Tobe Hooper

Tobe Hooper
Born William Tobe Hooper
January 25, 1943[1]
Austin, Texas, US[1]
Nationality American
Occupation Film director, screenwriter, producer
Years active 1969–present
Known for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Salem's Lot
Poltergeist

William Tobe Hooper (born January 25, 1943) is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer best known for his work in the horror film genre. His 1974 film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was described by Stuart Heritage of The Guardian as "one of the most influential films ever made".[2]

Life and career

Hooper was born in Austin, Texas, the son of Lois Belle (née Crosby) and Norman William Ray Hooper,[3] who owned a theater in San Angelo. He first became interested in filmmaking when he used his father's 8 mm camera at age 9. Hooper took Radio-Television-Film classes at the University of Texas at Austin and studied drama in Dallas under Baruch Lumet.[4]

Hooper spent the 1960s as a college professor and documentary cameraman. His short film The Heisters (1965) was invited to be entered in the short subject category for an Oscar, but was not finished in time for the competition that year.[4]

He directed The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in 1974. He later directed The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 in 1986.[5]

In 1982, Hooper directed Poltergeist, which was based on the story by Steven Spielberg.[6]

In October 2009, Twisted Pictures, the company behind the Saw films, bought the rights to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and made a new Chainsaw film in 3D, Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013).[7]

In 2010, writer and actor Mark Gatiss interviewed the director for his BBC documentary series A History of Horror; Hooper appeared in the third episode.[8]

Hooper’s first novel, Midnight Movie, was published on Three Rivers Press in 2011.[9]

His supernatural thriller film, Djinn, premiered at the 2013 Abu Dhabi Film Festival.[10]

Filmography

Film

Television

Bibliography

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Roberts, Jerry (2009). Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors. Scarecrow Press. p. 260.
  2. ↑ Heritage, Stuart (October 22, 2010). "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: No 14 best horror film of all time". The Guardian.
  3. ↑ Tobe Hooper Biography (1943-)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Alison Macor. Chainsaws, Slackers, and Spy Kids 30 Years of Filmmaking in Austin, Texas University of Texas Press: Austin, 2010.
  5. ↑ Gayne, Zach (March 18, 2014). "SXSW 2014 Interview: THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE Director Tobe Hooper Talks His Legacy of Unspeakable Horror". Twitch Film.
  6. ↑ Canby, Vincent (June 4, 1982). "Movie Review - Poltergeist (1982)". The New York Times.
  7. ↑ Billington, Alex. "Might Tobe Hooper Return for More Texas Chainsaw Massacre?".
  8. ↑ "A History of Horror with Mark Gatiss - Q&A with Mark Gatiss". BBC. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
  9. ↑ Bowen, Chuck (August 4, 2011). "The Formulaic Shock and Awe of Tobe Hooper's Midnight Movie". Slant Magazine.
  10. ↑ Adams, Mark (October 25, 2013). "Djinn - Reviews - Screen". Screen International.

External links