The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2
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| The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 | |
|---|---|
 1986 theatrical poster for the film |
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| Directed by | Tobe Hooper |
| Written by | Kim Henkel |
| Starring | Dennis Hopper Caroline Williams Bill Johnson Bill Moseley |
| Distributed by | Cannon Films Inc. Pathé Films Inc. |
| Release date(s) | August 22, 1986 (USA) |
| Running time | 100 min. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4,700,000 (estimated) |
| Preceded by | The Texas Chain Saw Massacre |
| Followed by | Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III |
| IMDb profile | |
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a 1986 sequel to the 1974 classic hit horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The film is directed by Tobe Hooper, basing the characters on the original film. Writing credits also include Kim Henkel. The film stars Dennis Hopper as "Lefty" and Bill Johnson as "Leatherface". The film is considered by many fans and film critics to be one of the worst sequels of all time, mainly due to its stylistic departure from the first film. Unlike its predecessor (which had minimal gore and relied on dramatic tension and a documentary-style feel to scare the viewer), 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. Although it managed to recoup its meager costs, the film was considered a commercial flop. Since its initial release, however, it has developed a following. Its defenders claim it to be an intentional parody of the original Chainsaw, and point to the cinematography and surreal set design as homages to the French New Wave films of the 1960s.
The film features an appearance by Texas writer and erstwhile political candidate Kinky Friedman as the Sports Anchor. Joe Bob Briggs also had a cameo role in the film, though his scene was cut before the first release to theatres.
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[edit] Plot
The story opens as two rowdy high school seniors race out of control along an abandoned stretch of Texas highway in route to a weekend of fun in Dallas. Heavily intoxicated and in the mood for some fun, these two hellions use their car phone to call in and harass on-air DJ, Vantia "Stretch" Brock (Caroline Williams). Unable to convince the boys to hang up, Stretch is forced to keep the line open and later with what began as a simple game of chicken quickly turns into a nightmare as their gruesome deaths are caught on tape at the radio station. After a fourteen year absence, a legend has now emerged from the shadows.
In steps Lieutenant "Lefty" Enright (Dennis Hopper), former Texas Ranger and uncle of Sally Hardesty and her invalid brother Franklin. It seems Lefty has spent the last fourteen years chasing their ghosts while investigating reports of mysterious chainsaw killings across Texas. Branded a kook by his peers, he is able to get the local paper to carry a tiny article about his quest and this sparks the interest of Stretch who brings him a copy of the tape. At first mortified, Lefty asks Stretch to play the tape on her nightly show. She does so as a special request from Lefty and terror comes a calling.
As the sounds of this horrible incidents echoes across the airwaves of Texas, a few of Stretch's fans decide to drop by for an unexpected visit. While preparing to leave for the night, she finds Chop Top (Bill Moseley), twin to the "Hitchhiker" (who was stationed in Vietnam during the first film) waiting out in the lobby. When she tries to get rid of him, out of the darkness comes Leatherface ready to rip her in two. But it seems the "saw" has taken a shining to Stretch and lets her live.
Leatherface joins Chop-top as they haul Stretch's near dead co-worker off to their home. She follows them, and winds up trapped inside the Sawyer home (which is, in fact, an abandoned carnival ground, decorated with human bones, multi-colored lights and carnival remnants.) Lefty turns up, with a chainsaw of his own, and begins to carve up the home in a rage, after finding the remains of his nephew.
After the Cook (Jim Seidow) finds Stretch roaming the grounds, they take her captive. Lefty eventually finds her being tortured at the dinner table and saves her. A battle between Lefty and the Sawyer family ensues, peaking with a chainsaw duel between Leatherface and Lefty. In the end, Lefty and most of the Sawyer Family (Leatherface, Grandpa and the Cook) are apparently killed (offscreen) when one of the Cook's grenades goes off prematurely (although Leatherface inexplicably shows up in TCM3). Only Choptop and Stretch escape, where they do final battle in a carved out rock tower that over looks the property. Stretch carves Choptop up with a chainsaw, where he falls off the tower to a presumed death. The final shot has Stretch, standing on top of the tower, emulating Leatherfaces famous chainsaw dance from the ending of the first film.
[edit] Controversy
- This film is banned in Sweden, Germany, Norway and Singapore. When submitted for classification in many countries, classification boards were quite strict on content.
- When the BBFC notified Cannon (the distributor) that at least 20 minutes, and possibly 25, would have to be trimmed, Cannon aborted its plans for a planned UK release in 1990. Despite this, it is now rated 18.
- When originally submitted to the MPAA, it received an "X" certificate, prompting the filmmakers to release it as "unrated". However, TV previews, theatrical trailers, and even the movie posters had the written statement "Due To The Nature Of This Film, No One Under 17 Will Be Admitted." When released on home video, laser disc and DVD, it was given the "R" rating by the MPAA.
- The film was banned in Australia for 20 years. The original uncut version issued on video to retailers throughout Australia was done so illegally by a duplicating house, and without the knowledge of the OFLC. When word leaked amidst the video industry a number of retailers nationwide were raided for possessing infringing copies, and the duplicating house was similarly raided by Federal Customs. The film was finally passed for official release in Australia on November 30, 2006. [1] The "Gruesome Edition" DVD is set for release January 24, 2007. [2]
[edit] Trivia
- Joe Bob Briggs had a part as a movie critic which was later cut from the film, but due to a mix up in post production his name is still listed in the end credits. The scene was restored in the Director's Cut release.
- A poster can be seen on the wall in the radio station for the band "Fine Young Cannibals."
- The "family group shot," as seen in the movie poster (pictured at right), and original vhs box art cover for this film, uses the same positioning as the promotional group shot for the movie The Breakfast Club (1985), meant as a parody.
- Director, Tobe Hooper and co-writer of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Kim Henkel originally had an idea for a sequel that would feature an entire town of cannibals. The title of that sequel was to be Beyond The Valley Of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but it never came to fruition.
- The controversial "butcher cover" of The Beatles album "Yesterday and Today" can be seen hanging in the radio station.
- Director Cameo: Tobe Hooper frolicking during a party scene.
- Jim Siedow is the only actor in this movie that was in the original.
- The song Jerry Was a Racecar Driver on Primus' 1991 album Sailing the Seas of Cheese samples the Chop Top (Bill Moseley) line "Dog will hunt!"
- Due to conflict with the second unit director, large portions of the film had to be cut in order to maintain a sense of continuity; stories from on-set which began circulating the internet in the early 2000s tell of a second unit director who had his own "vision" for the movie and intentionally shot scenes which conflicted with Hooper's script and direction. For example:
- A scene in the shooting script had an entire football team being ambushed by Leatherface in a lonely parking garage. The scene in the script simply called for Leatherface to dive out of the back of a van and slaughter the team. The second unit director shot the scene with large floodlights in the back of the van, so that when Leatherface stepped out he appeared ethereal; the football team freezes in place as if hypnotized, and more or less allow themselves to be killed by Leatherface. At the climax of the scene, a hand is chainsawed off by Leatherface; the hand then "comes to life" and gives Leatherface the finger.
- Notably cut from the film, due to pressure from Cannon Films, were a series of scenes revealing that Stretch's mother had dated Lefty, and that Stretch was Lefty's illegitimate daughter.
- Industrial Rock band Skinny Puppy samples lines from the movie on the song "Shadow Cast" from their 1987 album "Cleanse Fold And Manipulate". The song begins with Vantia "Stretch" Block (Caroline Williams) repeating, "They live on fear!" The quote "You got that last slaughter on tape, you play it on the radio!", spoken by Dennis Hopper, is also featured in the Skinny Puppy song "Deep Down Trauma Hounds" on the live video from 1988 featured on the Skinny Puppy Video Collection, as well as the aforementioned "Shadow Cast" from "Cleanse Fold and Manipulate".
[edit] DVD Release
In 2000, the film was released in a bare bones Region 1 DVD edition, by MGM. In mid 2006, the film received a second DVD treatment from MGM, entitled the 'Gruesome edition', featuring two audio commenteries, deleted scenes, a documentary (It Runs in the Family), still galleries and a trailer for the film.
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Dennis Hopper | Texas Ranger "Lefty" Enright |
| Caroline Williams | Vanita "Stretch" Brock |
| Jim Siedow | Cook (Drayton Sawyer) |
| Bill Moseley | Chop Top |
| Lou Perry | L.G. McPeters |
| Bill Johnson | Leatherface |
| Barry Kinyon | Buzz (Mercedes driver) |
| Chris Douridas | Rick "The Prick" (Gunner) |
| Kinky Friedman | the Sports Anchor |
| Joe Bob Briggs | Gonzo Moviegoer |
[edit] External links
| Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series |
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| Original series |
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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 |
