the time period, seeing as he uses solar panels and a drone in several supporting characters’ executions. A premortem selfie and the antagonist’s snarky mention of global warming additionally add to this film’s particular timestamp.

Critics were quick to say Leprechaun Returns did not break new ground. Sure, there is no one jetting off to space, or the wacky notion of Lubdan becoming a record producer. This reset, however, is still quite charming and entertaining despite its lack of risk-taking. And with yet another reboot in the works, who knows where the most wicked Leprechaun ever to exist will end up next.


Horror contemplates in great detail how young people handle inordinate situations and all of life’s unexpected challenges. While the genre forces characters of every age to face their fears, it is especially interested in how youths might fare in life-or-death scenarios.

The column Young Blood is dedicated to horror stories for and about teenagers, as well as other young folks on the brink of terror.

Leprechaun Returns movie

Pictured: Linden Porco as The Leprechaun in Leprechaun Returns.

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