Menu
Menu
Menu
A film appreciation and curation project dedicated to championing outstanding cinema
A film appreciation and curation project dedicated to championing outstanding cinema
When Tobe Hooper set out to make a sequel to his landmark horror film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, he insisted on taking it in a very different direction in a response to the wave of horror films inspired by his 1974 masterpiece. A minimalist approach to building dread and terror, the restrained violence, the gritty atmosphere – these were all replaced by excess and garishness that belonged to 1980’s America. Overtly satirical with over-the-top characters, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 upended audience expectations upon its release in 1986.
Despite a mixed reception from critics and audiences, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a firm cult favourite among horror fans today and in 2017 Arrow Video released this High Definition digital transfer supervised by Director of Photography Richard Kooris.
Arrow also released a 3-disc Limited Edition set that includes a 100-page book with an in-depth look into the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise as well as restored versions of the early works of Tobe Hooper – the short film The Heisters and his directorial debut Eggshells. It’s now out of print so for this piece we are just looking at the standard one-disc version.
This special edition is still packed with content where the cast and crew feature heavily. There are two star-studded audio commentaries to enjoy, one with director and co-writer Tobe Hooper and another with some of the cast members and Godfather of Gore Tom Savini.
One of the standout features on this disc is the six-part making-of documentary It Runs in the Family. This is a film with a notoriously troubled production and insights like $1million being removed from the budget just before the shoot and Canon’s surprise reaction to lack of slasher violence really fascinating life for this film behind the scenes. Interviews range from screenwriter L.M. Kit Carson, director of photography Richard Kooris, production designer Cary White, actors Bill Johnson and Caroline Williams.
The six parts are:
1. The Texas Screenplay Massacre
2. The Art of Mayhem
3. A Cast of Characters
4. Prime Meat
5. Father of the Saw
6. Requiem for a Sequel
Another of our favourite features include Still Feelin’ the Buzz – an interview with horror expert Stephen Thrower. The author of Nightmare USA and Beyond Terror highlights many details that indicate the sociopolitical commentary and more general points on the films lasting legacy. It’s a great watch.