Jun 29, 2024
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
"You have one choice, boy: sex or the saw. Sex is... well, nobody knows. But the saw, the saw is family."
#the texas chainsaw massacre 2#horror imagery#tobe hooper#american cinema#1986#l.m. kit carson#caroline williams#dennis hopper#jim siedow#bill moseley#bill johnson#ken evert#lou perryman#kirk sisco#barry kinyon#chris douridas#james n. harrell#harlan jordan#horror film#jerry lambert#a hell of a swing by Hooper: to return to the property that had made his name as a filmmaker for a belated sequel more than a decade later#but to deliver a film so tonally distinct from its predecessor‚ so far in mood and style‚ that it acts almost as pastiche of the genre#he absolutely nailed it though. truly one of The great horror sequels‚ the blackly funny‚ gloopy yin to the original's nerve shredding#sinewy yang. Siedow was the only returning cast member‚ with his role developed and character expanded‚ and he's truly brilliant#as the weirdly endearing cannibal cook among this dysfunctional serial killing family; Moseley's whole performance is a delight too‚#a high energy‚ constantly chattering bit of dangerous clownery that's the perfect balance to the (newly childlike and sensitive) Leatherface#Williams is great‚ one of the all time final girls‚ while getting Hopper (right at the beginning of his career revival after several years#in the critical wilderness) was a huge boon: he gives everything to this bizarre‚ ridiculous role. where the og film was actually#surprisingly discreet in its onscreen violence‚ relying more on the building of unbearable tension and uncomfortable editing#this film is a gory mess from the very outset‚ and it does feel at times like Hooper is challenging the viewer after the response to TCM
