Pino Donaggio — Tourist Trap (O.S.T)
From 1979 Tourist Trap told of a group of young friends who become stranded in a secluded & rundown roadside museum full of creepy mannequirins. The group are stalked by the unhinged owner of the place- played by Chuck Connors in one of his more memorable & unsettling roles. Connors has psychic powers, and uses them to control the mannequins to do his murderous bidding. The film was sort of a mixture of 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre', 'Psycho’ & 'Carrie'- and it still stands as one of the more memorable & distinct low budget US horror movies of the late 70’s.
This soundtrack has seemingly only had two issues- a 1979 vinyl version on American soundtrack label Varèse Sarabande, and this late 2014 CD issue on Charles Band’s Full Moon Records. This recent reissue takes in a jewel box presentation- it takes in a single double sided inlay sleeve, with the films eerier poster on the front, and a selection of stills from the movie on the back. The back cover we have the track listing, a plot synopsis, and a few more stills…not really the most luxurious of reissues you’re likely to see, or not really a collectors edition( as it says on the cover).. but it great to have it at tall I guess.
The CD takes in the soundtracks original twenty five tracks- we no extra material, and like the film it’s self it’s a highly worthy, kind of quirky, creepy, and fairly varied ride. The musical cues move from title track that finds a playful yet macabre clock work & wind-up like elements blended with eerier string swooned melody & a dramatic piano run ending. Through to a nostalgic,( almost soap opera like) melodic theme- which is heard in both stripped wonky/ panio & full string versions . Onto really very creepy & darkly sensual mixes of string hover & layers breathless female vocalising. Through to eerier banks of chilling keyboards, muiscbox or harpsichord, which are backed by sudden string swells/ swoons, and beyond.
It’s always great to see long lost soundtracks like this getting a deserved reissue- I just wish maybe they could have been some liner notes &/or extra unreleased material here too. But if you’re a fan of late 70’s horror sound tracking with a slightly quirky edge this is well worth a look.