The Funhouse
“Pay to get in. Pray to get out!”
Synopsis
Rebellious teen Amy defies her parents by going to a trashy carnival that has pulled into town. In tow are her boyfriend, Buzz, and their friends Liz and Richie. Thinking it would be fun to spend the night in the campy "Funhouse" horror ride, the teens witness a murder by a deformed worker wearing a mask. Locked in, Amy and her friends must evade the murderous carnival workers and escape before it leaves town the next day.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Official TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2013-03-20
Top Cast
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Elizabeth Berridge
Amy Harper
Cooper Huckabee
Buzz Dawson
Kevin Conway
The Barker
Largo Woodruff
Liz Duncan
Miles Chapin
Richie Atterbury
Jeanne Austin
Mrs. Harper
Jack McDermott
Mr. Harper
Shawn Carson
Joey Harper
David Carson
Geek
Sonia Zomina
Bag Lady
Ralph Morino
Truck Driver
Herb Robins
Carnival Manager
Mona Agar
Strip Show Dancer
William Finley
Marco the Magnificent
Susie Malnik
Carmella
Sylvia Miles
Madame Zena
Sid Raymond
Strip Show MC
Larry Ross
Heckler - Girlie Show
Release History & Theatrical Window
L'Étrange Festival
Festival / Special Debut
March 13, 1981
Wide Cinema Exhibition
February 18, 2010
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$2M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$7.9M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
3.94x
+$5.9M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Tobe Hooper
- Screenplay & Story
- Lawrence J. Block
- Original Score
- John Beal
- Original Title
- The Funhouse
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 35m
- Production Budget
- $2M
- Worldwide Gross
- $7.9M
- Production Studios
- Mace Neufeld Productions, Universal Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Tobe Hooper
Lawrence J. Block
John Beal
Andrew Laszlo, Daniel Pearl
Jack Hofstra
Steven Bernhardt, Derek Power, Mark L. Lester, Mace Neufeld
Department Leadership Roster
Mort Rabinowitz
Production Design
Tobe Hooper
Director
Andrew Laszlo
Director of Photography
Jack Hofstra
Editor
John Beal
Original Music Composer
Steven Bernhardt
Producer
Derek Power
Producer
Lawrence J. Block
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 16 ans — 16+ only.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Funhouse.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Funhouse.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Funhouse
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Funhouse about?
Rebellious teen Amy defies her parents by going to a trashy carnival that has pulled into town. In tow are her boyfriend, Buzz, and their friends Liz and Richie. Thinking it would be fun to spend the night in the campy "Funhouse" horror ride, the teens witness a murder by a deformed worker wearing a mask. Locked in, Amy and her friends must evade the murderous carnival workers and escape before it leaves town the next day.
Who directed The Funhouse?
The Funhouse was directed by Tobe Hooper.
Who stars in The Funhouse?
The principal cast of The Funhouse includes Elizabeth Berridge, Cooper Huckabee, Kevin Conway, Largo Woodruff, Miles Chapin.
When was The Funhouse released and how long is it?
The Funhouse was released in 1981 with a total runtime of 1h 35m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Funhouse?
The Funhouse had a reported production budget of $2M and grossed $7.9M at the worldwide box office (3.94 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for The Funhouse?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Funhouse was composed by John Beal.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Funhouse?
The Funhouse holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: 16 (Interdit aux moins de 16 ans — 16+ only.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).