The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (film series)
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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre horror films began with Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1973) by Tobe Hooper. The original film spawned three sequels as well as a remake, which has so far spawned its own prequel.
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[edit] Original Series
[edit] Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Texas Chain Saw Massacre was made in 1973 (released in 1974) by director Tobe Hooper. It was the most successful in the series, and has entered itself into pop culture. It is loosely based around the Texarkana, Texas Moonlight Murders that were done by serial killer Youell Swinney.
Texas Chain Saw Massacre is considered the first of the 1970s "slasher" movies descending from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960). The movie originated a great many of the clichés seen in countless low-budget slashers of the 1970s 1980s and 1990s. The most successful film to originate after Chain Saw's success is John Carpenter's 1978 classic, Halloween.
Its plot concerns a family of cannibals in rural Texas, who abduct customers from their gas station. One of the main characters — Leatherface — is one of the most well known villains in horror cinema, notable for his mask of human skin, his blood-soaked butcher's apron and the chainsaw he wields.
Contrary to popular belief, the film does not depict factual events, but instead was (like the films Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs) loosely inspired by Ed Gein, who, while he did wear human skin, acted alone and did not use a chainsaw.
[edit] The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 was released in 1986, due to the original film's success. Although it managed to recoup its meager costs, the film was considered a commercial flop. Since its initial release, however, it has developed a rather sizable cult following of its own. Unlike its predecessor (which had minimal gore and a documentary-style feel), this film sports a wildly over-the-top, almost operatic sense of campy black humor, as well as an array of gore effects by makeup maestro Tom Savini.
The film features an appearance by novelist and raconteur Kinky Friedman as well as Joe Bob Briggs. Briggs' cameo appearance was originally cut in editing but was restored for the director's cut DVD release of the film.
Its defenders claim it to be an intentional parody of the original Chainsaw, and point to the cinematography and surreal set design as homage's to the French New Wave films of the 1960s. More recently, this entry in the series has been viewed as the dying nightmare of original film character Sally Hardesty, which helps explain the plot of the following sequel.
[edit] Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III
Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III is a 1990 follow up to the previous two films. It stars Kate Hodge, Ken Foree, and Viggo Mortensen and was directed by Jeff Burr. At the time, this was considered to be the first of several sequels in the series to be produced by New Line. However, it was not a success and the franchise was scrapped (although an additional sequel appeared later it was not made or distributed by New Line). Many horror buffs consider Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III to be the finest sequel in the series, but only in its uncut version which was finally released on DVD format in 2003.
[edit] Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation
Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (also known as Return of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) is a 1994 sequel/remake to the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). It stars Renee Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey, before either of them became stars. Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation has a poor reputation amongst some horror film buffs and critics; but also has a core group of fans.
[edit] Characters
- Bubba Sawyer (Leatherface) – Has appeared in all films, he is also the main villain of the films. He is a six foot four inch tall maniac who wields a chainsaw.
- Drayton Sawyer – Played by Jim Siedow, Drayton Sawyer is the eldest brother of the Sawyer clan, he is only portrayed in the first 2 films.
- Edward Sawyer – Edward Sawyers, also known as "The Hitchhiker", is a character in the first Texas Chainsaw Massacre film. He is sometimes referred to as "Nubbins". He is the brother of Leatherface and Chop Top.
- Sally Hardesty – Sally was the survivor of the original film, but she is believed to have died in a mental hospital after her ordeal. She doesn't appear in any sequels, but she is mentioned. Sally, in the original script, was also pregnant at the time of the "ordeal," but this is never mentioned in the movies.
- Chop Top – In the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series of films Chop Top (real name Robert Sawyer as revealed in Tony Hooper's short film All American Massacre) is Leatherface's older brother. Played by Bill Moseley, he appears in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2, having been in the Vietnam War during the events of the first film.
[edit] Remake series
[edit] Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)
Directed by Marcus Nispel and produced by Michael Bay, this film was loosely based on the events of the first film, yet for the most part followed a different storyline. For example, instead of picking up Leatherface's psychotic brother, the doomed teenagers instead come upon a traumatized survivor who shoots herself in their van.
The film also gave a backstory to Leatherface's character, giving him a real name (Thomas Hewitt) and a possible reason for wearing his skinmask, a skin disease that caused his nose to rot off.
The film had a mixed reaction from fans of the originals and critics, but it was financially successful enough to warrant a prequel.
[edit] Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
A prequel to the remake was released in 2006, and explored the roots of Leatherface's family and delved into their past. Leatherface's first mask is featured, as well as his first chainsaw murder. A variation of the infamous dinner scene, omitted from the remake, was included here. This film, as of November 4, 2006 has made $43 million dollars.[citation needed]
[edit] The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3
Tobe Hooper, creator of the original, has announced that a sequel in the remake series is in development. [1]
[edit] Characters
- Leatherface – The only character to appear in the original series as well as the remake series thus far.
- Sheriff Hoyt – Sheriff Hoyt was a character from the 2003 remake of the original and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. He is Leatherface's uncle and Luda Mae's son. He has been referred to as "Junior". His real name is Charlie Hewitt, but he took on the identity of the town's local sheriff after murdering him. He is portrayed by R. Lee Ermey.
- Luda Mae – A character from the 2003 remake of the original and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. She is Leatherface's adoptive mother, discovering the baby abandoned in a dumpster after his real mother died giving birth. While she is not as psychotic as the rest of her family, she has a fierce love for her son and the cruelty that he faced as a child from his peers serves as her hatred of the teenagers.
- Old Monty – Old Monty was a character from the 2003 remake of the original and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. He is the uncle of Leatherface and Sheriff Hoyt. He is the patriarch of the Hewitt family. He is portrayed by Terrence Evans.
- Henrietta – Henrietta is a character from the 2003 remake of the original. She lives in a trailer not far from the Hewitt house and takes care of the babies taken from the slaughtered families. She was not present in the prequel.
- Jedidah – Jedidah is a character from the 2003 remake of the original. He is a deformed child that, despite his rather abnormal appearance, does not share the sadistic tendencies of his family. He tried to help Erin and her friends escape Leatherface. Leatherface supposedly killed him after this, but the scene was deemed too intense and scrapped. Luda Mae is referred to as his grandmother, but the writers of the film hint on the DVD commentary that he is one of the children from the victims' families that was raised by the Hewitts. He was not present in the prequel. In the novelization of the film, Jedidah is killed by Leatherface and it is referred to that he was the younger brother of the girl who committed suicide prior to being 'adopted' by the Hewitts.
- The Tea Lady – Her real name unknown, this morbidly obese woman doesn't live with the Hewitts but rather with Henrietta in a small trailer home outside the house. Its unclear if she has engaged in any acts of the Hewitts' sadism and cannibalism, although she has lovingly referred to Leatherface as a "poor, sweet boy".
- Erin – Erin was the survivor of the remake. She's responsible for chopping off Leatherface's arm and killing Sheriff Hoyt by running him over with his car. The novelization states that her last name is 'Hardesty', a reference to the heroine of the 1974 original.
- Chrissie – Chrissie is the main character of the prequel to the remake. She manages to escape from the Hewitts only to get murdered by Leatherface in the backseat of a car.
[edit] Comic Series
Starting in November 2006, Wildstorm Comics will publish an ongoing Texas Chainsaw Massacre comic series written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning. The events in the comic book will take place in the mythos of the remake continuity.
| Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series |
|---|
| Original series |
|
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre • The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 • Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III • Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation |
| Remake series |
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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) • The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning |
| Characters |
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Leatherface • Sally Hardesty • Drayton Sawyer • Edward Sawyer • Chop Top • Sheriff Hoyt • Luda Mae Hewitt • Old Monty |
| Other |
