TCM 1 is to TCM 2 what Alien is to Aliens. Nuanced tension building is replaced with "more is more" theatrics. This may have inherently less artistic merit, but it does follow through on an intention that's impossible to ignore. In a way, maybe this always should have been the tone, as no one ever expected subtlety from a movie called Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It gets to the point quickly then proceeds with a relentless bludgeoning of blood and gore. Not achieving the comedic brilliance found in the excesses of the Evil Dead franchise, but thankfully not succumbing to the trappings of self serious torture porn. Also fun to realize how much Rob Zombie's 1000 Corpses movies were just as much an homage to TCM as his Halloween movies were to the John Carpenter originals.
357 Reviews
A messy, disjointed black comedy over the top enough to be worth a look
Leofwine_draca12 November 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Tobe Hooper's follow-up to his gruelling horror classic is a bit of an unwieldy beast, a wildly uneven sequel that disgruntled many fans. Having watched it, I'm inclined to treat it as a film of two halves: an excellent first followed by a disappointingly vapid second. The idea was good, but it's the execution where this film suffers.
Things kick off well with a fine if unbelievable set-piece with a victim being chainsawed in a speeding car (I couldn't figure out why he didn't just hit the brake?). From then on in we're introduced to a whole new cast, with the only returning member of the original film being Jim Siedow's creepy cannibal cook. Caroline Williams is a sassy, appealing heroine and there's inherent entertainment value in the presence of Dennis Hopper, a vengeance-crazed ex-lawman determined to bring justice to the chainsaw family.
Things simmer along nicely until the major mid-term set-piece, in which a couple of crazed psychos wreak havoc at the radio station. This marks the introduction of Bill Moseley's bad guy 'Chop Top', one of the most over-the-top villains ever seen in a film! Moseley goes way beyond the call of duty with his performance here and set himself up for life in various B-movies. He delivers his outrageous dialogue with aplomb and has to be one of the most sheer insane characters I've witnessed.
Sadly, the plot ends at this point, and the film carries on as the two good characters follow the bad to their lair (hidden beneath an old amusement park, somewhat inexplicably). There's a lot of padding after this, and then a frenetic climax which features Hopper battling Leatherface in a chainsaw duel while Williams attempts to evade the clutches of Chop Top. There's the return of the old man (now VERY old) and lots of grisly gore effects courtesy of SFX maestro Tom Savini, who as usual we can rely upon not to disappoint. But the pacing has gone and there's a sense of just waiting for the film to end; essentially this is a black comedy and the favouring of the gross-out over the genuinely horrific does work against it. All of the CHAINSAW sequels are uneven, but at least this first one has genuine vision – even if it is only in the first half of the movie.
Things kick off well with a fine if unbelievable set-piece with a victim being chainsawed in a speeding car (I couldn't figure out why he didn't just hit the brake?). From then on in we're introduced to a whole new cast, with the only returning member of the original film being Jim Siedow's creepy cannibal cook. Caroline Williams is a sassy, appealing heroine and there's inherent entertainment value in the presence of Dennis Hopper, a vengeance-crazed ex-lawman determined to bring justice to the chainsaw family.
Things simmer along nicely until the major mid-term set-piece, in which a couple of crazed psychos wreak havoc at the radio station. This marks the introduction of Bill Moseley's bad guy 'Chop Top', one of the most over-the-top villains ever seen in a film! Moseley goes way beyond the call of duty with his performance here and set himself up for life in various B-movies. He delivers his outrageous dialogue with aplomb and has to be one of the most sheer insane characters I've witnessed.
Sadly, the plot ends at this point, and the film carries on as the two good characters follow the bad to their lair (hidden beneath an old amusement park, somewhat inexplicably). There's a lot of padding after this, and then a frenetic climax which features Hopper battling Leatherface in a chainsaw duel while Williams attempts to evade the clutches of Chop Top. There's the return of the old man (now VERY old) and lots of grisly gore effects courtesy of SFX maestro Tom Savini, who as usual we can rely upon not to disappoint. But the pacing has gone and there's a sense of just waiting for the film to end; essentially this is a black comedy and the favouring of the gross-out over the genuinely horrific does work against it. All of the CHAINSAW sequels are uneven, but at least this first one has genuine vision – even if it is only in the first half of the movie.
Sex or the Saw, but the Saw is FAMILY!
tequila10130 April 2011
U got one choice boy, sex or the saw! I remember that line in the film the most and it was my favorite quote. Anyway let's get down to another review of horror madness from the dead, lol.
The original 1974 cult (never go to Texas) classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a large hit and still remains in our souls of being one of the most bone chilling, shocking horror films of all time. It is my third favorite horror film and I treasure it for it's memories of disgust but intelligent scares. That was Tobe Hooper's good and only really scary film.
Now the his sequel "The Buzz is Back!" isn't a bad sequel at all though it really falls on the lines of the original as Tobe decided to go to a more comedic root instead of sticking to the horror ones. The horror roots were put back into the third and fourth though they are way beyond crappy.
Moving on I'll point out the good and bad plotters for TCM 2.
The good: The acting is still good especially Bill Moselsy who played the insane, cannibalistic f***ed up Chop Top who loves his dead corpses. The only returning character (s) is Dawerer (I think that's his name) and he still did a good job. Dennis Hopper also did really well and the back up actors were average.
The kills aren't great though there bloody enough. 1 point there.
The music also had a weird feel to it and the humor was contained well and there were enough scenes to make me enjoy this film a lot.
The bad: The only problem I had with this film was that even if the humor was average and contained well, it sucked that Tobe Hooper took it to a different level and the scares are no where to be found. That's the only major problem other wise.....
6.5/10 (It's another good slasher film if your bored and it has the right amount of enjoyment leaking out of it) I would watch this awesome sequel than wasting my time on TCM 3, TCM Next Gen and TCm the Beginning. My opinion.
The original 1974 cult (never go to Texas) classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a large hit and still remains in our souls of being one of the most bone chilling, shocking horror films of all time. It is my third favorite horror film and I treasure it for it's memories of disgust but intelligent scares. That was Tobe Hooper's good and only really scary film.
Now the his sequel "The Buzz is Back!" isn't a bad sequel at all though it really falls on the lines of the original as Tobe decided to go to a more comedic root instead of sticking to the horror ones. The horror roots were put back into the third and fourth though they are way beyond crappy.
Moving on I'll point out the good and bad plotters for TCM 2.
The good: The acting is still good especially Bill Moselsy who played the insane, cannibalistic f***ed up Chop Top who loves his dead corpses. The only returning character (s) is Dawerer (I think that's his name) and he still did a good job. Dennis Hopper also did really well and the back up actors were average.
The kills aren't great though there bloody enough. 1 point there.
The music also had a weird feel to it and the humor was contained well and there were enough scenes to make me enjoy this film a lot.
The bad: The only problem I had with this film was that even if the humor was average and contained well, it sucked that Tobe Hooper took it to a different level and the scares are no where to be found. That's the only major problem other wise.....
6.5/10 (It's another good slasher film if your bored and it has the right amount of enjoyment leaking out of it) I would watch this awesome sequel than wasting my time on TCM 3, TCM Next Gen and TCm the Beginning. My opinion.
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has not stopped. It haunts Texas."
Backlash0073 February 2002
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is criminally underrated. I've noticed a lot of comments trashing this movie. It's a HORROR movie! It's also a SEQUEL to a horror movie! Where were your expectations people? What did you think you were going to be watching? I remember watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 as a kid, and it scared the s**t out of me. That opening bridge scene is incredible. It's one of the scariest sequences I've ever seen. Tom Savini's effects are top notch, the humor is well placed, and the acting is perfect for the genre. Bill Moseley (Chop Top) is something else. He's the reason I love this movie so much. He portrays one of the most memorable characters in recent horror history and I can't get enough of him. I do agree that Bill Johnson is not nearly as menacing as Gunnar Hansen in the role of Leatherface. But what's wrong with Tobe Hooper's direction? It's his story, let him tell it the way he wants to. I think Tobe Hooper succeeds in continuing the tale of one of the great horror icons. TCM 2 has loads of gore, campy acting, and instills a healthy dose of fear into it's viewer. What more could you ask of a sequel? And remember, the saw is family.
Fun sequel?....well maybe
Prof-Hieronymos-Grost1 December 2008
A late night radio host hears some prank callers being killed over the phone, she offers to help Lieutenant 'Lefty' Enright (Dennis Hopper) track down what he believes to be the same people responsible for chainsaw killings in Texas. He however uses her as bait and she is taken by the Chop Top and the gang. He then has to try and save her before she becomes dinner. After the intensity of the original, that was probably impossible to top, Hooper decided to go with a comic leaning this time, some of it works some of it doesn't, but by the end i was just about persuaded it was fun. Hopper is naturally OTT, he doesn't quite sleepwalk through the film like others have stated, but he also doesn't really excel either. Caroline Williams constant screaming is more than slightly irksome and her playful musings with an impotent Leatherface are just silly, but its Bill Moseley you'll remember most from this film, he's a hoot.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2: Thoroughly strange film
Platypuschow11 November 2017
In 1974 upon the release of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre it was immediately met with shock and became an overnight sensation. It was horrifying and people had seen little like it before.
It's creators clearly never saw the potential for a franchise as it took twelve years before a sequel came out.
Tobe Hooper returns for this odd little film, odd because it follows a dark gritty horrific gory serious horror with a colourful campy and often comedic effort.
The movie revolves around the demented Sawyer family and the random killing sprees they go on. But when they get outed by a DJ they go after her for revenge. Add to that Dennis Hopper as a former US Marshall who is as crazy as the family themselves and you have a the recipe for a gory riot.
Trouble is I couldn't take it seriously, it simply didn't feel like a TCM movie! It was loud, colourful and the jokes flowed freely. Leatherface doesn't even get anymore screen time than the rest of the family and even he is goofy and no longer scary.
I have no idea what they were thinking when they made TCM 2, but it sure as hell doesn't work.
The Good:
Bill Moseley
The Bad:
The screaming, really!?
Such a crazy shift in genre
Sudden and dumb finale
Things I Learnt From This Movie:
LG has the hardest skull in the history of movies
"The sex" is a swindle
Chainsaw "Sword" fights aren't as exciting as you'd imagine
It's creators clearly never saw the potential for a franchise as it took twelve years before a sequel came out.
Tobe Hooper returns for this odd little film, odd because it follows a dark gritty horrific gory serious horror with a colourful campy and often comedic effort.
The movie revolves around the demented Sawyer family and the random killing sprees they go on. But when they get outed by a DJ they go after her for revenge. Add to that Dennis Hopper as a former US Marshall who is as crazy as the family themselves and you have a the recipe for a gory riot.
Trouble is I couldn't take it seriously, it simply didn't feel like a TCM movie! It was loud, colourful and the jokes flowed freely. Leatherface doesn't even get anymore screen time than the rest of the family and even he is goofy and no longer scary.
I have no idea what they were thinking when they made TCM 2, but it sure as hell doesn't work.
The Good:
Bill Moseley
The Bad:
The screaming, really!?
Such a crazy shift in genre
Sudden and dumb finale
Things I Learnt From This Movie:
LG has the hardest skull in the history of movies
"The sex" is a swindle
Chainsaw "Sword" fights aren't as exciting as you'd imagine
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
Toronto8529 June 2011
TCM 2 was definitely not as serious as the original film, but it had a lot of charm to it. It begins in Texas (of course) with two young men driving along the road. They call a local radio station which is when we meet our leading lady Stretch (Caroline Williams) the DJ. While on the phone with the guys, Leatherface murders both of them Stretch manages to hear the chainsaw in the background. The police try to make their deaths seem like a simple auto accident, but when a former Texas Ranger Lefty (Dennis Hopper) sees the accident scene, he knows it was more than an accident. And when Stretch gives him the audio tape of the murder, he realizes that Leatherface has struck again. Once the infamous Sawyer family catches on that people know of their crimes, they trap Stretch in their sick twisted maze of dead corpses and rotting flesh.
Chainsaw 2 was made at a time when it was competing with the Krueger/Myers/Vorhees sequels. So it had to live up to the modern day slasher film, that means more blood. It's a lot more gory than the controversial first TCM. In this one, you literally see a guy get skinned alive, his face is almost peeled off for Leatherface to use as a mask. Oh and the family is explored more in this sequel. Jim Siedow reprises the role of "The Cook" Drayton Sawyer. He now sells chili to the fine people of Texas. He proclaims at a local cook off that it's his special secret recipe. Take a guess what he uses to make the chili....
Yeah so as you can see, TCM 2 is a little more morbid and comical in a black comedy sort of way. The maze that Stretch gets trapped in near the end is an old amusement park that the Sawyers are living in. Very creepy set they built for it as well. The acting is pretty good for this one as well. We also discover Dennis Hopper's character is related to Franklin, the man in the wheelchair from the first TCM. Nice little connection. All in all, a decent sequel to a 70's classic. It's not as memorable as the first or even as good, but a fine slasher film nonetheless.
7/10
Chainsaw 2 was made at a time when it was competing with the Krueger/Myers/Vorhees sequels. So it had to live up to the modern day slasher film, that means more blood. It's a lot more gory than the controversial first TCM. In this one, you literally see a guy get skinned alive, his face is almost peeled off for Leatherface to use as a mask. Oh and the family is explored more in this sequel. Jim Siedow reprises the role of "The Cook" Drayton Sawyer. He now sells chili to the fine people of Texas. He proclaims at a local cook off that it's his special secret recipe. Take a guess what he uses to make the chili....
Yeah so as you can see, TCM 2 is a little more morbid and comical in a black comedy sort of way. The maze that Stretch gets trapped in near the end is an old amusement park that the Sawyers are living in. Very creepy set they built for it as well. The acting is pretty good for this one as well. We also discover Dennis Hopper's character is related to Franklin, the man in the wheelchair from the first TCM. Nice little connection. All in all, a decent sequel to a 70's classic. It's not as memorable as the first or even as good, but a fine slasher film nonetheless.
7/10
Dumber than you'd think
DevastationBob-328 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Potential SPOILERS ahead.
When I'd first heard of this movie, it was described to me by my cousins as the scariest and creepiest movie they'd ever seen. So it always had a place in my mind as a movie to avoid. However, when I finally did catch it, I have to say I disagree.
This movie was incredibly stupid. Every scare is telegraphed, nothing is a surprise. Leatherface dances around more with the chainsaw then cutting anyone. It's really idiotic. The performances aren't much better than your local churches haunted house on Halloween.
First, we're supposed to believe a radio station can't hang up on a caller unless the caller does first? I think the FCC would have something to say about that. It'd be impossible to censor any obscene calls that way. Also, what exactly does the tape reveal that Chop Top and Leatherface need to show up and silence the girl about? Some screams and a chainsaw noise. Yeah, that really points out their identities and existence. A damn autopsy would reveal the cause of death was power tool. Beyond that there's NOTHING linking them. Texas is a damn big state. And as the prologue indicates, after the first girl was found alive, the authorities found NOTHING to prove the events had happened. Plus, they could have just torched the place when they left the girl if they really wanted to be sure.
I watched it a second time last night, and I have to say it's gotten dumber. Stupid movie, and not in an entertaining way.
When I'd first heard of this movie, it was described to me by my cousins as the scariest and creepiest movie they'd ever seen. So it always had a place in my mind as a movie to avoid. However, when I finally did catch it, I have to say I disagree.
This movie was incredibly stupid. Every scare is telegraphed, nothing is a surprise. Leatherface dances around more with the chainsaw then cutting anyone. It's really idiotic. The performances aren't much better than your local churches haunted house on Halloween.
First, we're supposed to believe a radio station can't hang up on a caller unless the caller does first? I think the FCC would have something to say about that. It'd be impossible to censor any obscene calls that way. Also, what exactly does the tape reveal that Chop Top and Leatherface need to show up and silence the girl about? Some screams and a chainsaw noise. Yeah, that really points out their identities and existence. A damn autopsy would reveal the cause of death was power tool. Beyond that there's NOTHING linking them. Texas is a damn big state. And as the prologue indicates, after the first girl was found alive, the authorities found NOTHING to prove the events had happened. Plus, they could have just torched the place when they left the girl if they really wanted to be sure.
I watched it a second time last night, and I have to say it's gotten dumber. Stupid movie, and not in an entertaining way.
Amazing Grand Guignol Horror Film!
Maciste_Brother5 January 2003
Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is one of the most misunderstood movies of all time. I saw Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 when it was released in theaters back in 1986. I loved this horror flick then. But everyone else hated it. Critics trashed it. Even many horror fans, of the first Texas Chainsaw Massacre or slashers in general, hated it and dismissed it. Now after a decade or so after its release, TCM 2 is now a bona fide cult movie.
There are so many things to point out why TCM 2 is a stand-out. The first and most important thing to point out is that back in the 1980s, horror films were reduced to simple slashers. TCM 2 is totally different than the plethora of slashers that many horror fans expected to see, which is one reason why many horror fans didn't get it. The body count is extremely low in TCM 2 compared to the Friday the 13th or Elm Street flicks. But that doesn't mean it's not violent. No, it's VERY violent. But the violence in TCM 2 is more engrossing, shocking and even at times funny, and in turn less acceptable than the unreal violence found in many slasher films. Because of the amount of violence and violent imagery, films critics trashed TCM 2, pointing out how the first film didn't rely on gore and violence to scare the audience.
I love Texas Chainsaw Massacre as much as I love TCM 2. I understand what the critics were saying. Unfortunately, they didn't get the point of the violence in TCM 2. While TCM is a sweat inducing TERRIFYING horror film in the first order, TCM 2 is a "GRAND GUIGNOL HORROR" horror film in the first order. In TCM 2, Hooper creates a vast canvas of baroque imagery, where we watch the insane and gory story unfold before our incredulous eyes. I'm amazed that critics missed the whole difference between TCM and TCM 2. It's odd that critics will rave about Peter Greenaway's "THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE & HER LOVER" which is a twisted drama in the the Grand Guignol style, but didn't see TCM 2 in the same way. It's probably due to the fact that TCM 2 is a sequel to a quasi-legendary horror film and everyone expected the sequel to be the same as the first movie.
I give credit to everyone involved with TCM 2. They actually TRIED to do something different: different from the equally great TCM, different from the increasingly boring horror films of the 80s. And in my eye, they've succeeded. There are so many memorable scenes in TCM 2, some of which are the most amazing horror moments ever put on screen (when Leatherface tries to put the scalped face on Stretch, the scene when Stretch finds her friend sans face, etc). And there are so many quotable lines too. TCM 2 is also a very funny film ("Rain, rain, rain, rain..." Choptop says as he checks out records at the radio station).
TCM 2 is not perfect. The ending is abrupt. And the chainsaw fight at the end is too short. Dennis Hopper is a bit hard to take as a "hero." But he does play the "twisted hero" right. It's just difficult to see him fighting big and burly Leatherface. BTW, the very last image of TCM 2 is Strecth dancing with a chainsaw in her hands at the top of that amusement park structure. In the original film (and the original video release), we can see cars and trucks driving by on a highway in the distance. On the DVD, they cropped this shot and we don't see the traffic anymore. Personally, I thought it added a LOT to the whole surreal aspect of the film. Like the world was continuing on with its relentless pace, no matter what had just happened that night. I wished they didn't crop this shot on the DVD. Oh well...
It's a shame few people "got" TCM 2 back then. After reading the reviews at IMDb and at Amazon, it's great to see that some are finally "getting it." For anyone who's game, watch TCM 2. You'll be squealing in horror and laughing at the insanity of it all in equal amounts.
There are so many things to point out why TCM 2 is a stand-out. The first and most important thing to point out is that back in the 1980s, horror films were reduced to simple slashers. TCM 2 is totally different than the plethora of slashers that many horror fans expected to see, which is one reason why many horror fans didn't get it. The body count is extremely low in TCM 2 compared to the Friday the 13th or Elm Street flicks. But that doesn't mean it's not violent. No, it's VERY violent. But the violence in TCM 2 is more engrossing, shocking and even at times funny, and in turn less acceptable than the unreal violence found in many slasher films. Because of the amount of violence and violent imagery, films critics trashed TCM 2, pointing out how the first film didn't rely on gore and violence to scare the audience.
I love Texas Chainsaw Massacre as much as I love TCM 2. I understand what the critics were saying. Unfortunately, they didn't get the point of the violence in TCM 2. While TCM is a sweat inducing TERRIFYING horror film in the first order, TCM 2 is a "GRAND GUIGNOL HORROR" horror film in the first order. In TCM 2, Hooper creates a vast canvas of baroque imagery, where we watch the insane and gory story unfold before our incredulous eyes. I'm amazed that critics missed the whole difference between TCM and TCM 2. It's odd that critics will rave about Peter Greenaway's "THE COOK, THE THIEF, HIS WIFE & HER LOVER" which is a twisted drama in the the Grand Guignol style, but didn't see TCM 2 in the same way. It's probably due to the fact that TCM 2 is a sequel to a quasi-legendary horror film and everyone expected the sequel to be the same as the first movie.
I give credit to everyone involved with TCM 2. They actually TRIED to do something different: different from the equally great TCM, different from the increasingly boring horror films of the 80s. And in my eye, they've succeeded. There are so many memorable scenes in TCM 2, some of which are the most amazing horror moments ever put on screen (when Leatherface tries to put the scalped face on Stretch, the scene when Stretch finds her friend sans face, etc). And there are so many quotable lines too. TCM 2 is also a very funny film ("Rain, rain, rain, rain..." Choptop says as he checks out records at the radio station).
TCM 2 is not perfect. The ending is abrupt. And the chainsaw fight at the end is too short. Dennis Hopper is a bit hard to take as a "hero." But he does play the "twisted hero" right. It's just difficult to see him fighting big and burly Leatherface. BTW, the very last image of TCM 2 is Strecth dancing with a chainsaw in her hands at the top of that amusement park structure. In the original film (and the original video release), we can see cars and trucks driving by on a highway in the distance. On the DVD, they cropped this shot and we don't see the traffic anymore. Personally, I thought it added a LOT to the whole surreal aspect of the film. Like the world was continuing on with its relentless pace, no matter what had just happened that night. I wished they didn't crop this shot on the DVD. Oh well...
It's a shame few people "got" TCM 2 back then. After reading the reviews at IMDb and at Amazon, it's great to see that some are finally "getting it." For anyone who's game, watch TCM 2. You'll be squealing in horror and laughing at the insanity of it all in equal amounts.
Texas cheesecake
CuriosityKilledShawn5 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Hate me if you want, but I never understood the high regard for the first movie. Yeah, I get the grim documentary tone, and I respect that, but there is only ONE massacre with a chainsaw, and it happens off-screen, while the rest of the film is also virtually bloodless. Nah, it's not something I rate highly.
This bizarre sequel only crossed my radar when I saw it on sale rather cheap and I was surprised by how much I liked it. Taking place 13 years after the first movie it opens with a couple of Yuppies being massacred with a chainsaw (sadly, the only chainsaw massacres in the whole movie) and the case promptly investigated by renegade Texas Ranger 'Lefty' Enright (the brilliant Dennis Hopper). The sound of the killing is caught on tape by radio DJ-type lady 'Stretch', who Lefty uses as bait to lure Leatherface out of the shadows. The trail leads to the labyrinthine catacombs beneath an abandoned amusement park for an epic showdown that doesn't really happen.
The problem begins with the second half in which Dennis Hopper seems to wander off into a different movie and nothing really becomes of his character while Stretch runs screaming from a horny Leatherface. It's a bit disappointing in this regard, but the wonderful set-design and gore effects keep it interesting. I just wish that there was more fodder for the titular chainsaw.
A lot of people consider this to be a spoof, but I don't think so myself. Horror movie-making had changed a lot by this point in the 80s. With slashers and the tools of their trade gaining popularity the genre moved away from gritty, grindhouse darkness and into something more colorful and mainstream (for better or worse). TCM2 is just a reflection of that. It's trash, but it's highly energetic and manic trash that's never boring, despite its shortcomings.
This bizarre sequel only crossed my radar when I saw it on sale rather cheap and I was surprised by how much I liked it. Taking place 13 years after the first movie it opens with a couple of Yuppies being massacred with a chainsaw (sadly, the only chainsaw massacres in the whole movie) and the case promptly investigated by renegade Texas Ranger 'Lefty' Enright (the brilliant Dennis Hopper). The sound of the killing is caught on tape by radio DJ-type lady 'Stretch', who Lefty uses as bait to lure Leatherface out of the shadows. The trail leads to the labyrinthine catacombs beneath an abandoned amusement park for an epic showdown that doesn't really happen.
The problem begins with the second half in which Dennis Hopper seems to wander off into a different movie and nothing really becomes of his character while Stretch runs screaming from a horny Leatherface. It's a bit disappointing in this regard, but the wonderful set-design and gore effects keep it interesting. I just wish that there was more fodder for the titular chainsaw.
A lot of people consider this to be a spoof, but I don't think so myself. Horror movie-making had changed a lot by this point in the 80s. With slashers and the tools of their trade gaining popularity the genre moved away from gritty, grindhouse darkness and into something more colorful and mainstream (for better or worse). TCM2 is just a reflection of that. It's trash, but it's highly energetic and manic trash that's never boring, despite its shortcomings.
Dog will hunt!
Anonymous_Maxine3 November 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Disclaimer: Do NOT try to remove your hemorrhoids with a chainsaw. It will NOT save you a trip to the hospital.
(spoilers) OK, let me tell you why the Texas Chainsaw sequels don't work. The original film is slightly exempt from this, but when you have someone who is screaming and wiggling so much that you wish she would just get killed so she'll shut the hell up, you have lost your ability to scare. Doesn't matter how good the sets or costumes or actors are, if the audience is holding their ears, you have a problem.
The first sequel in the Texas Chainsaw series is meant to be nothing other than a bigger version of the original, this time fictionalized, and beefed up with the star power of Dennis Hopper. Not that the original was non-fiction. As you know, it was really based, very loosely, as it were, on the inhuman antics of Ed Gein in the 1950s, the same demented nutcase that inspired Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs. Sounds like a fun guy.
Unfortunately, as is all too often the case with horror movies, this one comes off more as a sick comedy than a scary movie. Granted, there are horror movies that purposely come out like that, such as most of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies, but the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a movie that caught people off guard because of its simplicity, its unknown cast, and its rough, documentary feel. In Texas Chainsaw 2, every single little bit of that is lost.
The set, once we eventually get underground, looks like they rented the Indiana Jones set, festooned it with randomly placed naked light bulbs, furniture made out of human bones, and meat hooks, and had Leatherface run around swinging a chainsaw. The atmosphere of the movie has completely lost the claustrophobic feel of the original by vastly expanding the size of the set, much of which looks like a Christmas tree crossed with an esophagus, and there is just too much hooting and hollering for it to be scary. The only thing more irritating than the killers is their victim, 'Stretch.'
The movie starts off with a couple of high school caricatures zooming down a desert highway, screaming at each other at the tops of their lungs about the sheer magnitude of the party that they are on their way to. They decide to swing into oncoming traffic to play chicken with someone driving a pickup truck, instantly making me eager to see them get killed. Doesn't matter that Leatherface is in that truck, anyone who plays chicken with a random driver because they're driving around drunk deserves to get killed. And if it takes place in a movie, they deserve to get killed with a chainsaw.
So not only do we have to endure the hooting and hollering of these two jerks, but they call a radio station and we are asked to believe that this station's phones get completely tied up if someone calling in refuses to hang up. Sure, this is rural Texas and 1986, but are we to believe that even out there and back then, there were radio stations with a single phone line and without the ability to cut off the callers? At one point the clueless tech guy is frantically pushing buttons and pulling levers, trying to figure out how to clear the line. Given something so stupid, however, you know it was there for a reason, so that they could record the phone call as the kids get chainsawed on the other end.
Speaking of which, the same kid that swerved into oncoming traffic at full speed finds himself stopped on a bridge as that same pickup truck sits blocking both lanes, and he frantically screams 'Are you crazy?!?' out the windshield while his idiot friend in the passenger seat offers such heroic tips as 'Just keep driving!' and 'Get outta here!' Good thinking'! Speaking of driving, not only can they not outrun a pickup truck traveling in reverse while supposedly holding the pedal to the floor in their Mercedes, but in the shots that show Leatherface standing and swinging his chainsaw, they are literally traveling all of 5mph.
Dennis Hopper plays the uncle of the kids who were killed in the original movie, sort of a rogue detective out of his jurisdiction and showing up at the scene of the two kids' murder. The police refuse to jump to conclusions, but Lefty (Hopper) is sure that it's the same people who killed his nieces and nephews. Hopper makes a GREAT redneck. I generally am truly disappointed when actors take on fake accents, but Hopper does this one so well that you would swear he's lived in the south his entire life, it's just too bad that he's saddled with this idiot character.
At one point, Stretch, the radio station DJ, shows up at his apartment, which, needless to say, is flooded with drunken rednecks wandering the halls with their arms around each other, and tells him that she has an audiotape of the murder because the kids called in just before they were attacked, and he sends her away! What the hell is that? Later he has a change of heart, but only wants to hear it if she'll play it on the air. The logic of the characters' actions in this movie is not starting off on the right foot. Then later, as Stretch hangs in a pit about to fall into the demons' lair, you might say, he tries to save her with a brittle, dried out arm bone. Clever.
There is a lengthy horror scene inside the radio station, which looks like it doesn't know if it's supposed to be a radio station or a horror movie set, so better just be a little bit of both. It's got its vast storage of records stored safely behind an open door, with a heavy steel door guarding the cleaning supplies. A burglar's dream, you might say. We get a scene where Leatherface is assigned to kill Stretch, but when he finally gets through that steel door, he starts chainsawing a tub of soda cans sitting in ice, which have no reason for being there or for being chainsawed, until finally Stretch screams, 'Are you mad at me??' and my eyes glaze over for the remainder of the film.
There's an effective scene where Leatherface puts Stretch's friend's freshly removed face over hers, supposedly to help her escape, but for the most part the underground portion of the film is a tired rehash of the original. Sure, it's bigger, there are more Christmas lights and more chainsaws, but essentially it's exactly the same thing, just without the surprise. They even replay exactly the same dinner scene from the end of the last movie, the most unpleasant scene in the entire movie.
Lefty decides that he is so intent on delivering swift poetic justice that, rather than stock up on as many guns as he can carry, he buys three huge chainsaws and straps them to his body, and then runs screaming into the house, yelling and cutting down wooden supports as the family tortures Stretch. In Commando Arnold bulldozes into a weapons store and loads up on boatloads of guns and knives and explosives. In The Terminator he does the same thing, with the added bonus of killing off the proprietor before leaving. Lefty could have paid homage to both of those films, establishing Lefty as a good guy since he actually paid for his. But why saws and not guns?
The grandparents, as is to be expected, are a hideous, hideous spectacle. Grandpa's 137 years old and still likes to hammer young girls on the head, and grandma spends her time in a wheelchair upstairs with a chainsaw on her lap. We are treated to a finale atop a huge rock outcropping that is so fake that it almost turns the movie into a comedy all by itself. There is at least one or two shots where the underlying chicken wire is nakedly visible.
We get some sort of variation on the ending of the original, since the conclusion is almost a mirror image, in that the girl becomes the chainsaw wielding maniac rather than looking at him out the back window of a passing motorist, but I'm not sure what line of discussion led to the conclusion that this would be a cool way to end the film. Is this supposed to be the setup for a sequel? The family's dead, but now there's this girl who has caught chainsaw fever and will now carry on the legacy?
(spoilers) OK, let me tell you why the Texas Chainsaw sequels don't work. The original film is slightly exempt from this, but when you have someone who is screaming and wiggling so much that you wish she would just get killed so she'll shut the hell up, you have lost your ability to scare. Doesn't matter how good the sets or costumes or actors are, if the audience is holding their ears, you have a problem.
The first sequel in the Texas Chainsaw series is meant to be nothing other than a bigger version of the original, this time fictionalized, and beefed up with the star power of Dennis Hopper. Not that the original was non-fiction. As you know, it was really based, very loosely, as it were, on the inhuman antics of Ed Gein in the 1950s, the same demented nutcase that inspired Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs. Sounds like a fun guy.
Unfortunately, as is all too often the case with horror movies, this one comes off more as a sick comedy than a scary movie. Granted, there are horror movies that purposely come out like that, such as most of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies, but the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a movie that caught people off guard because of its simplicity, its unknown cast, and its rough, documentary feel. In Texas Chainsaw 2, every single little bit of that is lost.
The set, once we eventually get underground, looks like they rented the Indiana Jones set, festooned it with randomly placed naked light bulbs, furniture made out of human bones, and meat hooks, and had Leatherface run around swinging a chainsaw. The atmosphere of the movie has completely lost the claustrophobic feel of the original by vastly expanding the size of the set, much of which looks like a Christmas tree crossed with an esophagus, and there is just too much hooting and hollering for it to be scary. The only thing more irritating than the killers is their victim, 'Stretch.'
The movie starts off with a couple of high school caricatures zooming down a desert highway, screaming at each other at the tops of their lungs about the sheer magnitude of the party that they are on their way to. They decide to swing into oncoming traffic to play chicken with someone driving a pickup truck, instantly making me eager to see them get killed. Doesn't matter that Leatherface is in that truck, anyone who plays chicken with a random driver because they're driving around drunk deserves to get killed. And if it takes place in a movie, they deserve to get killed with a chainsaw.
So not only do we have to endure the hooting and hollering of these two jerks, but they call a radio station and we are asked to believe that this station's phones get completely tied up if someone calling in refuses to hang up. Sure, this is rural Texas and 1986, but are we to believe that even out there and back then, there were radio stations with a single phone line and without the ability to cut off the callers? At one point the clueless tech guy is frantically pushing buttons and pulling levers, trying to figure out how to clear the line. Given something so stupid, however, you know it was there for a reason, so that they could record the phone call as the kids get chainsawed on the other end.
Speaking of which, the same kid that swerved into oncoming traffic at full speed finds himself stopped on a bridge as that same pickup truck sits blocking both lanes, and he frantically screams 'Are you crazy?!?' out the windshield while his idiot friend in the passenger seat offers such heroic tips as 'Just keep driving!' and 'Get outta here!' Good thinking'! Speaking of driving, not only can they not outrun a pickup truck traveling in reverse while supposedly holding the pedal to the floor in their Mercedes, but in the shots that show Leatherface standing and swinging his chainsaw, they are literally traveling all of 5mph.
Dennis Hopper plays the uncle of the kids who were killed in the original movie, sort of a rogue detective out of his jurisdiction and showing up at the scene of the two kids' murder. The police refuse to jump to conclusions, but Lefty (Hopper) is sure that it's the same people who killed his nieces and nephews. Hopper makes a GREAT redneck. I generally am truly disappointed when actors take on fake accents, but Hopper does this one so well that you would swear he's lived in the south his entire life, it's just too bad that he's saddled with this idiot character.
At one point, Stretch, the radio station DJ, shows up at his apartment, which, needless to say, is flooded with drunken rednecks wandering the halls with their arms around each other, and tells him that she has an audiotape of the murder because the kids called in just before they were attacked, and he sends her away! What the hell is that? Later he has a change of heart, but only wants to hear it if she'll play it on the air. The logic of the characters' actions in this movie is not starting off on the right foot. Then later, as Stretch hangs in a pit about to fall into the demons' lair, you might say, he tries to save her with a brittle, dried out arm bone. Clever.
There is a lengthy horror scene inside the radio station, which looks like it doesn't know if it's supposed to be a radio station or a horror movie set, so better just be a little bit of both. It's got its vast storage of records stored safely behind an open door, with a heavy steel door guarding the cleaning supplies. A burglar's dream, you might say. We get a scene where Leatherface is assigned to kill Stretch, but when he finally gets through that steel door, he starts chainsawing a tub of soda cans sitting in ice, which have no reason for being there or for being chainsawed, until finally Stretch screams, 'Are you mad at me??' and my eyes glaze over for the remainder of the film.
There's an effective scene where Leatherface puts Stretch's friend's freshly removed face over hers, supposedly to help her escape, but for the most part the underground portion of the film is a tired rehash of the original. Sure, it's bigger, there are more Christmas lights and more chainsaws, but essentially it's exactly the same thing, just without the surprise. They even replay exactly the same dinner scene from the end of the last movie, the most unpleasant scene in the entire movie.
Lefty decides that he is so intent on delivering swift poetic justice that, rather than stock up on as many guns as he can carry, he buys three huge chainsaws and straps them to his body, and then runs screaming into the house, yelling and cutting down wooden supports as the family tortures Stretch. In Commando Arnold bulldozes into a weapons store and loads up on boatloads of guns and knives and explosives. In The Terminator he does the same thing, with the added bonus of killing off the proprietor before leaving. Lefty could have paid homage to both of those films, establishing Lefty as a good guy since he actually paid for his. But why saws and not guns?
The grandparents, as is to be expected, are a hideous, hideous spectacle. Grandpa's 137 years old and still likes to hammer young girls on the head, and grandma spends her time in a wheelchair upstairs with a chainsaw on her lap. We are treated to a finale atop a huge rock outcropping that is so fake that it almost turns the movie into a comedy all by itself. There is at least one or two shots where the underlying chicken wire is nakedly visible.
We get some sort of variation on the ending of the original, since the conclusion is almost a mirror image, in that the girl becomes the chainsaw wielding maniac rather than looking at him out the back window of a passing motorist, but I'm not sure what line of discussion led to the conclusion that this would be a cool way to end the film. Is this supposed to be the setup for a sequel? The family's dead, but now there's this girl who has caught chainsaw fever and will now carry on the legacy?
Tobe Hooper's Masterpiece
Bob_Balaban27 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
In 1974, director Tobe Hooper and writer Kim Henkel set out to make a pitch black dark comedy entitled: "Headcheese". They intended the film to be PG rated comedy, but they ended up making what some see as the most horrifying film of all time which they retitled the more effective "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". Now, while they did create a brilliant film which most now see as a classic, in their intentions, they did fail.
Twelve years later, Hooper enlisted L.M. Kit Larson (Wim Wender's great "Paris, Texas") to write him a sequel to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" appropriately titled: "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2". Larson's screenplay was witty, satirical, and much, much more violent than the original film, which contained much less violence than it is known for. To bring the gore Larson wrote in his screenplay to celluloid, Hooper teamed up with the wizard of gore himself, Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead, Maniac). Savini's gore looks great and at some points is truly gruesome, thanks to the great cinematography by Richard Kooris. Kooris' cinematography a bizarre yet beautiful feel the original did not have. The age make-up on the grandfather character is also considerably better than in the first film. The music as well, which in the first one was much more avant garde and ultimately bland, here is exciting and really fun.
While Bill Johnson is certainly no Gunnar Hansen at playing Leatherface, this is made up for in the supporting roles, especially those by Bill Moseley ("The Devil's Rejects") and Dennis Hopper ("Easy Rider", "Land of the Dead"). Hopper's character of an insane sheriff hunting down the Leatherface clan is great, but appears to have a much more complex layer to him than the other characters. All in all, the performances do add to the insanity of his brilliant film. I really do enjoy it and I hope you will too!
THIS MOVIE GETS BONUS POINTS FOR:
Chainsaw Duels Dennis Hopper Tom Savini effects
Twelve years later, Hooper enlisted L.M. Kit Larson (Wim Wender's great "Paris, Texas") to write him a sequel to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" appropriately titled: "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2". Larson's screenplay was witty, satirical, and much, much more violent than the original film, which contained much less violence than it is known for. To bring the gore Larson wrote in his screenplay to celluloid, Hooper teamed up with the wizard of gore himself, Tom Savini (Dawn of the Dead, Maniac). Savini's gore looks great and at some points is truly gruesome, thanks to the great cinematography by Richard Kooris. Kooris' cinematography a bizarre yet beautiful feel the original did not have. The age make-up on the grandfather character is also considerably better than in the first film. The music as well, which in the first one was much more avant garde and ultimately bland, here is exciting and really fun.
While Bill Johnson is certainly no Gunnar Hansen at playing Leatherface, this is made up for in the supporting roles, especially those by Bill Moseley ("The Devil's Rejects") and Dennis Hopper ("Easy Rider", "Land of the Dead"). Hopper's character of an insane sheriff hunting down the Leatherface clan is great, but appears to have a much more complex layer to him than the other characters. All in all, the performances do add to the insanity of his brilliant film. I really do enjoy it and I hope you will too!
THIS MOVIE GETS BONUS POINTS FOR:
Chainsaw Duels Dennis Hopper Tom Savini effects
Great Sequel to the Brilliantly Gruesome Original
Witchfinder-General-66619 July 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Tobe Hooper's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" of 1986, may not reach the genius of the ground-breaking original 1974 original, but nevertheless, it is a great, blood-soaked, and often funny Horror flick. While the original TCM was one of the purest Horror films ever made, the sequel is more of a black Horror Comedy that occasionally borders slapstick. Nonetheless, it delivers genuine creepiness, delightful gore, and many other great qualities. Number one: Dennis Hopper. Who else could fit in the role of a hard-boiled cynical Texas Ranger as Hopper does. One must give it to this sequel that some scenes are really as morbid as one should hope, and some sequences really are hilarious.
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Vantia 'Stretch' Block (Caroline Williams), who hosts a Rock'n'Roll program on a Texas radio station, is annoyed when two drunk idiots call her show and refuse to hang up the phone. Things quickly get interesting, when the two callers are sawed apart by our friend Leatherface and his freak brother on a freeway while live on air. Hoping for a jump in her career, Stetch decides to show the macabre tape to Lieutennant 'Lefty' Enright (Dennis Hopper), A Texas Marshall and uncle of Sally and Franklin Hardesty, who had been victimized by Leatherface and his demented cannibal family in the 1974 film. Lefty has been hunting the cannibal maniacs ever since, desperately following any clue...
As mentioned above, the casting of Dennis Hopper is one of this movie's best qualities and his character Lefty is responsible for most of the film's strongest and most hilarious scenes. I also liked Caroline Williams as southern beauty Stretch, she may not be the best actress ever, but she was the perfect scream-queen for this movie, as far as I am considered. Lou Perryman plays the redneck radio station assistant LG way over the top, but this is exactly what fits in here.
Both Leatherface and his equally crazy brother are played by different actors than in the first movie, the only cannibal family member played by the actor from the original, is the family's sleazy and disgusting father who has in the meanwhile become an award-winning cook (due to 'quality meat'), played by Jim Siedow again. The fact that Leatherface is played by Bill Johnson instead of Gunnar Hanson doesn't make much of a difference, since he's wearing his lovely face mask all the time anyway. Ken Everett, who plays Leatherface's brother Chop Top does quite a good job being an extremely creepy and disgusting freak. Chop Top, who is obviously what the equally disgusting hitchhiker from part one (then played by Edwin Neal) has become, is great fun to watch, especially for his morbid and disgusting habits. Many things have changed since 1974, the cannibal family's morbid little house has somehow turned into a huge cave palace of necrophilia, for example.
The great gore effects are another quality, which doesn't surprise since Gore-icon Tom Savini was responsible for make up and effects.
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" doesn't equal the innovative brilliance of the 1974 Classic, which was, without doubt, a milestone in Horror movie history, but it is a highly entertaining mix of nasty Horror and black comedy. People should definitely see the original before seeing Part 2. As far as I am concerned, the sequel is a must-see for Horror fans.
WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Vantia 'Stretch' Block (Caroline Williams), who hosts a Rock'n'Roll program on a Texas radio station, is annoyed when two drunk idiots call her show and refuse to hang up the phone. Things quickly get interesting, when the two callers are sawed apart by our friend Leatherface and his freak brother on a freeway while live on air. Hoping for a jump in her career, Stetch decides to show the macabre tape to Lieutennant 'Lefty' Enright (Dennis Hopper), A Texas Marshall and uncle of Sally and Franklin Hardesty, who had been victimized by Leatherface and his demented cannibal family in the 1974 film. Lefty has been hunting the cannibal maniacs ever since, desperately following any clue...
As mentioned above, the casting of Dennis Hopper is one of this movie's best qualities and his character Lefty is responsible for most of the film's strongest and most hilarious scenes. I also liked Caroline Williams as southern beauty Stretch, she may not be the best actress ever, but she was the perfect scream-queen for this movie, as far as I am considered. Lou Perryman plays the redneck radio station assistant LG way over the top, but this is exactly what fits in here.
Both Leatherface and his equally crazy brother are played by different actors than in the first movie, the only cannibal family member played by the actor from the original, is the family's sleazy and disgusting father who has in the meanwhile become an award-winning cook (due to 'quality meat'), played by Jim Siedow again. The fact that Leatherface is played by Bill Johnson instead of Gunnar Hanson doesn't make much of a difference, since he's wearing his lovely face mask all the time anyway. Ken Everett, who plays Leatherface's brother Chop Top does quite a good job being an extremely creepy and disgusting freak. Chop Top, who is obviously what the equally disgusting hitchhiker from part one (then played by Edwin Neal) has become, is great fun to watch, especially for his morbid and disgusting habits. Many things have changed since 1974, the cannibal family's morbid little house has somehow turned into a huge cave palace of necrophilia, for example.
The great gore effects are another quality, which doesn't surprise since Gore-icon Tom Savini was responsible for make up and effects.
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" doesn't equal the innovative brilliance of the 1974 Classic, which was, without doubt, a milestone in Horror movie history, but it is a highly entertaining mix of nasty Horror and black comedy. People should definitely see the original before seeing Part 2. As far as I am concerned, the sequel is a must-see for Horror fans.
Downright Stupid - Spoilers
SlayerRob19 November 2003
Warning: Spoilers
Ever seen a running back tear his ACL and return the following season a mere fragment of what he was before?
This movie is like that running back.
It was mentioned in another comment on here how the first movie was a "mindless horror film" and the second one at least had "real people". I must assume this person accidentally switched the DVDs in his/her cases before he/she watched the movie.
The first Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a low-fi, gritty, dark horror film that left a lot up to the imagination and had a generally creepy vibe throughout. The atmosphere was great--a family of murderous cannibals, who even make furniture out of the limbs and skeletons, and Leatherface wears masks made out of skin. The hitchhiker gave a truly great performance with one of the snidest smiles I ever saw, and Marilyn Burns has the best scream I've ever heard. Not a super-intelligent movie, no, but really atmospheric and dark.
This movie is just pure cheese. I am sure some of it was intentional (Chop Top was obviously inserted for comic relief, except I'm not sure what we're being 'relieved' from, since it wasn't scary), but I'm wondering how much wasn't.
The film takes the gore up thirty notches, but most of it is cartoonish and stupid, proving more gore doesn't mean more thrills. Gunnar Hansen is out as Leatherface and his replacement looks like he's trying to do the Funky Chicken while he plays with his chainsaw, and he seriously looks like Quasimodo. Two kids making harassing phone calls to a radio station get sliced to pieces (or at least rubber cutouts of them do) while making the call, and the radio DJ Stretch plays it on the air, prompting a visit from Leathermodo and Chop Top. Leatherface spares her, instead attempting to get her off with his turned-off chainsaw (I am not making this up, I swear). They kill her partner, who they later skin, and leave, and she follows them, where she lands in a body pit.
The remainder of the film is lots of screaming, hollering, and yelling, and Dennis Hopper does his best Barney Phife impersonation, while Drayton Sawyer (the cook) seems to do a complete 180 from his character the previous movie (wasn't he the squeamish one when it came to killings?)
I can't believe what a huge dropoff this is from the first movie. some bits are so bad they're hilarious, but if I want to watch a 'so bad it's good' comedic horror film, I'll watch Evil Dead 2. Actually, that one wasn't 'so bad it's good', the funny bits were cleverly planned.
HORRIBLE movie.
This movie is like that running back.
It was mentioned in another comment on here how the first movie was a "mindless horror film" and the second one at least had "real people". I must assume this person accidentally switched the DVDs in his/her cases before he/she watched the movie.
The first Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a low-fi, gritty, dark horror film that left a lot up to the imagination and had a generally creepy vibe throughout. The atmosphere was great--a family of murderous cannibals, who even make furniture out of the limbs and skeletons, and Leatherface wears masks made out of skin. The hitchhiker gave a truly great performance with one of the snidest smiles I ever saw, and Marilyn Burns has the best scream I've ever heard. Not a super-intelligent movie, no, but really atmospheric and dark.
This movie is just pure cheese. I am sure some of it was intentional (Chop Top was obviously inserted for comic relief, except I'm not sure what we're being 'relieved' from, since it wasn't scary), but I'm wondering how much wasn't.
The film takes the gore up thirty notches, but most of it is cartoonish and stupid, proving more gore doesn't mean more thrills. Gunnar Hansen is out as Leatherface and his replacement looks like he's trying to do the Funky Chicken while he plays with his chainsaw, and he seriously looks like Quasimodo. Two kids making harassing phone calls to a radio station get sliced to pieces (or at least rubber cutouts of them do) while making the call, and the radio DJ Stretch plays it on the air, prompting a visit from Leathermodo and Chop Top. Leatherface spares her, instead attempting to get her off with his turned-off chainsaw (I am not making this up, I swear). They kill her partner, who they later skin, and leave, and she follows them, where she lands in a body pit.
The remainder of the film is lots of screaming, hollering, and yelling, and Dennis Hopper does his best Barney Phife impersonation, while Drayton Sawyer (the cook) seems to do a complete 180 from his character the previous movie (wasn't he the squeamish one when it came to killings?)
I can't believe what a huge dropoff this is from the first movie. some bits are so bad they're hilarious, but if I want to watch a 'so bad it's good' comedic horror film, I'll watch Evil Dead 2. Actually, that one wasn't 'so bad it's good', the funny bits were cleverly planned.
HORRIBLE movie.
The movie that spoofed itself
Gafke1 February 2004
Wow. I've never seen a sequel that spoofs its predecessor harder than this one does. 10 years after the original TCM, Leatherface is back, making a stunning entrance atop a speeding pick-up truck with his legendary chainsaw held high. After dispatching two incredibly annoying, cell-phone wielding yuppies, the cannibalistic Sawyer family is after Stretch, a DJ who was on the phone with the two idiotic victims and heard everything that happened. Simultaneously using Stretch as bait and protecting her from the Sawyers is bug-eyed weirdo Dennis Hopper, playing the demented, chainsaw packing sheriff and uncle to one of the previous films unfortunate victims.
This movie is definitely played for comedy, black as it may be. It's almost a retelling of the first tale, as Stretch runs screaming through the Sawyers underground abode, only to end up bent over a washtub while Grandpa feebly whacks away at her head with a hammer. There's a great chainsaw-as-penis scene, where Leatherface suddenly discovers sex and orgasms and promptly loses interest in chainsawing Stretch to death. There's also a hideous hammer murder and a gruesome "defacing" scene, just so you don't forget that, no matter how hilarious, this movie is still about over-the-top gore, mutilations, cannibalism and fates worse than death. Just when your stomach starts lurching, along comes another sickening joke to relieve the tension.
This is a brilliantly done film, made even better by its offbeat humor and oddly likable characters. In my humble opinion, it's the perfect sequel, done the way more sequels ought to be done.
This movie is definitely played for comedy, black as it may be. It's almost a retelling of the first tale, as Stretch runs screaming through the Sawyers underground abode, only to end up bent over a washtub while Grandpa feebly whacks away at her head with a hammer. There's a great chainsaw-as-penis scene, where Leatherface suddenly discovers sex and orgasms and promptly loses interest in chainsawing Stretch to death. There's also a hideous hammer murder and a gruesome "defacing" scene, just so you don't forget that, no matter how hilarious, this movie is still about over-the-top gore, mutilations, cannibalism and fates worse than death. Just when your stomach starts lurching, along comes another sickening joke to relieve the tension.
This is a brilliantly done film, made even better by its offbeat humor and oddly likable characters. In my humble opinion, it's the perfect sequel, done the way more sequels ought to be done.
"I'm the Lord of the Harvest."
Hey_Sweden24 September 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Tobe Hooper follows up his legendary shocker with this dozen years belated sequel, which he'd always intended to be outrageous in a different sort of way. Things still get pretty intense, but there is a more blatantly humorous approach (albeit in a dark way): "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" is very campy stuff. Therefore, it may take more than one viewing to be able to appreciate it, as was the case for this viewer. Gone, also, is the suggestion of horrible violence, to be replaced by much more obvious, in-your-face gore supervised by makeup effects master Tom Savini. And he does some extremely impressive work here.
The story has a nutty former Texas Ranger, "Lefty" Enright (Dennis Hopper) obsessed with revenge against the cannibalistic Sawyer clan, as he turns out to be the uncle of the Sally and Franklin characters from the first film. Lefty leans upon radio DJ "Stretch" Brock (sexy, husky voiced Caroline Williams) to air a tape she'd made of two dim bulb kids being slaughtered by Leatherface while tooling down the highway. This only angers the Sawyer family, who proceed to terrorize Stretch over and over again.
One very effective element to this sequel is its visual design; things are taken to another level in terms of the production design, lighting, and set decoration, as the Sawyers have headquartered in an old run down theme park. The music score, credited to Hooper and Jerry Lambert, is decidedly more conventional than that of the first film, and the eclectic soundtrack includes tunes by the likes of Timbuk 3, Concrete Blonde, The Cramps, and Stewart Copeland. The early set piece on the highway is a great one, and the action in the old park takes on an unrelenting, nightmarish tone, although ultimately it's not quite as effective as the simplicity of the first TCSM.
The acting is over the top from most everybody concerned; Hopper is a hoot in his unhinged performance, Williams does a lot of screaming (so much of it that it may annoy some viewers), Jim Siedow is delightful as the put upon Drayton "Cook" Sawyer, Bill Johnson (replacing Gunnar Hansen) gets to show us a different side of Leatherface, and Bill Moseley, in a hell of a breakthrough performance, is memorable as live wire Chop Top. Ken Evert takes over the role of Grandpa from John Dugan, and Lou Perryman is endearing as good ol' boy L.G.; his final scene with Williams is really fairly poignant.
The screenplay, by L.M. Kit Carson, contains some gems of dialogue, and there's one very enjoyable jump scare during the confrontation sequence at the radio station.
While the excesses of this sequel may not appeal to some tastes, they're bound to delight others. All things considered, this is a pretty good follow-up to a classic film, and is generally regarded as the cult favourite of the series.
Seven out of 10.
The story has a nutty former Texas Ranger, "Lefty" Enright (Dennis Hopper) obsessed with revenge against the cannibalistic Sawyer clan, as he turns out to be the uncle of the Sally and Franklin characters from the first film. Lefty leans upon radio DJ "Stretch" Brock (sexy, husky voiced Caroline Williams) to air a tape she'd made of two dim bulb kids being slaughtered by Leatherface while tooling down the highway. This only angers the Sawyer family, who proceed to terrorize Stretch over and over again.
One very effective element to this sequel is its visual design; things are taken to another level in terms of the production design, lighting, and set decoration, as the Sawyers have headquartered in an old run down theme park. The music score, credited to Hooper and Jerry Lambert, is decidedly more conventional than that of the first film, and the eclectic soundtrack includes tunes by the likes of Timbuk 3, Concrete Blonde, The Cramps, and Stewart Copeland. The early set piece on the highway is a great one, and the action in the old park takes on an unrelenting, nightmarish tone, although ultimately it's not quite as effective as the simplicity of the first TCSM.
The acting is over the top from most everybody concerned; Hopper is a hoot in his unhinged performance, Williams does a lot of screaming (so much of it that it may annoy some viewers), Jim Siedow is delightful as the put upon Drayton "Cook" Sawyer, Bill Johnson (replacing Gunnar Hansen) gets to show us a different side of Leatherface, and Bill Moseley, in a hell of a breakthrough performance, is memorable as live wire Chop Top. Ken Evert takes over the role of Grandpa from John Dugan, and Lou Perryman is endearing as good ol' boy L.G.; his final scene with Williams is really fairly poignant.
The screenplay, by L.M. Kit Carson, contains some gems of dialogue, and there's one very enjoyable jump scare during the confrontation sequence at the radio station.
While the excesses of this sequel may not appeal to some tastes, they're bound to delight others. All things considered, this is a pretty good follow-up to a classic film, and is generally regarded as the cult favourite of the series.
Seven out of 10.
Woeful - no redeeming qualities.
rtcnz5 August 2012
Where do I even begin with this trainwreck of a sequel? The original film is brilliantly twisted, horrifying and disturbing - masterful. This film is not scary, twisted or upsetting.
THE SETTING: Leatherface and his sick family have moved out of their house in TCM1 and have relocated at an amusement park! And not just any amusement park, it has seemingly endless lattice of tunnels and brightly-lit caverns underneath. It's hard to feel afraid of what is clearly a bad movie set.
THE VILLAIN: I'll start with Leatherface. In TCM1, Leatherface is a barbaric violent villain, a sick effed-up killing MACHINE. Here, Leatherface wields his chainsaw at a 'pretty' (?) girl, falls in love with her, and becomes a BIG OLD SOFTY. He turns into Ludo the Lovable Oaf from "Labyrinth" (or, for Harry Potter fans, Grawp). I'm sorry but WHAT THE ****? Is this a horror movie or a children's film??? THE HEROINE: Stretch is a radio DJ who wears little denim shorts but as the face of a goat. She is also the stupidest heroine I've ever met in a horror film. She actively pursues the villains to their base, with no plan and without contacting the police, and falls right into their hands. It's hard to care about her suffering when she so clearly deserves it for being such a fool.
THE HERO: Dennis Hopper, like his female counterpart, also decides to take on the villains single-handedly. He buys a bunch of chainsaws and goes after them on his own. Yep - strapping a few chainsaws to your back like Rambo is a GREAT survival technique.
Now, I love horror movies and I LOVE horror sequels - even bad ones. But this is neither good nor so-bad-it's-good. It's just plain bad and most importantly - NOT SCARY.
THE SETTING: Leatherface and his sick family have moved out of their house in TCM1 and have relocated at an amusement park! And not just any amusement park, it has seemingly endless lattice of tunnels and brightly-lit caverns underneath. It's hard to feel afraid of what is clearly a bad movie set.
THE VILLAIN: I'll start with Leatherface. In TCM1, Leatherface is a barbaric violent villain, a sick effed-up killing MACHINE. Here, Leatherface wields his chainsaw at a 'pretty' (?) girl, falls in love with her, and becomes a BIG OLD SOFTY. He turns into Ludo the Lovable Oaf from "Labyrinth" (or, for Harry Potter fans, Grawp). I'm sorry but WHAT THE ****? Is this a horror movie or a children's film??? THE HEROINE: Stretch is a radio DJ who wears little denim shorts but as the face of a goat. She is also the stupidest heroine I've ever met in a horror film. She actively pursues the villains to their base, with no plan and without contacting the police, and falls right into their hands. It's hard to care about her suffering when she so clearly deserves it for being such a fool.
THE HERO: Dennis Hopper, like his female counterpart, also decides to take on the villains single-handedly. He buys a bunch of chainsaws and goes after them on his own. Yep - strapping a few chainsaws to your back like Rambo is a GREAT survival technique.
Now, I love horror movies and I LOVE horror sequels - even bad ones. But this is neither good nor so-bad-it's-good. It's just plain bad and most importantly - NOT SCARY.
too much weird, not enough chills and macabre
baumer22 January 2002
Warning: Spoilers
May be some small spoilers
Tobe Hooper and John Carpenter have proven over the years that they have one very definitive thing in common. They both shocked the film world with one of their dark, and eerie takes on monsters and death and they have since struggled to live up to that sententious billing bequeathed upon them after their early success. Carpenter has never quite managed to duplicate his stylized efforts of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode, nor has Hopper managed to emulate anything near the panic and paranoia he introduced us to with Leatherface and his notorious saw in 1974. Hooper's had valiant yet failed efforts with flicks like Poltergeist, Funhouse and Lifeforce, but his attempt to re-capture the fans predilection of the first Chainsaw Massacre with this vapid attempt is nothing short of a pure disappointment.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre did something that very few films have been able to do. It took you inside a killer's mind and a killer's dwelling and showed you the sheer audacity of their life and style. No other villain, including Jason, Michael and Freddy can lay claim to this. What Hooper has tried to do is further the story by taking you deeper into the family of these crazed people. I think that on paper this must have looked like a good idea but when executed it comes off as insipid and dull. We have probably all seen the first one, I can't imagine anyone seeing this film without having experienced the first, so what we see here is Hooper trying to give the audience some feel of the first. There were many disturbing scenes in the first film and in this second one we revisit some of those scenes and in some cases those scenes are basically reinacted but with a different actress. I can only assume Hooper was trying to propitiate his loyal fans but in the process he may just have alienated us. Let's face it, Marilyn Burns will never be forgotten as Sally and long before Jamie Lee Curtis came around, Marilyn may have been considered the scream queen. Here, Caroline Williams does her best Marilyn Burns impression and Hooper tries to recapture the horror of the dinner table scene but it just doesn't work. Many of the elements of the film don't work this time around and I think that is because for some reason you just know that there is help on the way. Somewhere, Dennis Hopper is lurking with his chainsaw and he is going to come to the rescue. You know that grandpa is 137 years old and he is not going to have enough strength to whack the heroine over the head with the hammer. Somehow you just know. In the original, you didn't know.
In the original, Sally was all alone. She was her only salvation. If she wasn't going to come to her own rescue then no one was. You were scared f or her, you were terrified for her and you felt sympathy for her. I really didn't feel anything for Stretch in this film. I somehow just knew that she was going to get away.
Comedy also makes this film a downer. There are too many one liners in here and it looks as though Fred Krueger and The Sawyer family may have traded scripts after a while because what was nothing but frightening shots of sadistic people doing sadistic things is now more like a stand-up comedy than it is a horror film.
Another problem is that Bill Johnson plays Leatherface and he is not nearly as intimidating nor is he as physical a presence as Gunnar was in the original. Gunnar Hansen was a massive, mean looking guy and he frigthened me. But here, he is more like a pussycat. Not good for a film that was lionized in people's minds and opinion, due largely to Gunnar's portrayal of Leatherface.
TCM2 is not all bad, there are some twisted scenes involving Caroline Williams and Bill Mosely, who plays Chop Top. They share a chase scene that was trying to emulate the chase scene with Marilyn Burns and Edwin Neal from the original. And while it was decent, again, it just falls short of it's target because we have seen it all before.
All in all, this is a failing effort but it is worth seeing if you are a fan of the series. The original is head and shoulders above this one and the third is quite a nice improvement, but just try to sit through this one and see what you think. There are some nice homages to the first and you have to give Hooper credit for that....just not too much credit.
5 out of 10
Tobe Hooper and John Carpenter have proven over the years that they have one very definitive thing in common. They both shocked the film world with one of their dark, and eerie takes on monsters and death and they have since struggled to live up to that sententious billing bequeathed upon them after their early success. Carpenter has never quite managed to duplicate his stylized efforts of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode, nor has Hopper managed to emulate anything near the panic and paranoia he introduced us to with Leatherface and his notorious saw in 1974. Hooper's had valiant yet failed efforts with flicks like Poltergeist, Funhouse and Lifeforce, but his attempt to re-capture the fans predilection of the first Chainsaw Massacre with this vapid attempt is nothing short of a pure disappointment.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre did something that very few films have been able to do. It took you inside a killer's mind and a killer's dwelling and showed you the sheer audacity of their life and style. No other villain, including Jason, Michael and Freddy can lay claim to this. What Hooper has tried to do is further the story by taking you deeper into the family of these crazed people. I think that on paper this must have looked like a good idea but when executed it comes off as insipid and dull. We have probably all seen the first one, I can't imagine anyone seeing this film without having experienced the first, so what we see here is Hooper trying to give the audience some feel of the first. There were many disturbing scenes in the first film and in this second one we revisit some of those scenes and in some cases those scenes are basically reinacted but with a different actress. I can only assume Hooper was trying to propitiate his loyal fans but in the process he may just have alienated us. Let's face it, Marilyn Burns will never be forgotten as Sally and long before Jamie Lee Curtis came around, Marilyn may have been considered the scream queen. Here, Caroline Williams does her best Marilyn Burns impression and Hooper tries to recapture the horror of the dinner table scene but it just doesn't work. Many of the elements of the film don't work this time around and I think that is because for some reason you just know that there is help on the way. Somewhere, Dennis Hopper is lurking with his chainsaw and he is going to come to the rescue. You know that grandpa is 137 years old and he is not going to have enough strength to whack the heroine over the head with the hammer. Somehow you just know. In the original, you didn't know.
In the original, Sally was all alone. She was her only salvation. If she wasn't going to come to her own rescue then no one was. You were scared f or her, you were terrified for her and you felt sympathy for her. I really didn't feel anything for Stretch in this film. I somehow just knew that she was going to get away.
Comedy also makes this film a downer. There are too many one liners in here and it looks as though Fred Krueger and The Sawyer family may have traded scripts after a while because what was nothing but frightening shots of sadistic people doing sadistic things is now more like a stand-up comedy than it is a horror film.
Another problem is that Bill Johnson plays Leatherface and he is not nearly as intimidating nor is he as physical a presence as Gunnar was in the original. Gunnar Hansen was a massive, mean looking guy and he frigthened me. But here, he is more like a pussycat. Not good for a film that was lionized in people's minds and opinion, due largely to Gunnar's portrayal of Leatherface.
TCM2 is not all bad, there are some twisted scenes involving Caroline Williams and Bill Mosely, who plays Chop Top. They share a chase scene that was trying to emulate the chase scene with Marilyn Burns and Edwin Neal from the original. And while it was decent, again, it just falls short of it's target because we have seen it all before.
All in all, this is a failing effort but it is worth seeing if you are a fan of the series. The original is head and shoulders above this one and the third is quite a nice improvement, but just try to sit through this one and see what you think. There are some nice homages to the first and you have to give Hooper credit for that....just not too much credit.
5 out of 10
Meh.
Tippy_Cup22 July 2008
Warning: Spoilers
I'm a REALLY big fan of the original TCM, I hadn't seen this for a while so I got it out today, and just finished watching it.
From the very outset I knew something was wrong as the voice over, is reading the fill in a little too fast. It kind of makes you realise that the whole film came about in the same way. The ideas were put to paper a little too fast, there wasn't enough time just having it sit in the writers head growing, and becoming refined.
The nest part of the intro, the ten minutes with the frat boys shooting signs and then playing chicken with the wrong hill billies, was awful, and leaves a bad taste in your mouth that pretty much sticks around for the rest of the movie. The tone and pace of the whole sequence is so different to the rest of the film, it just doesn't even fit in right, and a much better re-introduction of the maniacal family was really in order.
The comical bits were pretty stupid, as if that was the direction they wanted to go in, it should've been very dark humour...It could've been very disturbingly funny. The end scene in the original with the grandpa trying to bludgeon the girl with the hammer is pretty powerful, one of the few scenes in any movie that scares me a little, it feels like your in the same messed up situation. The end scene in this is just....meh.
If the film was more dark, the final shot in this, mirroring the final shot of leather face in the first. Again would've been powerful and really effective.
Bill Moseley asking if the tape was from the Rambo 3 soundtrack was retarded, not just because the movie only came out two years after this (I just looked that up, didn't know it off the top of my head), which could've still made sense and is not necessarily a goof. But it doesn't make sense that the family would know what Rambo was, as they are segregated from society and only the dad interacts with other people.
I liked the chilli cook off idea. That worked well with the black humour theme, it's just too bad everything else they tried didn't.
Once again Tobe Hooper shows of his ability to shot the exterior's of buildings really well. Actually I think many of his shots in this were good. Just the script killed it self.
5/10
From the very outset I knew something was wrong as the voice over, is reading the fill in a little too fast. It kind of makes you realise that the whole film came about in the same way. The ideas were put to paper a little too fast, there wasn't enough time just having it sit in the writers head growing, and becoming refined.
The nest part of the intro, the ten minutes with the frat boys shooting signs and then playing chicken with the wrong hill billies, was awful, and leaves a bad taste in your mouth that pretty much sticks around for the rest of the movie. The tone and pace of the whole sequence is so different to the rest of the film, it just doesn't even fit in right, and a much better re-introduction of the maniacal family was really in order.
The comical bits were pretty stupid, as if that was the direction they wanted to go in, it should've been very dark humour...It could've been very disturbingly funny. The end scene in the original with the grandpa trying to bludgeon the girl with the hammer is pretty powerful, one of the few scenes in any movie that scares me a little, it feels like your in the same messed up situation. The end scene in this is just....meh.
If the film was more dark, the final shot in this, mirroring the final shot of leather face in the first. Again would've been powerful and really effective.
Bill Moseley asking if the tape was from the Rambo 3 soundtrack was retarded, not just because the movie only came out two years after this (I just looked that up, didn't know it off the top of my head), which could've still made sense and is not necessarily a goof. But it doesn't make sense that the family would know what Rambo was, as they are segregated from society and only the dad interacts with other people.
I liked the chilli cook off idea. That worked well with the black humour theme, it's just too bad everything else they tried didn't.
Once again Tobe Hooper shows of his ability to shot the exterior's of buildings really well. Actually I think many of his shots in this were good. Just the script killed it self.
5/10
Underrated thrill ride that spoofs itself
UniqueParticle3 October 2019
Caroline Williams was so great in such a bizarre horror film and a few years ago I got a autograph of Bill Mosley plus a photo which I'm very happy about. Wildly entertaining despite its wackiness, there's so much to relish and not that bad to me -- the bad stuff is overruled! The music is so mind bogglingly great and the ending is so morbidly good!
While an almost complete tonal 180 from the first film, Tobe Hooper gives us a bloody entertaining time with viscera and laughs galore.
IonicBreezeMachine11 October 2021
14 years after The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the murderous cannibal Sawyer family consisting of brothers Drayton "The Cook" (Jim Siedow), Chop Top (Bill Moseley), and Leatherface (Bill Johnson) have abandoned their isolated country hideaway and have taken their hunt for meat on the road. When a pair of the trio's victims calls into the radio station of radio D. J. "Stretch" (Caroline Williams) she ends up recording the sounds of chainsaws and gunfire. Eventually Stretch meets up with former Texas Ranger turned vigilante Lefty Enright (Dennis Hopper) who is hunting the Sawyer family for revenge for the death of his Nephew, Franklin and psychological trauma of his institutionalized niece Sally. Stretch shows Lefty the tape and while initially hesitant to team up, the two agree on a plan to broadcast the tape to trap the Sawyer family, with Stretch seeing this as an opportunity to make a name for herself. Eventually the plan works with Stretch caught in the middle between the crazed Sawyer family and the crazed Lefty who will take them down at any cost.
The final of three films Tobe Hooper did for Cannon following the hit Poltergeist, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (aka Part 2) was born from a cynical desire by producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus to just make a similar film to the last one but on a bigger budget. Tobe Hooper rather than make a straight horror film, made an elaborate darkly comic farce (originally to be titled Beyond The Valley Of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre). The film was not well received by critics or audiences of the era with critics (again) lambasting the film for its violence and gore, while audiences didn't like the shift in tone from the gritty approach of the first film to something more comedic. Even Dennis Hopper at one point claimed this to be the worst film he'd ever been in (before changing it to Super Mario Bros. Later). While it was probably a mistake billing this as a "part 2" and would've been better served by being titled Beyond The Valley Of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is such an audacious and ridiculous exercise in excess that it's honestly hard not to go along with it.
From the opening with its more self-aware soundtrack and broad stereotypical chuckleheads ripping down a highway shooting at random signs, it's made clear this is not the same approach as the original. The movie takes itself about as seriously as a Tex Avery cartoon (albeit with more gore and lasting consequences) and the creativity that goes into the chainsaw based shenanigans is a sight to behold. Caroline Williams makes a great heroine bringing along with the typical scream queen prerequisites and acerbic wit and humor that fits well with the character, and Jim Siedow, Bill Moseley, and Bill Johnson are enjoyable as The Cook, Chop Top, and Leatherface making playing themselves like a gory sadistic version of The Three Stooges. But easily the best part is Dennis Hopper playing unhinged chainsaw wielding Texas Ranger, Lefty Enright, and Hopper doesn't just chew the scene, he chainsaws and devours it. Every moment Hopper is on screen the movie gets that little extra "oomph" that rises it from entertaining to schlocky b-movie epic, Hopper's performance in this movie is almost Ash in Evil Dead levels of over the top entertaining and that's not a statement I make lightly.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is best experienced if you know what you're in for. If you go in knowing this is more a funhouse mirror parody continuation on the first film you'll get what you paid for and then some. If you go in expecting a spiritually faithful follow-up to the original you'll be disappointed. While not every bit of the movie lands and the climax does drag a bit with some of the Chop Top based elements, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is an enjoyable entry in comedically skewed splatter films.
The final of three films Tobe Hooper did for Cannon following the hit Poltergeist, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (aka Part 2) was born from a cynical desire by producers Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus to just make a similar film to the last one but on a bigger budget. Tobe Hooper rather than make a straight horror film, made an elaborate darkly comic farce (originally to be titled Beyond The Valley Of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre). The film was not well received by critics or audiences of the era with critics (again) lambasting the film for its violence and gore, while audiences didn't like the shift in tone from the gritty approach of the first film to something more comedic. Even Dennis Hopper at one point claimed this to be the worst film he'd ever been in (before changing it to Super Mario Bros. Later). While it was probably a mistake billing this as a "part 2" and would've been better served by being titled Beyond The Valley Of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is such an audacious and ridiculous exercise in excess that it's honestly hard not to go along with it.
From the opening with its more self-aware soundtrack and broad stereotypical chuckleheads ripping down a highway shooting at random signs, it's made clear this is not the same approach as the original. The movie takes itself about as seriously as a Tex Avery cartoon (albeit with more gore and lasting consequences) and the creativity that goes into the chainsaw based shenanigans is a sight to behold. Caroline Williams makes a great heroine bringing along with the typical scream queen prerequisites and acerbic wit and humor that fits well with the character, and Jim Siedow, Bill Moseley, and Bill Johnson are enjoyable as The Cook, Chop Top, and Leatherface making playing themselves like a gory sadistic version of The Three Stooges. But easily the best part is Dennis Hopper playing unhinged chainsaw wielding Texas Ranger, Lefty Enright, and Hopper doesn't just chew the scene, he chainsaws and devours it. Every moment Hopper is on screen the movie gets that little extra "oomph" that rises it from entertaining to schlocky b-movie epic, Hopper's performance in this movie is almost Ash in Evil Dead levels of over the top entertaining and that's not a statement I make lightly.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is best experienced if you know what you're in for. If you go in knowing this is more a funhouse mirror parody continuation on the first film you'll get what you paid for and then some. If you go in expecting a spiritually faithful follow-up to the original you'll be disappointed. While not every bit of the movie lands and the climax does drag a bit with some of the Chop Top based elements, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is an enjoyable entry in comedically skewed splatter films.
I Still Have a Headache
view_and_review5 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Loud, noisy, obnoxious, irritating, and psychotic. That's how I'd describe this movie. It was headache inducing, mind boggling, and brain scrambling. Did there have to be so much yelling, screaming, and overall inanity? The massacre family--dad, brother, and Leatherface--were in constant incoherence.
The main victim--let's talk about the main victim really quick. Why did she even pursue the massacre family to their digs? What was she going to do anyway? This is not like it was the days of cell phones where she could follow and call the authorities. At best she finds their hideout and informs the police later. At worst, she's their dinner. The risk was not worth the reward.
And Dennis Hopper's character, what was his deal? He went after the massacre family armed with chainsaws!?! This is Texas man. Bring a gun. Heck, bring three.
This movie was yelling, screaming, and bad decisions. Sounds like a frat party except bloodier.
The main victim--let's talk about the main victim really quick. Why did she even pursue the massacre family to their digs? What was she going to do anyway? This is not like it was the days of cell phones where she could follow and call the authorities. At best she finds their hideout and informs the police later. At worst, she's their dinner. The risk was not worth the reward.
And Dennis Hopper's character, what was his deal? He went after the massacre family armed with chainsaws!?! This is Texas man. Bring a gun. Heck, bring three.
This movie was yelling, screaming, and bad decisions. Sounds like a frat party except bloodier.
One of the Greatest Horror Comedies Ever Made
TerrorTrain906 November 2022
This movie is horror comedy gold. It's been criminally underrated and misunderstood. It was intentionally designed to be the tonal and stylistic opposite of the first 'Texas Chainsaw' film. Accepted on its own terms, this movie is near-perfect.
-The sets are massively inventive.
-The performances - particularly Moseley in his career making performance as Choptop - are unforgettable.
-Savini's gore effects are some of his best.
-There are several laugh-out-loud moments, as well as at least one of the best jump scares in horror.
Tobe Hoper set out to make a comedy, and nailed it. Ignore the doubters and enjoy!
-The sets are massively inventive.
-The performances - particularly Moseley in his career making performance as Choptop - are unforgettable.
-Savini's gore effects are some of his best.
-There are several laugh-out-loud moments, as well as at least one of the best jump scares in horror.
Tobe Hoper set out to make a comedy, and nailed it. Ignore the doubters and enjoy!
A loud, hyped-up, hectic, gory mess...but still entertaining.
capkronos30 December 2003
I might be stretching it a bit giving this critically blasted sequel 6 out of 10, but it deserves it for sheer audacity and entertainment value, not to mention the priceless performances, remarkable set design and great Tom Savini make-up FX, which were enough to deny this an R rating when released and cause some distribution problems.
Dennis Hopper (who was in BLUE VELVET the same year!) turns camp king as Ex-Texas Ranger Lt. Lefty, brother of the Sally and Franklin characters from the original. He's out for revenge against the cannibal clan for what they did to his family, while radio DJ Stretch (Caroline Williams, who is a lot of fun) simply tries to survive after she airs a radio broadcast that p1sses them off. The psychotic father (who makes award winning chili out of human flesh), Leatherface and the 100-and-something-year-old grandpa are still around, plus new member Chop Top (Bill Moseley), who has a metal plate in his head, suffers from 'Nam flashbacks and does some disgusting things with a clothes hanger and a lighter. The cannibal clan hideout, which is hidden underground beneath an amusement park this time, is a marvel of skeletal decor, hooks, cobwebs, tunnels and blood oozing walls. In fact, everything about this movie is taken to insanely outrageous proportions, and it drops the straight horror and sly black humor of the original for more blatant shocks and in-your-face comedy, which explains the critical hatred. Nonetheless, I think TCM2 would be an enjoyable watch for most horror fans.
The franchise continued with the disappointing LEATHERFACE (1989), the atrocious TCM: THE NEXT GENERATION ('94) and then the popular, and surprisingly watchable, 2003 remake of the original.
Dennis Hopper (who was in BLUE VELVET the same year!) turns camp king as Ex-Texas Ranger Lt. Lefty, brother of the Sally and Franklin characters from the original. He's out for revenge against the cannibal clan for what they did to his family, while radio DJ Stretch (Caroline Williams, who is a lot of fun) simply tries to survive after she airs a radio broadcast that p1sses them off. The psychotic father (who makes award winning chili out of human flesh), Leatherface and the 100-and-something-year-old grandpa are still around, plus new member Chop Top (Bill Moseley), who has a metal plate in his head, suffers from 'Nam flashbacks and does some disgusting things with a clothes hanger and a lighter. The cannibal clan hideout, which is hidden underground beneath an amusement park this time, is a marvel of skeletal decor, hooks, cobwebs, tunnels and blood oozing walls. In fact, everything about this movie is taken to insanely outrageous proportions, and it drops the straight horror and sly black humor of the original for more blatant shocks and in-your-face comedy, which explains the critical hatred. Nonetheless, I think TCM2 would be an enjoyable watch for most horror fans.
The franchise continued with the disappointing LEATHERFACE (1989), the atrocious TCM: THE NEXT GENERATION ('94) and then the popular, and surprisingly watchable, 2003 remake of the original.
I used to believe in God
nixons_smelly_vagina21 September 2019
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
