Late Night Classics – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2
The first time I saw The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was on a double bill with The Funhouse in the early 80′s. It was the first time I thought a film was real. The documentary style felt authentic, and the unrelenting terror left me shaking in my boots. Over a decade after making his masterpiece of horror, Tobe Hooper decided it was time to revisit Leatherface with an over-the-top sequel that left a lot of fans scratching their heads. I got it from day one; it was a slapstick comedy that was a parody of the ’74 trendsetter. No doubt the original is more accomplished, but it does not have much repeat value for me.
The 1980′s began with down and dirty horror films that raised the violence bar to all new heights, but in no time they started to wear thin. Humor was inserted into the genre in 1985 and the horror-comedy hybrid was born for a new generation. Out of those flurry of films came The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2.
Killer Film and Mondo Celluloid joined forces to bring the camp classic to the Art Theater in Long Beach, California. We brought in star Caroline Williams and make-up artists Gabe Bartalos and Bart J. Mixon for a Q & A before the screening. We wanted to make it an experience for all of the fans who showed up, and I believe we delivered a party atmosphere and rocked the house.
Killer Film would like to thank Logan Crow, Caroline Williams, Bart J. Mixon, and Gabe Bartalos for making our very first show a smashing success. Photographs were taken by photographer Craig Duffy. Check out his beautiful work here.
Jason Bene
I'm just an average man/ With an average life/ I work from nine to five/ Hey, hell, I pay the price/ All I want is to be left alone/ In my average home/ But why do I always feel/ Like I'm in the twilight zone
Follow Me:
27 Comments
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
- Tobe Hooper’s new Arabian horror film will “scare everyone” | KillerFilm - [...] that deals with a Djinn. You can check out the lowdown below, and here are my retrospectives on Texas ...
Join Us On Facebook
Advertisement
Don’t love it, but it’s a decent slasher and i liked Stretch.
Wished she had more than a brief cameo in TCM 3.
Happy TUURKEY DAY!
Jason Bené Reply:
November 25th, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
LEATHERFACE: TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III has grown on me. A great film from Jeff Burr.
horrorchic Reply:
November 25th, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Remember that crazy trailer, with the chainsaw coming out of the lake?
That had me a bit worried about how the film was going to be.
But I was there opening night and enjoyed it.
Jason Bené Reply:
November 25th, 2010 at 11:35 pm
I thought that trailer was sweet because it was so out there. NEW LINE CINEMA mishandled the release of that film big time. Wasn’t there several cuts and endings?
Toyland Chairman Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Would’ve been awesome if Caroline and Marilyn Burns starred in TCM 3. I’m not really sure why, but Kate Hodge was my least favorite of the lady leads (excluding the prequel).
Jason Bené Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 8:15 pm
That would have rocked the casbah.
horrorchic Reply:
December 2nd, 2010 at 10:50 pm
Burns cameo in TCM:TNG= F-A-I-L!
The film was bad enough, dumping Sally Hardesty on a strecther with 2 seconds on camera was even more insulting.
JM0
This film has been banned here for the longest time, it was only until a couple of years ago the ban finally got lifted.
Jason Bené Reply:
November 25th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
Most of the pictures that were labeled VIDEO NASTIES were not that bad. TCM 2 is nothing compard to the last several SAW flicks.
Marcella Papandrea Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 1:09 am
Yeah, they really went over board with what they allowed people to see.
Jason Bené Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 10:35 am
Do those problems still exist in Australia?
I believe Ken Foree’s character died in the original ending, so a new one was reshot with him surviving.
Horrorchic Reply:
November 26th, 2010 at 8:56 am
And his death was quite graphic.
Jason Bené Reply:
November 26th, 2010 at 9:33 am
The MPAA was cutting a lot of stuff out of horror films at that time.
Horrorchic Reply:
November 26th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Been a few yrs since I’ve listened to Jeff Burr’s commetary.
But i think he talks the situation.
Toyland Chairman Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
There’s a lot to say about the alternet ending, but I liked Benny, so I was glad he survived the final version.
My two favorite Jeff Burr movies are FROM A WHISPER TO A SCREAM and NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW.
Toyland Chairman Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 5:55 pm
Never saw either of those. But two of my most favorites Burr directed were PUPPET MASTER 4 & 5.
Jason Bené Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
FROM A WHISPER TO A SCREAM/THE OFFSPRING is availbale from MGM. Sadly, NIGHT OF THE SCARECROW has never been released on DVD.
horrorchic Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 8:24 am
I liked the Stepfather sequel Burr directed.
Jason Bené Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 11:24 am
Terry O’ Quinn, Meg Foster, and Caroline Williams. A good follow-up.
horrorchic Reply:
December 2nd, 2010 at 10:54 pm
Also liked the late Jonathan Brandis as the son.
THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2 is one of my all time favorite films, and it introduced me to Leatherface. I actually hope the new Twisted Pictures reboot is more like this one. Bring back the fun horror, rather than the remake and prequel’s torture porn approach.
I also love the Gruesome Edition commentary with Caroline Williams, Bill Moseley, Tom Savini, etc. It’s a riot.
Jason Bené Reply:
November 27th, 2010 at 8:12 pm
I fucking hated the Platinum Dunes CHAINSAW films.
horrorchic Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 8:22 am
Only liked the TCM prequel.
Jason Bené Reply:
November 28th, 2010 at 11:23 am
Did you like their other TCM film, the FRIDAY THE 13TH remake? LOL
Didn’t care much for either one.