BLOOD WORK: HALLOWEEN HORROR DAYS ~ DAY 22: THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE PART II (1986)

When it comes to examining the great horror franchises, the films of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series are among the strangest and most interesting from film to film. One of the most curious entries in the series is THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE PART II directed by the original creator himself, Tobe Hooper. Chainsaw II possesses a wildly different sensibility, tone, and approach to the material. When viewed back to back with the original from 1974 it's difficult to imagine that both films were directed by the same man let alone a continuation of the same story.

When viewing Tobe Hooper's filmography from 1974 to 1986 the divide between both Chainsaw films makes more sense. The Tobe Hooper film more closely resembling the original Chainsaw is his follow up movie, EATEN ALIVE (1976). Tracking his career as he becomes more and more a part of the Hollywood machine one can see each subsequent film traveling further and further away from the styles and esthetics of the original Chainsaw. POLTERGEIST, along with all the rumors surrounding the film, marks a turning point in Hooper's career. His next two films, LIFEFORCE (1985) and INVADERS FROM MARS (1986) showcase rather wild and unusual plots as well as an 80's cocaine induced commercial cinema mania.

And thus we come to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part II, a film far more akin to Hooper's previous two films in tonality and identity, far removed from the film that launched the director's career. Chainsaw II marks a very different point in the director's career showcasing just how changed Hooper had become as a filmmaker as well as the changes occurring to the industry. In a sense it's a self reflection by the director and a commentary on the "Yuppie" culture pervading the 1980's. This is what Leatherface and the Sawyer family would be like in the 1980's.

Personally, I love The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part II in all its kooky bizarro personality. But that wasn't always the case. As a young horror enthusiast who was wowed and disturbed by the original Chainsaw film, I was taken aback by the massive tonal shift of Chainsaw II. I had hoped for something closer in personality to the original and more or less dismissed Chainsaw II after that initial viewing. It wasn't until I was much older that I began to appreciate and fully embrace the unique entity that is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part II. This is one of the great modern horror films and a seminal horror film of the 1980's.

THE PLOT

13 years have passed since Sally, her brother, and friends were attacked by a backwoods family of cannibals in the Texas countryside. Authorities still have no leads and no idea of the whereabouts of the cannibals. When the murders of two young men are accidentally recorded by a radio station, DJ "Stretch" seeks out the one man who can help, Lieutenant "Lefty" Enright. The uncle of Sally and Franklin, Enright has been on the hunt for the Chainsaw Family for years. With the help of Stretch, Lefty draws out the cannibals and tracks them to their hellish lair where one of the most bizarre confrontations in history takes place.

WHAT I LIKED

The Sawyers. Get it? Jim Siedow is the only returning actor from the original film, reprising his role as The Cook, named here as Drayton Sawyer. And he is magnificent. The insanity in his eyes is instantly recognizable from the original film. Siedow has some of the best and funniest lines in the entire film and brings demented glee to every moment that he's on screen. And Bill Moseley's performance as Chop-Top is one of the most inspired depictions of madness ever captured. Chop-Top is the Hitchhiker's twin brother, but for the longest time I believed Chop-Top to be the Hitchhiker from the first film. Moseley created a legendary performance here. And Bill Johnson does well as Leatherface, maintaining that childlike essence from Gunnar Hansen's performance. This Leatherface is a little more over the top than Hansen's, not to mention vulgar with his chainsaw, but it meshes well with Moseley and Siedow.

The Gore. Oh my god, the gore! The original Chainsaw film actually had very little onscreen blood (it's there but sparingly). In the crimson soaked age of 80's horror it'd be a shame if a Chainsaw sequel wasn't given gorious treatment as well. Released at a time when the MPAA began tightening the noose around horror films, the distributor wisely released the film as Unrated. If they hadn't we'd have lost a third of the film and all of Tom Savini's amazing practical effects. It's not quite the symphony of gore that Hellraiser is but it is damn close. As Dennis Hopper says in the film, "It's the Devil's playground." There are certain films which should be viewed for their incredible use of gore and this is one of them.

The Black Comedy. Many have balked at the humor present in Chainsaw II, citing the humor as a massive departure from the original. And I'll admit that the first time one sees this film, especially in comparison to the first, that the humor can be quite jarring. Tobe Hooper maintained that the original Chainsaw film possessed black comedy and therefore the presence of such humor in the sequel should be expected. This may be the case but the tone of the humor is different. Chainsaw II's comedy is manic and borderline slapstick where as the original's humor was plain evil and demented. Now that I've had time to adjust my expectations and judge the film on its own, I quite enjoy the crazy dark humor of Chainsaw II. The humor continues differentiating the film from the crowd of others and has become one of the endearing aspects of the movie. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part II fits better alongside such classics as EVIL DEAD II and RETURN OF THE LIVING DEAD in this respect than it does to original Chainsaw.

NITPICKS

Jarring Transition. I don't really have any nitpicks at all with this film, as I consider it a true classic of the genre. But there is something I must warn viewers just arriving: Chainsaw II is very different from Chainsaw I. If you're wanting something more in keeping with the tone and visual esthetics of the original then this film will likely disappoint you. This film is less a sequel and more of a reimagining of Chainsaw for the 80's yuppie culture. Going from one film to the next will feel quite striking. In this respect Chainsaw II does little to ease the viewer into this transition, especially if you're coming to it after just finishing Chainsaw I. This is a film that needs to be viewed in the context of the time period in which it was made. That, and if you can view it as its own entity then the transition may be less difficult.

THE VERDICT

It's Leatherface for the 80's! The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part II is a unique film, not just within the franchise, but also within the genre. It's a film about the 80's and for the 80's. It's a film about the changes going on within Hollywood. But it's still a film about cannibals, gore, and death. Jim Siedow, Bill Moseley, Bill Johnson, and all of the cast deliver wacky and intense performances sure to drive you mad. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part II is one of my favorite horror films and is a movie you simply must experience for yourself.

Overall Ranking: 9 out of 10

Nude-O-Meter: 0 out of 10