08/25/2025
Tourist Trap (1979)
Directed By David Schmoeller
Part of what made the '70s such an exciting era for horror were the delightfully twisted premises of some of its movies. David Schmoeller's 1979 feature, Tourist Trap, perfectly encapsulates the outlandish nature of the horrific ideas being turned into films during this decade. This spooky slasher film follows a group of young adults who find themselves trapped in a dangerous setting when their car breaks down on a secluded road. Matters get even more complicated when the group is tormented by a group of mannequins and other objects being controlled by a killer with psychokinetic abilities.
Tourist Trap is a deeply unique horror film, but it still manages to include practically every iconic element of the genre: a deranged killer, a group of frightened victims, a creepy setting, and more. The film takes all of these beloved elements and infuses them with its own terrifying twist, creating an experience that is horrifying from beginning to end. Tourist Trap may not be the most well-known horror film of the '70s, but it is one that is quite difficult to forget.
Available for free on Tubi and the Roku Channel.