Wax, Weirdness, and a Lot of Screaming

Read Time:5 Minute, 32 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Tourist Trap
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Genre: Horror
Year Released: 1979
Runtime: 1h 30m
Director(s): David Schmoeller
Writer(s): David Schmoeller, J. Larry Carroll
Cast: Chuck Connors, Jocelyn Jones, Jon Van Ness, Robin Sherwood, Tanya Roberts, Keith McDermott, Dawn Jeffory
Where to Watch: available July 7, 2025, pre-order your copy here: www.101-films-store.com

RAVING REVIEW: TOURIST TRAP is the kind of cult horror film that inspires a spectrum of reactions—some viewers swear it’s a deeply unsettling classic, others think it’s a weird relic of its time. The truth probably lies somewhere in between. A curious mix of slasher tropes, supernatural gimmicks, and mannequin-induced nightmares, this 1979 oddity has enough originality to stand out, even if it struggles to pull all its elements into a satisfying whole.

Directed by David Schmoeller (who would go on to create PUPPET MASTER), the film opens with a familiar setup: a group of young friends gets stranded in the middle of nowhere and stumbles across a rundown roadside attraction called Slausen’s Lost Oasis. What seems at first like a kitschy wax museum turns out to be a house of horrors overseen by Mr. Slausen (Chuck Connors), a reclusive, lonely man with more than a few secrets buried beneath his southern charm and stoic demeanor. I can’t help but wonder if Rob Zombie took some visual cues for Captain Spaulding (Sid Haig) in HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES from the dusty roadside eeriness of Slausen’s Lost Oasis. Not necessarily in character, but the vibes are strikingly similar—grimy Americana soaked in menace and oddball charm.

At its best, TOURIST TRAP taps into a specific kind of dreamlike terror. The wax figures and mannequins become more than just props, seemingly frozen in time. Unlike most era slashers that relied on gore and masked killers, this one leans heavily on atmosphere and surrealism. There’s telekinesis, hidden identities, and the unsettling feeling that the world you’re watching doesn’t quite follow the rules of reality. That part works.

Chuck Connors is undoubtedly the film’s MVP. Best known for his TV work, he goes fully off-type here as the film’s central core. He gives a strangely committed performance that shifts from vulnerable to menacing in a heartbeat. Connors holds the entire thing together even as the story veers into increasingly bizarre territory. Without him, TOURIST TRAP might have collapsed under the weight of its oddness.

The rest of the cast doesn’t fare as well. Jocelyn Jones brings some depth to her “final girl” role, and there are flashes of potential in the supporting characters, but the writing doesn’t give them much to work with. They're largely interchangeable and cliche, and their decisions are horror-movie-dumb even by 1970s standards. The film’s attempts at building suspense sometimes fizzle because you’re not invested enough in who’s next on the chopping block.

Then there’s Pino Donaggio’s score, which is as haunting as it is tonally confused. Sometimes, it’s almost too lush and beautiful for the story's vibes. Still, the effect is haunting when the movie clicks into place, and that score hits just right. It may not always fit, but it leaves a lasting impression, adding to the film’s surreal tone.

That said, TOURIST TRAP has some issues. The plot is predictable, the big twist can be guessed early on, and certain sequences drag. It’s a film that wants to be more psychological horror than a traditional slasher, but the script doesn’t quite have the structure to make that leap. By the end, it becomes less about resolution and more about vibes—and while the final image is undeniably creepy, getting there isn’t as tight or impactful as it could have been.

What helps is 101 Films' limited edition Blu-ray release, which brings new life (and context) to this curiosity. As part of their Black Label line, it includes a range of new and archival features that provide welcome insight. Interviews with Charles Band, editor Ted Nicolaou, and star Jocelyn Jones add dimension, while the commentary from Schmoeller offers some fascinating background into how the film came together. There was passion behind the project, even if the finished product never fully arrived.

TOURIST TRAP is a film that’s more interesting than amazing. It has moments of brilliance, including a few genuinely skin-crawling visuals, but it never quite capitalizes on its most compelling ideas. It’s strange in ways that work and odd in ways that don’t. For fans of offbeat horror, it’s worth a watch—especially in this bonus-packed edition—but it’s also easy to see why it didn’t become a genre-defining classic.

TOURIST TRAP walks a fine line between originality and uneven execution. Chuck Connors gives it his all, the mannequins are nightmare fuel, and the atmosphere is memorably weird. But the pacing stumbles, the characters frustrate at times, and the payoff is “unique.” It’s a curiosity worth visiting, even if it won’t become your favorite destination. Intriguing, atmospheric, and undeniably strange—but also flawed and uneven. Worth watching for horror fans with a taste for the weird.

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[photo courtesy of 101 FILMS]

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