The Funhouse : Carnival Horror Movies

Trying to come up with a list of all the horror movies that take place at a carnival or freakshow. So far I've got:

Bloodsucking Freaks
Carnival of Souls
Freaks
Funhouse
Ghoulies 2
Something Wicked This Way Comes
Wes Craven's Carnival of Souls

Anybody have any others?

The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies.


If I think of any more I'll post em. :)

Though not technically a horror film, the ending is really frightening. And it's a great flick. "Nightmare Alley", with Tyrone Power.

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"Alley" is the best of the bunch by far.

Nothing is more beautiful than nothing.

And theres a movie called freakshow. its a remake of freaks.

Only after disaster can we be resurrected

I've been dying to watch Nightmare Alley. I became interested in it after I heard Kenneth Anger say it was one of his favorite films.

Nightmare Alley is one of my favorites, too. The cast is great, and it goes in a lot of unexpected directions. I got it on DVD at BJs, so I know it's out there and not expensive. Hope you can find it.

Sometimes life is like asking strangers for directions to the Susquehanna Hat Company.

Anyone notice that the character of Zeena in NIGHTMARE ALLEY also kind of appear in THE FUNHOUSE with the Sylvia Miles roles. Only by the name i mean, but when they named it the first thing that passes by my mind was the Tyrone Power classic.

I also got the DVD. Is not expensive at all!

I was just gonna mention that episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark. That was a good one. Also not quite a carnival film but there's a memorable funhouse scene in House of 1000 Corpses.

Does DARK RIDE count?

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Hey, you're just like me. I also like horror movies, old and new, that take place in large carnival or circus settings. The whole backdrop provides an exotic, colorful, yet mysterious and oddly threatening atmosphere. Maybe it's the psychological emotional clash that occurs in the brain when you have to comprehend a place of gaiety, loads of fun and entertainment, lots of bright lights, flashing colors, the tingle and tinkle of carnival/circus music with the sudden overwhelming drama of suspense, gothic horror, death, drama, and mystery.

On the cable Science Fiction channel last month there was a new sci-fi flick about the Jersey Devil monster being brought secretly to a scummy traveling carnival where it escaped and caused havoc and death. It was a marginal monster movie but the carnival setting added greatly to the background, drama, and 'feel' of the movie.

I even like murder drama mystery movies set within a large carnival or circus background. I wish there were more movies like this.

Killer Klowns from Outer Space is demented fun.


Illegitimus!

Don't forget "The New Kids" with James Spader and Lori Laughlin.

"She's, like, a biscuit older than me..."

How about Malatesta's Carnival of Blood (1973)? It's quite a bizare little film, but definitely worth seeking out.

Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932) is a classic, with Bela Lugosi injecting women with the blood of a carnival ape.

Also, House of Frankenstein (1944) partially takes place at a carnival. And of course there's that carnival presentation from The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920).

One last thought: Any "Are You Afraid of the Dark" fans? I remember watching that as a kid and seeing a terrifying funhouse episode, "A Tale of Laughing in the Dark," where the kid stole the nose of the clown whose ghost stalked him to get it back!

my favorite movie of all time, while not exactly a horror film, is pretty sick and strange.. theres mutilation, madness and murder, much of which occurs either at the circus, or with circus characters. the masterpiece of film is called santa sangre.

Death Screams '82

I haven't seen it, but there is the new horror flick- Closed For The Season (2010)

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Two movies that I really enjoyed that featured carnivals/amusement park backdrops were "Strangers on a Train" and "Rollercoaster." I would not put these two films in the "horror" category but rather the "thriller" category. Both are high in suspense and kept me glued to the screen. They are slower movies compared to thrillers of today but give them a chance.

Finally somebody mentioned "Strangers on a Train" (though not a horror movie by any means).

Surprised nobody mentioned the grand-daddy of all Carnival Horror Flicks, "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari."

I've always been drawn to movies with Carnival settings. Happened upon "The Funhouse" on tv and found I couldn't turn away, though frankly it's terrible movie.

carnival of blood 1970

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Maybe one of you can help me out I'm trying to find a classic horror film thats in the same theme but I can't remember the damn title but I remember seeing the trailer for it. Most of what I can remember is that it was about a carnival/circus that comes to town and the carnies invade the town and in one of the scenes in the trailer the bad guy is dressed in a yellow clown suit wielding a meat cleaver but you never see his face and one of the kids are hiding from him in the house. I know its not a lot of info but its all I have from memory.

GHOULIES II
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES
CARNIVAL OF SOULS
DARK RIDE
AND THERE WERE SOME THAT HAD SCENES AT AN AMUSEMENT PARK
CLOWNHOUSE
FUNLAND

AND EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT A HORROR FILM,THE THRILLER ROLLER COASTER WASN'T BAD EITHER.

Don't forget "The Howling VI: The Freaks" which was actually a pretty good film.

anyone ever check out the tales from the darkside episode "the circus" ?? def one of my favs. then there is actually a new movie out called "the last circus" that is really crazy!!

The pretty nifty "Sideshow," which prolific B-pic director Fred Olen Ray did for Charles Band's Full Moon outfit in 2000. It boasts a nicely creepy atmosphere and a plethora of impressively grotesque freaks.

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Side Sho (2007)
Jack The Reaper (2011)

Santa Sangre.

The Clown Murders (1976) with John Candy

Vampire Circus (1972)

I'll toss in the eerie early 70's entry The Other, as it has a scene set in a fly-by-night carnival. Fits the tone of the film perfectly.

I was re-watching this one after many years and noticed the color design seemed quite similar to another classic, The Warriors. Turns out it was the same guy!

If you can do old movies, Tod Browning made The Show, The Unknown, and Freaks.

From the sixties there's She Freak and Berserk (with Joan Crawford).

I definitely recommend the aforementioned Vampire Circus, Santa Sangre, and Howling 6.

And now we have American Horror Story!



Stink, stink, stink, Mr Murdock

The final act in Child's Play 3 takes place in a carnival.

Anyone here mentions Hotel California dies before the first line clears his lips.