The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
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| The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical poster for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2. A parody of the poster for the film The Breakfast Club |
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| Directed by | Tobe Hooper |
| Written by | L.M. Kit Carson |
| Starring | Dennis Hopper Caroline Williams Bill Johnson Bill Moseley Jim Siedow |
| Distributed by | Cannon Films Inc. Pathé Films Inc. |
| Release date(s) |  August 22, 1986 |
| Running time | 100 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4,700,000 (estimated) |
| Gross revenue | 8,025,872 (USA) |
| Preceded by | The Texas Chain Saw Massacre |
| Followed by | Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (also known as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 & TCM 2) is a 1986 big-budget long-awaited horror sequel to the 1974 horror classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It's currently the only sequel to show plot-continuity. The film stars Dennis Hopper as “Lefty," Bill Johnson as “Leatherface,” and Jim Siedow, who once again picks up the role of “The Cook." It was written by L.M. Kit Carson and directed by Tobe Hooper, who also directed and co-wrote the original.
The film is highly criticized by some for its stylistic departure from the first film, which used minimal gore and a low-budget documentary ambiance to scare its audience by skillfully building up dramatic tension. Unlike its predecessor, TCM2 delivers over-the-top, highly stylized gore and features effects from makeup maestro Tom Savini. The emphasis is on black comedy; director Tobe Hooper believed the humor was not appreciated in the first film. While successful in its initial 1986 theatrical release, the film failed to make a substantial profit, but became quite popular on VHS leading to a Special Edition DVD release in 2006.
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[edit] Plot
The story opens as two rowdy high school seniors race along an abandoned stretch of Texas highway en route to a weekend of fun in Dallas. They are heavily intoxicated and use their car phone to call and harass on-air DJ Vanita "Stretch" Brock (Caroline Williams). Unable to convince the boys to hang up, Stretch is forced to keep the line open as what began as a simple game of chicken quickly turns into a nightmare. The two teens encounter a large pickup truck that runs parallel to them on a remote bridge. Leatherface, wielding a chainsaw, emerges from the back of the truck and attacks the boys. Stretch records their gruesome deaths on tape at the radio station.
The following morning, at the scene of the crime, Lieutenant "Lefty" Enright (Dennis Hopper), former Texas Ranger and uncle of Sally Hardesty and her invalid brother Franklin, arrives to help solve the crime. Lefty has spent the last fourteen years investigating their disappearance while investigating reports of mysterious chainsaw killings across Texas. Though looked upon with disdain by his peers, he is able to get the local paper to carry a tiny article about his quest. This sparks the interest of Stretch, who brings him a copy of the taped death of the two teen boys. At first mortified, Lefty asks Stretch to play the tape on her nightly show.
As the sounds of this horrible incident echoes across the airwaves of Texas, Leatherface's family shows up to the radio station. While preparing to leave for the night, Stretch finds Chop Top (Bill Moseley),(who was stationed in Vietnam during the first film and is a twin to the "Hitchhiker" from the first film) waiting in the lobby. When she tries to get rid of him, Leatherface emerges from the darkness. Stretch manages to escape.
Leatherface joins Chop-Top as they haul Stretch's near-dead coworker off to their home. Stretch follows them and winds up trapped inside the Sawyer home, which is actually an abandoned carnival ground decorated with human bones, multi-colored lights, and carnival remnants. Lefty turns up with a chainsaw of his own and begins to carve up the home in a rage, shortly before he finds the remains of his nephew, Franklin.
The Cook (Jim Siedow) finds Stretch roaming the grounds, and the family takes her captive. Lefty eventually finds her being tortured at the dinner table and saves her. A battle between Lefty and the Sawyer family ensues, ending with a chainsaw duel between Leatherface and Lefty. In the end, Lefty and most of the sawyer family (Leatherface, Grandpa and the Cook) are apparently killed (offscreen) when one of the Cook's grenades goes off prematurely. Only Chop-Top and Stretch escape, where they do final battle in a carved-out rock tower that overlooks the property. Despite being slashed several times with a straight razor, Stretch grabs a chainsaw held by the mummified remains of the family's grandmother in a ritual shrine on the rock tower. Stretch then gets the upper hand on Chop-Top as she cuts him with the chainsaw, where he falls off the tower to a presumed death. The final shot shows Stretch standing on top of the tower and emulating Leatherface's famous chainsaw dance from the ending of the first film.
[edit] Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Dennis Hopper | Texas Ranger "Lefty" Enright |
| Caroline Williams | Vanita "Stretch" Brock |
| Jim Siedow | Cook (Drayton Sawyer) |
| Bill Moseley | Chop Top |
| Lou Perry | L.G. McPeters |
| Bill Johnson | Leatherface |
| Barry Kinyon | Buzz (Mercedes driver) |
| Christopher Douridas | Rick "The Prick" (Gunner) |
| Kinky Friedman | the Sports Anchor |
| Joe Bob Briggs | Gonzo Moviegoer |
[edit] Controversy
- When the BBFC notified Cannon (the distributor) that at least 20 minutes, and possibly 25, would have to be trimmed, Cannon aborted its plans for a planned UK release in 1990. Despite this, it is now rated 18.
- When originally submitted to the MPAA, it received an "X" certificate, prompting the filmmakers to release it as "unrated." However, TV previews, theatrical trailers, and even the movie posters had the written statement "Due to the Nature of This Film, No One under 17 Will Be Admitted." When released on home video, laserdisc, and DVD, it was given the "R" rating by the MPAA.
- The film was banned in Australia for 20 years. The original uncut version that was issued on video to retailers throughout Australia was done so illegally by a duplicating house and without the knowledge of the OFLC. When word leaked amidst the video industry, a number of retailers were raided for possessing infringing copies. The duplicating house was similarly raided by Federal Customs. The film was finally passed for official release in Australia on November 30, 2006.[1] The Uncut "Gruesome Edition" DVD was released on January 24, 2007.[2]
[edit] Soundtrack
| The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Pt. 2 | |||||
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| Soundtrack by Various Artists | |||||
| Released | 1986 | ||||
| Genre | Soundtracks, Gothic rock, New Wave, Alternative rock | ||||
| Label | IRS | ||||
| Professional reviews | |||||
| Various Artists chronology | |||||
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- "Good to Be Bad" (Lords of the New Church) - 1:00
- "Goo Goo Muck" (The Cramps) - 4:46
- "Haunted Head" (Concrete Blonde) - 2:48
- "Life Is Hard" (Timbuk3 / Pat MacDonald) - 4:11
- "White Night" (Torch Song) - 3:51
- "Strange Things Happen" (Stewart Copeland) - 3:03
- "Over Your Shoulder" (Concrete Blonde) - 3:24
- "Shame on You" (Timbuk 3 / Pat MacDonald) - 5:05
- "Mind Warp" (Lords of the New Church) - 3:46
- "No One Lives Forever" (Oingo Boingo) - 1:23
[edit] DVD Release
On August 1, 2000, the film was released in a bare bones Region 1 DVD edition, by MGM. On October 10, 2006, the film received a second DVD treatment from MGM, entitled "The Gruesome Edition," featuring:
- Audio commentary by director Tobe Hooper with David Gregory, director of Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth
- Audio commentary by actors Bill Moseley and Caroline Williams with special effects makeup creator Tom Savini
- The cutting room floor: Deleted scenes
- It Runs in the Family featurette
- 6 still galleries
- Trailer
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 at the Internet Movie Database
- Interviews With Cast Members & Resources
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