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SoH Reviews: Tourist Trap (1979)

This movie.

I knew what to expect but I still didn’t know how wild this movie would become. I do want to give a mini shout out to the youtube channel Dead Meat which I believe they discussed on the podcast or… it could have been a kill count but I do remember this film being brought up in some form and even that didn’t prepare me.

I’m going to discuss my thoughts and overall… attitude towards 1979’s PG film… Tourist Trap .

However, the killer is quite unique and it’s never explained but the killer a) can make mannequins, b) manipulate and control mannequins c) use humans as mannequins and d) he has telekinetic powers.

What I enjoyed were a few things like the environment/setting, characters, special effects and overall creepy factor. The movie stays in one area as in with setting and/or environment and we don’t leave it for the whole movie. The characters are likeable, you do want them to make it out alive, just a case of wrong place wrong time kind of vibe. The special effects goes into the creepy factor of being unsettled. The way the mannequins are used, mouths dropping open and they scream. Visually it’s very creepy and how they are killed is a bit repetitive but also, there is one specific kill that… very uncomfortable.

The one thing I wasn’t a big fan of was sometimes the scenes went too long or repetitive aka using the same scene or portion over and over.

Tourist Trap is truly a cult film and one of those that if you aren’t deep into horror or even film, you wouldn’t know about this film. It was directed by David Schmoeller and stars Chuck Connors, Jocelyn Jones, Jon Van Ness, Robin Sherwood, Tanya Roberts, Dawn Jeffory and Keith McDermott. I’d give Tourist Trap a 3.5 to a 3.75 out of 5 . It’s well worth a watch!

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Tourist Trap

• A group of young friends stranded at a secluded roadside museum are stalked by a masked assailant who uses his telekinetic powers to control the attraction's mannequins.
• Teenagers come across a shut-in psychopath with telekinetic powers. He proceeds to use these powers to slay them one by one as well as animate the various mannequins he uses to keep himself company. — Dan Coker <[email protected]>
• Four people go in search of their missing friend. What they find is Slausen's Lost Oasis, and mannequin dressed museum and a seemingly abadoned mansion owned by gentle old Mr. Slausen. He agrees to help with thei car trouble, but some of the girls decide to look for a working phone inside the house even though Mr. Slausen warned them not too. Hidden within the home is Mr. Slausen's misunderstood mask hidden younger brother. What they learn is that the mannaquins seem very much alive, or is there something much more terrifying behind the mask? — Wallace Entertainment
• Eileen (Robin Sherwood) and her boyfriend Woody (Keith McDermott) are driving through the desert. When their car gets a flat tire, Woody goes to find a gas station. Their friends Becky (Tanya Roberts), Jerry (Jon Van Ness) and Molly (Jocelyn Jones) are traveling separately in a different vehicle. They reach Eileen waiting at the car and they all drive off to collect Woody. Woody has found a gas station but it appears deserted. He enters the back room but becomes trapped when the door closes by itself behind him. Various mannequins appear in the room, and multiple objects fly at him until a metal pipe impales and kills him. A little later, Eileen, Becky, Molly and Jerry happen upon a run-down ghost town called 'Slausen's Lost Oasis' (the tourist trap in the title) and conclude Woody is there. As they drive in, their vehicle mysteriously breaks down. Jerry tries to fix his jeep and the girls go skinny dipping in a nearby oasis. As the three women swim, a strange-looking middle-aged man, who introduces himself as Mr. Slausen (Chuck Connors) appears holding a shotgun. Though outwardly polite, he also seems embittered by the decline of his tourist trap since the local expressway was moved away. The three nude girls feel awkward in the water as he casually chats with them, and they apologize for trespassing on his property. Slausen offers to help Jerry with the jeep, but insists the group go to his house with him to get his tools. There, they see the tourist trap: animated wax works type figures including armed bandits. Eileen is curious about a nearby house, but Slausen insists the women stay inside the museum. Slausen takes Jerry to fix the jeep leaving the women. Eileen leaves to find a phone in the other house. There she finds several mannequins inside the house. Someone calls her name, and a stranger wearing a grotesque mask suddenly appears behind her. Various items in the room move of their own accord and the scarf Eileen is wearing tightens and strangles her to death. Slausen returns to Molly and Becky saying that Jerry drove his truck into town. When told that Eileen left, he goes to the house and finds Eileen has been turned into a mannequin. He returns and tells Molly and Becky he did not find Eileen and will leave again to continue the search. Frustrated, the women also later leave to search for her. Becky enters the nearby house and finds a mannequin resembling Eileen. Becky is attacked by the masked killer and then by multiple mannequins. She later wakes up tied up in the basement along with Jerry. Jerry says the killer is Slausen's brother. Also held captive is a young woman named Tina (Dawn Jeffory), who is strapped to a table. She is killed when the masked man covers her face with plaster, causing her to suffocate. Jerry frees himself and attacks the killer, but is soon overpowered. Tied back up, Jerry tries to reach for a key but the killer telepathically moves it from his reach... revealing that the killer has the power of telekinesis. Molly, still outside searching for the others, is pursued by the masked man. She meets Slausen who drives her to the museum and gives her a gun while he goes inside. The masked man appears and Molly shoots, but the gun is loaded with blanks. The man removes the mask: it is Slausen. She panics and tries to elude Slausen but is soon captured and restrained to a bed. Meanwhile, Becky and Jerry escape from the basement but, get separated. Slausen appears and takes Becky to the museum. There the Old West figures begin shooting at her, and she is killed by a Indian Chief figure who throws a knife at her, stabbing her in the back of the neck. Back at the house, Molly manages to untie herself and attempts to look for a way out. She is forced to hide when Slausen appears again and, using his telekinesis, makes many of the mannequins move by themselves. He finds Molly hiding and invites him to dance with him. Jerry arrives to rescue Molly, but he is revealed to have unknowingly been turned into a mannequin as Slausen reveals it by "removing" his arm. Slausen dances with the mannequin figure of his wife, and Molly sees that the wife has become animated as a real person. Traumatized by all of this, Molly finds a hatchet where she sneaks up behind Slausen, and slams the axe into his shoulder as he turns around. With Slausen finally dead and his power gone, all of the mannequins in the room stop moving. The film then ends where it takes place the next morning, and a grinning and clearly insane Molly is seen driving away in the jeep with the mannequin versions of her friends.

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Tourist Trap: Why Is This 70s Slasher Suddenly So Popular?

The 1979 horror oddity Tourist Trap has suddenly gained a feverish cult audience nearly 40 years after its initial release into obscurity.

Older and younger people have always been at odds. Older folks feel that younger folks have no interest in learning the "right" way to do things. Younger people feel that older people are too "set in their ways." However, something very odd is happening on the internet. A "new" horror movie is being discovered. Is it some stylistic gem ala It Follows that will forge the genre in a new direction? Is it one of the classics like Friday the 13th getting a remake that will be anything less than dreadful? No. It is a movie from 1979 called Tourist Trap that has Millennials all aglow and the old folks (people that are older than Millennials) shaking their heads in utter disgust.

To be frank, nothing about the Tourist Trap plot could really be described as special. The film has some very unique qualities but the set-up of the story isn't anything we haven't already seen. Young people are stranded at a museum. They soon find themselves stalked by the likes of Mr. Slausen ( Chuck Connors ) who is the museum's crazy caretaker. (As an aside, how come in these films it's always crazy people that are given these jobs in which they have to be responsible?) He doesn't carry a meat cleaver or a machete. Rather Slausen's weapon of his choice is the mannequins that he keeps in a collection. It is this unique device, and the fact that Slausen's killer is able to use telekinesis, that really separates Tourist Trap from being a throwaway horror film.

So why is it is that Millennials have suddenly taken to this film that seemed DOA even when it was released? A search was done to track the grosses on Tourist Trap . It seems that this film, like many slasher movies , came and went almost as soon as it hit theaters in March of 1979. However, cable TV ultimately revived Tourist Trap somewhat, and apparently there is a fair amount of "underground" interest in all things mannequin.

So why are Millennials so enamored with Tourist Trap ? Well, unlike Leatherface , Michael Myers, or Jason Vorhees, the killer in Tourist Trap talks. There is a passion to their voice that adds a weight and gravitas to their every word. Okay, Freddy Kreuger also spoke, but much of what he said was in the form of jokes. The killer in Tourist Trap doesn't really do that. If anything, the IQ level of the killer in this film seems absurdly high. How else to explain how they are able to kill the way they do? Seeing how the murders are set up, the way they are premeditated, that is something that we don't generally see from "slasher films". Millennials seem to appreciate that this character breaks the mold. He seems gender neutral which predates the killer in the more lauded Silence of the Lambs by 11 years. In fact, looking at the one sheet for this film you may very well think that the killer is a woman. As an aside, casting the manly Chuck Connors in this non-binary role was a stroke of genius. He plays the role of Mr. Slausen with classic, leading man swagger. Heck, this is The Rifleman we're talking about here! This movie works because it plays on subversion. That is another thing that Millennials seem to appreciate. In fact, it might be the most punk rock thing about them. They are very much into shifting paradigms. What better way to do that than to embrace a horror film that appears miles away from the ones they should consider sacrosanct? It truly seems as if Millennials might see something of themselves in Tourist Trap .

Truthfully, Millennials love of this film might simply stem from their well known defiant streak. They refuse to be told what to do. This includes being told what cult movies they should worship and adore. Based off this alone, Millennials will reject the so called classics that Generation X holds so dear. Thus they went out of their way to find a cult movie to call their own. Even though Tourist Trap came out in 1979, we haven't really been hearing much about it since it became a "thing" among the Millennial set. On the face of it, it is easy to dismiss Tourist Trap as being a House of Wax ripoff or a Texas Chainsaw redo. However, you get 5 minutes into it and you can easily see that it becomes something you haven't seen before or since. It's a unique horror movie in every way. It subverts (there's that word again) the genre with unexpected twists that are easy to embrace. Tourist Trap is as good or perhaps better than the other movies of its era, and no one has really started talking about it until now.

The original Halloween is often seen as the film that really kicked off the slasher film craze. This film came out in 1978. After that we got Friday the 13th in 1980 and all the other 80s horror films that people from my generation still fight tooth and nail for. With the success of Halloween , it isn't surprising that Tourist Trap got lost in the shuffle. However, Millennials probably don't see much to get excited about with Halloween . They may think the tale is pedestrian. Let's be honest, for as good as Michael Myers is, is he as clever as Mr. Slausen? Is Jason or Freddy as interesting a killer as that character? For Millennials, Mr. Slausen is the one who should be getting all the glory. He should be the toast of the horror convention and sequel/reboot set.

The biggest problem for Tourist Trap now is maintaining its momentum. The film is so weird and scary that old timers who don't remember it, or have never seen it, are going to be just as excited to connect with it. Slowly but surely, Tourist Trap will then feel farmed and franchised. The big question is will the millennials who liked it yesterday still like it in a few weeks? Or, will they drop it like a hot potato which makes it hard to write a piece like this. As I write this story, Tourist Trap feels like a special club. Will other people be allowed to like a movie that is so yesterday? Especially now that this special club no longer feels special and the fascination is gone?

Wouldn't it be ironic if there was suddenly a big revival in the Puppet Master franchise among the Millennial set? With over ten films in this franchise the Millennials could feed off of it forever. Why is this ironic? Because the first film in this series was kicked off by David Schmoeller who, you guessed it, directed Tourist Trap . The movie is currently streaming for free on Youtube. You can watch it here if you have a spare 90 minutes burning a hole in your pocket.

The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review

Tourist Trap (1979)

Rating: ★★★.

Director – David Schmoeller, Screenplay – David Schmoeller & J. Larry Carroll, Producer – J. Larry Carroll, Photography – Nicholas Von Sternberg, Music – Pino Donaggio, Special Effects – Richard O. Helmer, Makeup Effects – David Ayres, Robert A. Burns, Ken Horn, Ve Neill & Karen Stern, Art Direction – Burns. Production Company – Charles Band Productions.

Chuck Connors (Slausen), Jocelyn Jones (Molly), Jon Van Ness (Jerry), Tanya Roberts (Becky), Robin Sherwood (Eileen)

Four friends are travelling along a backroad when their vehicle breaks down. They are caught skinny-dipping at a nearby waterfall by the genial Slausen who owns the land. He introduces them to his pride and joy – a museum full of very lifelike mannequins built by his brother Davey as a tourist exhibit, which now languishes unvisited after the new highway took the traffic away. As they wander into the house, the mannequins come to life, along with Davey who has seemingly returned from the dead to stalk and kill them.

Tourist Trap is a genuinely strange film. Nobody knew how to pigeonhole it when it came out. There was an attempt to sell it as part of the slasher cycle created by Halloween (1978) and Friday the 13th (1980), although it did not belong there. Certainly, it has a typical slasher entourage – one can spot the good girl who is going to survive because she is dressed as a ridiculous Little Bo Peep figure all in white, while the other girls wear as little as possible without actually taking their clothes off. There is the house with the dark, twisted past taken right from Psycho (1960), while the situations the victims wander into are predictable slasher fare.

However, Tourist Trap also has a genuinely strange atmosphere to it. There are some spooky scenes with phones ringing only to find the cord is not connected. Chuck Connors has some extremely strange moments – there is one scene where he sits down to have dinner with a mannequin that comes to life and starts conversing with him before its head falls off. Or the genuinely creepy scene where Jon Van Ness comes to rescue Jocelyn Jones only to have Connors remove Van Ness’s arm and then his head, revealing that he has been an animated mannequin without realising it.

Connors has clear fun, giving a great demented performance – although it is of no great surprise when he turns out to be the killer all along. Connors has one great scene with victim Dawn Jeffory tied to a table as he plasters over her face, all the while telling her how she is going to die from fright, how her skin is going to burn, how he will cover her eyes and then her lips and then her heart will explode from fright, which it promptly does. The only failing of the scene is the laughable lack of consistency to the plaster, which nobody thought to water down and ends up being applied in solid, caked lumps.

The film is also lumbered by having to make essentially inanimate mannequins appear sinister. To his credit, director David Schmoeller does a fine job, having their eyes and limbs move out of the corner of the eye. Unfortunately, the mannequins are only standard storefront mannequins and are far from the convincingly lifelike, near human figures they are held out to be throughout the film.

Tourist Trap was one of the earliest efforts of producer Charles Band, before the formation of the Empire chain and Full Moon Productions where Band and father Albert made numerous B genre movies. David Schmoeller returned to make several other films for the Bands’ subsequently, some of which uncannily echo elements of Tourist Trap – notably Crawlspace (1986), which features Klaus Kinski as another demented psycho pursuing women through an old decaying house, and Puppetmaster (1989), which features more magically animated figures, in this case puppets, stalking people through an abandoned hotel. Schmoeller’s other genre films are The Seduction (1982), Catacombs (1988), the alien vampire film The Arrival (1991), the strange the voodoo film Netherworld (1992) and the children’s films The Secret Kingdom (1997), Search for the Jewel of Polaris: Mysterious Museum (1999) and Little Monsters (2012). The film was also one of the earliest acting parts of later Charlie’s Angel and B movie actresses Tanya Roberts.

Trailer here

‘Tourist Trap’ Remake in the Works from Producer Barbara Crampton! [Exclusive]

Every year, hundreds of young people travel the country… and disappear. 45 years after the release of cult classic Tourist Trap , Bloody Disgusting has exclusively learned this weekend that horror legend Barbara Crampton ( Re-Animator, You’re Next, Jakob’s Wife, Suitable Flesh ) will be producing an upcoming remake of the 1979 horror movie!

Alliance Media Partners has acquired the rights to Tourist Trap , and Crampton, the company’s Vice President of Production & Development, will be producing the new take on the classic.

Crampton is producing with Bob Portal , Managing Director & Head of Production at AMP.

The original Tourist Trap was directed by David Schmoeller.

In the film, “ A group of young friends stranded at a secluded roadside museum are stalked by a masked assailant who uses his telekinetic powers to control the attraction’s mannequins.”

Chuck Connors played the villain Mr. Slausen, the owner of tourist trap Slausen’s Lost Oasis. The ill-fated friends, well, they all get turned into mannequins, making for one wild finale.

Meagan Navarro wrote about Tourist Trap here on Bloody Disgusting, “This slasher with a supernatural twist brings the nightmare fuel in the form of deeply unnerving mannequins. Mannequins are already terrifying, with their life-like appearance and vacant eyes. But what if they unhinged their jaws and made eerie sounds as they closed in on their victim for the kill? You get one of the creepiest slashers hailing from the golden era of the sub-genre.”

You can watch the original 1979 movie’s retro trailer below. You can stream the film on various platforms right now, including Shudder, Tubi, Peacock, Freevee and AMC+.

And stay tuned for more info on the Tourist Trap remake.

Horror films under the Alliance Media Partners label include Old Man, The Seed, The Wretched, Jakob’s Wife, Amulet, The Endless, The Pale Door , and last year’s Suitable Flesh .

Writer in the horror community since 2008. Editor in Chief of Bloody Disgusting. Owns Eli Roth's prop corpse from Piranha 3D. Has four awesome cats. Still plays with toys.

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Directors  Jen & Sylvia Soska  ( Rabid ,  American Mary ) bring you back into the universe of George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead with Tubi Original Festival of the Living Dead , and Bloody Disgusting has been exclusively provided with the official trailer today.

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The Soska Sisters tweet , “The film is a sequel to Romero’s masterpiece original Night of the Living Dead – the story follows Ben’s grandchildren 55 years after the incident.”

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11 Tourist Traps To Skip When You Visit Times Square

Visiting Times Square when traveling to New York is a rite of passage; you should see it at least once. Bright lights, award-winning Broadway shows, window shopping, diverse restaurants, and eclectic performers are among the top reasons to explore this famous spot. Add one-of-a-kind people-watching to the list, and you'll find an endless number of things to do there. That said, there are quite a few places (and people) that you'll want to avoid when touring this Manhattan hub. The popular square (it sees about 360,000 visitors daily, according to the  official website ) is rife with people willing to exploit unsuspecting tourists, which is a big reason locals steer clear of the area. From costumed characters who can become aggressive to dishonest ticket sellers and overpriced chain eateries, there are plenty of tourist traps to skip when you visit Times Square.

Our list will help you navigate the seediest areas for a safer, more enjoyable, and more authentic experience. We pulled on our first-hand experience as former New Yorkers to determine where you should avoid. Years spent weaving our way through these streets and encountering deceptive scams have made us authorities on the most important spots to miss. Be vigilant while you're visiting. Times Square is entertaining and glitzy, so it's easy to get distracted. Any busy tourist spot is a prime target for pickpockets, and Times Square is no exception. Also, be sure to tip any "character" you take a photo with (or of); otherwise, things could get ugly.

Hard Rock Café

It's no secret that the  Hard Rock Café is a tourist trap; it has a gift shop, after all, which is a dead giveaway. That said, many tourists love visiting these restaurants — that's why you can find them in many major U.S. cities. This particular Hard Rock is bemoaned for its overcooked meat, slow service, and overpriced menu. One recent  Yelp reviewer wrote, "I am convinced this Cafe is called 'Hard Rock' because their steaks have the texture of being hard as a rock." Inside, you can see paraphernalia from iconic stars like Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, and The Beatles, and you can buy merch to add to your collection, but when it comes to food, we say skip this joint!

To be honest, any chain restaurant in Times Square (we're looking at you, Applebee's Grill + Bar and Olive Garden) is a tourist trap. Plus, if it's a chain, you can visit it pretty much anywhere in the U.S. and it's bound to be cleaner and quieter than this buzzy locale. Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. is no exception and it, too, boasts a gift shop. While reviewers on Yelp have commended the friendly service, tasty drinks, and views over Times Square, we say, hit the store so you can say you've been there, bought the t-shirt. Then, head to Victor's Café , a fun and funky eatery where locals flock for a tasty Cuban bite. It's on 52nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues.

Paparazzi photographers

Recently, a new brand of rip-off artist made their mark on Times Square. Calling themselves paparazzi, these randos appear with large, fancy-looking cameras (or sometimes just a cell phone) and take photos of tourists while admiring the sights or merely walking through the streets with their travel buddies. You might feel like a fashionista walking a runway for a moment, but things can quickly turn uncomfortable if the photographer is pushy. Now you can understand how stars like Taylor Swift might feel.

Once the photographer finishes clicking, they'll turn the camera around to show you the shot, often saying "paparazzi" as they do so. If you walk away, they might follow you for a bit, asking (or sometimes yelling at) you to buy the photos they snapped. As a rule of thumb, anyone trying to sell you something on a street in Times Square is attempting to scam you in some way. If you want a memorable photo from your holiday, ask another tourist to immortalize your family with a picture or organize a professional shoot before you visit.

Costumed characters

Elmo, the Hulk, Minnie, and Mickie Mouse can all be found in Times Square, sometimes in varying states of undress. Speaking of undress, the  Naked Cowboy has also been known to hang out here, although, luckily, he wears tighty whities to hide his bits. You never know what or who you'll encounter when wandering through the main pedestrian area (between 42 nd and 47 th streets). And if you dare to take a photo with, or of, a costumed character without offering a tip, they can get pretty nasty. We're talking F-bomb and insult-throwing nasty. In 2023, a group of characters chased a UK tourist who took photos of them without tipping. Minnie Mouse even dropped her pants, aggressively mooning the tourist. In 2019, a Times Square "Elmo" grabbed the backside of a 14-year-old girl as she posed for a picture. Sadly, those weren't isolated incidents.

According to The New York Post , 47 percent of New Yorkers reported having an "unpleasant interaction" with one of these characters. Another 22 percent of New York residents said they experienced "unwanted physical contact" with one of the creepy creatures. To make Times Square a more enjoyable place to explore, New York's Department of Transportation has created sections called "chill zones" for people to sit and relax, "express lanes" for others to walk without being bothered by photographers or ticket sellers, and "designated activity zones" to house costumed characters so they don't impose themselves on people elsewhere.

M&M's Times Square

Chocolate lovers may disagree with adding M&M's Times Square to this list of tourist traps to skip when you're in the area, but hear us out. Yes, this is a giant, three-story-tall store filled with candy. And yes, that candy is vibrantly colored and accompanied by adorable plush characters that will unleash your inner child. So, what's not to like? Well, the crowds, for one. It seems no matter what time you visit this store, it's packed. As local parents to M&M-obsessed kids, we were begged to visit this shop on multiple occasions. While we often found excuses to avoid trudging through the mayhem, we did cave occasionally. Here's why we won't return any time soon.

In addition to having to elbow your way through crowds, the cost is a significant factor here. Expect to pay about $18 per pound of candy, excluding tax. Then, you'll likely be swindled (probably by your child) into purchasing even more overpriced merch. From t-shirts to stuffed M&Ms to pillows to mugs to dog toys, they have it all. On the upside, the store features a personalized printer that allows tourists to create customized M&Ms in about two minutes; plus, they can make their own M&M combo from a selection of 15 colors. Cool, right!? Be prepared to wait your turn, though.

Chain clothing stores

There's no lack of shopping in Times Square. Whether you're looking for cheesy souvenirs, sweets from Hershey's Chocolate World, or a watch from Swatch, you'll find it within the borders of this tourist zone. Times Square is also home to a bevy of chain stores. Target, Express, Forever 21, Levis, H&M, and Old Navy are just a few of the bigger names plunked in the heart of this raucous neighborhood. While it may be tempting to dash inside for a peek, these stores can be uber-crowded and sometimes dirty. Plus, they won't offer anything different than what you'd find in your local chain store; if you live in America, that is (we'll give international visitors a pass on shopping at these chain stores in Times Square).

In a city known for its fabulous shopping districts (hello, Chelsea Market, Fifth Avenue, and NoLita), don't waste your time in a box store that lacks the charm and eccentricity you can find in spades elsewhere. Instead, head to Williamsburg for some epic vintage shopping, visit a pop-up shop in SoHo, or blow your savings at the luxury stores on Madison Avenue. You may spend more than you would on a chain store T-shirt, but the eclectic finds you bring home will be more memorable and unique.

Caricature artists

If you're one of those people who have trouble saying "no," visiting Times Square might feel extra stressful. Whether it's someone selling fake Louis Vuitton purses or an "Avenger" pressing you to take a photo with them, plenty of strangers want your money and will do almost anything to get it. Caricature artists are members of this group. They're generally less pushy than the costumed characters, and most of these artists have talent -– there's no denying that. But do you really need an ink-drawn caricature of yourself or your kids?

First off, these unique and strange drawings can be expensive. Second, you should strongly consider what you will do with this drawing when you return home. Do you plan to frame the art and put it on a wall or shove it in a drawer, never to be seen again? If you're sure it's the latter, you may want to smile politely and take a pass. If you're determined to buy one as a keepsake, you can always try to haggle over the price.

Counterfeit peddlers

No matter what time of day or year you visit Times Square, you're bound to encounter peddlers selling counterfeit goods. Spread across blankets that line the dirty sidewalks, fake purses, sunglasses, wallets, and more entice travelers with an eye for designer brands. Don't get sucked in! There are so many reasons against buying counterfeit goods. Most importantly, these fake items are illegally created and sold and could be supporting the use of forced labor or human trafficking. According to  U.S. Customs and Border Protection , counterfeit goods are also poorly made and potentially harmful. Plus, this illegal business takes money (and even jobs) away from legitimate companies.

The good news for tourists who still have their hearts set on fake merchandise is that buying counterfeit goods on the black market is not illegal in New York (per  The Fast Law Firm, P.C. ). Manufacturing and selling the items, however, is what lands people in the slammer. These types of arrests happen frequently in New York, most often on Canal Street. If you're still determined to purchase a knock-off, negotiate the price and be prepared to walk away with a subpar product.

Pedicabs can certainly look fun and romantic, especially if you've just exited a Broadway show or restaurant to find one adorned with colorful, twinkly lights. Essentially a bicycle with a carriage on the back, these unique "taxis" are pedaled in high-tourist areas (i.e., Times Square) across the city. By law, pedicab drivers are permitted to set their rates, which must be posted at the front of the cab so potential passengers can easily see them. Ask about their charges before sitting in the cab, which could indicate that you agree to their prices. Some unsuspecting tourists have been charged up to $600 for a ride, found an inquiry completed by  ABC's 7 On Your Side Investigates .  

According to  NYC Pedicabs , the standard pedicab rate should not exceed $3 to $7 per minute. If the driver tells you that it's more, don't get in. Search for another pedicab instead. Also, ask to see the pedicab driver's license and agree to the price upfront. Or make your way to Central Park, where you can take an iconic  Horse Carriage Ride . It will cost more (a 45-minute ride costs about $140), but this unforgettable experience is a bucket-list thing to do for many first-time visitors.

Unauthorized ticket sellers

No matter how much time you spend in Times Square, you're guaranteed to be approached (or screamed at) by someone. Often, these encounters involve a person trying to sell something -– like the fake products we mentioned earlier, a photo, or even a city tour. Frequently, these deals sound too good to be true, which most likely means they are. Instead of falling for a scam, be wary. Don't buy tickets to a Broadway show from someone selling them on a street corner. The tickets may be incredibly overpriced or, worse, fake. Yes, some might be legitimate, but is it really worth the risk?

Instead, buy last-minute discount seats from TodayTix , visit the box office of your dream show as soon as it opens, or stand in line at TKTS. If you want to embark on a tour of the city, great! Just buy your passes from an authorized online seller like Viator or NewYorkSightseeing . The same goes for comedy clubs, museum passes, and other tourist sites. It's safest to purchase your tickets in person at the attraction or from an official website.

The NYE Ball Drop

Seeing the ball drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve is a bucket-list adventure for some. And yes, it will be an adventure — one that starts hours (8 or more) in advance if you're hoping to secure a good viewing locale. Access points are found at 49 th , 52 nd , and 56 th Street from 6 th and 8 th Avenues. The festivities don't begin until 6 p.m. when the Waterford crystal ball is raised on the pole above One Times Square. Musical performances start around 7 p.m., and the countdown, of course, begins at 11:59 p.m.

Once you arrive, you'll be put into a viewing "pen." If you leave the pen, you pretty much can't return, so there's no chance of going to the bathroom (even if you could find one) for hours. Some revelers wear diapers in preparation. Add to that the fact that it's likely cold, raining, or snowing, and you can't bring an umbrella or folding chair, and you could be in for a pretty uncomfortable time. You'll also be surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people. One  Reddit user's comment sums up the Times Square NYE Ball Drop experience: "I'm happy for the memory, but it was pretty miserable. No intention of ever doing it again."

Ellen's Stardust Diner

Ellen's Stardust Diner could be deemed another controversial addition to our list of tourist traps to skip when you visit Times Square. A place that New Yorkers avoid, you can expect to dole out $24 for a sandwich or $25 for a burger. That's not outrageous, considering this is New York, but the fact that you may have stood in line for hours for this pleasure makes the price more painful. Not a fan of singing, dancing, or Broadway? You'll want to miss this quirky attraction. Set at the corner of 51 st and Broadway, this restaurant has been around since 1987, feeding and entertaining the Times Square crowd for over 37 years. Inside, the décor is 50s-themed, and when it first opened, the servers wore poodle skirts and sang while serving their customers.

Today, you'll still find singing waitstaff, many of whom are aspiring (or current) Broadway actors. In fact, this popular diner has been deemed "a breeding ground for singers." You'll hate this restaurant if you're shy or don't like a scene. The waitstaff constantly sings and may even put props on you (i.e., a hat) while you await your food. If you hate standing in line, you'll also want to steer clear of Ellen's Stardust Diner, especially during popular tourist times like summer or before or after Broadway shows. This eatery doesn't take reservations, and the line can extend anywhere from about 15 minutes (at off-times) to two hours.

How we chose the Times Square tourist traps to skip

We've spent multiple years exploring the city as current and former New Yorkers. As travel writers, we've visited (and often dragged our families to) every touristy thing we could find -– art museums, history museums, science museums, children's museums, dress-up spots, concert halls, theaters, and of course, Times Square. Times Square is the most vibrant, buzzy, and touristy attraction of all the places we've toured. It is also one of the seediest spots to visit in New York City. This heady square is filled with people showing off eclectic outfits, offering unique services, and even showcasing stellar vocals when you least expect it. Sandwiched between chain restaurants, overpriced tourist shops, and enough stores to keep you shopping for days, the pedestrian area is where most of the action takes place. Trust us, it's never dull in Times Square.

We wrote this article based mostly on our experiences as seasoned travel writers, parents, tourists, and locals. To create this piece, we chose the tourist traps we would most definitely skip when visiting Times Square. At times, we consulted reviews on Yelp or Reddit to back up our claims (there's no way you'll catch us dining at Hard Rock Café in Times Square when there are so many better, cheaper, quieter, and less kitschy spots only blocks away). With all that combined research, you can rest assured that we've saved you from some scams you were prepared for and many you might not have been aware of. Stay vigilant, have fun, and enjoy the bright lights and excitement that only Times Square can provide.

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Edward Slausen

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Edward Slausen is the main antagonist of Tourist Trap .

• 1 Biography

Biography [ ]

Slausen was born with a supernatural power which granted him telekinesis. Before the events of the film, Slausen was married to an unnamed women. They both opened up a wax museum in rural California called " Slausen's Lost Oasis " with the help of his brother Davey. One day, Slausen caught his wife cheating on him for Davey. He kills both of them in a fit of rage, but thinks that he can legally do it. During this time, a new highway opened up nearby, making his wax museum forgotten in time.

He started to kidnap people from a nearby gas station and turn them into wax figure. One day, he captured a young traveller named Tina , which he locked in his basement. Later that week, he killed a young man named Woody . Woody's friends get lost and stumble upon Slausen's old shop. After spying on the girls, he reveals himself and invites them back to the old wax museum.

Slausen dressed up to kill Eileen.

One of the girls named Eileen ventures deep into Slausen's home, so he kills her using his telekinetic powers and turned her into a mannequin. Two other kids, Jerry and Becky , also escape the museum, but they are caught and are locked inside Slausen's basement.

Slausen, pretending to be Davey, suffocates Tina right in front of Becky and Jerry. He then reveals his identity to the last remaining teen named Molly before chasing her down. Slausen doesn't intend to kill Molly, since he has a crush on her.

Slausen uses an animatronic to kill Becky as she tries to escape and also finds and kills Jerry.

After confessing to Molly that he killed his wife and brother, Slausen goes insane and uses his telekinetic powers to make all the mannequins in the museum sing. While he is distracted, Molly uses an axe to hack into Slausen's neck, killing him along with all the mannequins in the museum.

James gave this death the "Dull Machete" award because it was pretty simple.

Slausen dying from an axe to the neck.

Victims [ ]

• Davey & Mrs. Slausen - Unknown.
• Woody - Impaled with a pipe.
• Eileen - Choked with a scarf.
• Tina - Suffocated in plaster.
• Becky - Throwing knife to the head (With the help of his animatronics)
• Jerry - Unknown.
• He is played by the legendary Chuck Connors.
• 1 Red Dragon (2002) KILL COUNT
• 2 Allie (Terrifier 2)
• 3 Terrifier 2 (2022) KILL COUNT