The Funhouse (1981)

Four teenage friends spend the night in a carnival funhouse and are stalked by a deformed man in a Frankenstein mask.

From memory: High-pitched and violent horror show with a grim humor and made with style, but a far cry from the director's infamous The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Halliwell (no star): "A violent, freak-show horror that tries for black humour but misses most of the time; it sticks to the usual equation: teenage sex equals gruesome death."

Maltin**1/2: "Intense drama...there is sex, violence, suspense and an increasing tension as they encounter the unkown. Stylish visuals help create an eerie atmosphere in this not entirely succesful chiller.here"

Slaughterhouse-Five (1972)

 

 

A man tells his story of how he became unstuck in time and abducted by aliens.

 

An unusual, but effective adaptation of a complex novel, at heart an anti-war movie, but wandering through various time zones (including a world beyond the realm of earth), sometimes a bit bewildering.

Halliwell*: "Interesting but infuriating anti-war fantasy for intellectuals."

Maltin***: "Sometimes draggy,sometimes on-target, sprawling view of life...Big-budget adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's bizarre fantasy novel is hard going for those unfamiliar with author's point of view, , gains through repeat viewings."