A psychopathic hotel owner (Neville Brand) feeds unruly guests to his pet crocodile who lives next to his building.

This was the film Tobe Hooper made after his masterpiece, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre so, no pressure there then.

Just as TCM had a kind of raw realism to it, as if actual events were being captured in a documentary style, Death Trap looks very much like a film made on an artificial looking set which is completely intentional. It also feels like a (very warped) stageplay that has been filmed. Again, this is fully intended and makes for a certain type of film and certain type of feel for this movie. Unfortunately, for me, this prevents me from fully engaging with the action, the narrative or the characters.

Theres also a element of characters trying too hard in some aspects, especially when they’re trying to be deranged. It’s so easy for such performances to lapse into camp or excess. This feels like drama school indulgence and doesn’t work.

Death Trap could be seen as Hooper’s own twisted take on Hitchcock’s Psycho with Neville Brand’s hotel owner also being murderous and bumping off his occupants. But, with this being the 70’s and with certain boundaries being pushed when it comes to sex and violence, instead of Janet Leigh seeking refuge after she’s stolen a considerable sum of money, in Death Trap we have a prostitute seeking a room to stay after she refuses a client (played by Robert Englund) from, how can I put this, taking her up trap number two.

The kills are cool, and the crocodile is great. There are also lots of people who worked on TCM who are here also (Marilyn Burns, Kim Henkel, Wayne Bell).

Whilst Death Trap isn’t a dud, it’s not particularly a success either. File it under interesting, but that doesn’t mean I’d want to watch it again.

Death Trap was also titled Starlight Slaughter and Eaten Alive when it played in America. When the film played in Central London it also played with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (this was only allowed to play in this one area of London as it was banned by the BBFC but allowed by the Greater London Council to be shown).

2.5 out of 5 stars