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
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) Flag of the United States August 22, 1986
Running time 100 min.
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
Budget $4,700,000 (estimated)
Preceded by The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Followed by All American Massacre
Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (also known as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 & TCM 2) is a 1986 big-budget horror sequel to the 1974 horror hit The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It’s 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 “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 feel to scare its audience; skillfully building up dramatic tension. Unlike its predecessor, TCM2 delivers over the top gore, and effects from make-up maestro Tom Savini. The emphasis is on black comedy, with director Tobe Hooper believing the humor wasn’t appreciated in the first film. Successful in its release, the film failed to make a substantial profit.

Contents

The story opens as two rowdy high school seniors race out of control along an abandoned stretch of Texas highway in route to a weekend of fun in Dallas. Heavily intoxicated, they use their car phone to call in 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 teen boys encounter a large pickup truck which chases parallel to them on a remote bridge. Leatherface emerges from the back of the truck wielding a huge chainsaw with a four-foot bar, and attacks the boys from the moving pickup truck. Stretch records the boys 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 disapparance while investigating reports of mysterious chainsaw killings across Texas. Looked upon with disdain by his peers, he is able to get the local paper to carry a tiny article about his quest and 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, she finds Chop Top (Bill Moseley), twin to the "Hitchhiker" (who was stationed in Vietnam during the first film) waiting in the lobby. When she tries to get rid of him, out of the darkness appears Leatherface. She manages to escape.

Leatherface joins Chop-Top as they haul Stretch's near-dead co-worker off to their home. She follows them, and winds up trapped inside the Sawyer home (which is, in fact, 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 upperhand on Chop-Top as she cuts him with the chainsaw, where he falls off the tower to a presumed death. The final shot has Stretch, standing on top of the tower now insane herself, emulating Leatherface's famous chainsaw dance from the ending of the first film.

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

  • 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, laser disc and DVD, it was given the "R" rating by the MPAA.
  • The film was banned in Australia for 20 years. The original uncut version 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 nationwide 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]

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Pt. 2
No cover image exists
Soundtrack by Various Artists
Released 1986
Genre Soundtracks, Gothic rock, New Wave, Alternative rock
Label IRS
Professional reviews
  1. "Good to Be Bad" (Lords of the New Church) - 1:00
  2. "Goo Goo Muck" (The Cramps) - 4:46
  3. "Haunted Head" (Concrete Blonde) - 2:48
  4. "Life Is Hard" (Timbuk3 / Pat MacDonald) - 4:11
  5. "White Night" (Torch Song) - 3:51
  6. "Strange Things Happen" (Stewart Copeland) - 3:03
  7. "Over Your Shoulder" (Concrete Blonde) - 3:24
  8. "Shame on You" (Timbuk 3 / Pat MacDonald) - 5:05
  9. "Mind Warp" (Lords of the New Church) - 3:46
  10. "No One Lives Forever" (Oingo Boingo) - 1:23

The cover for the 2006 DVD release
The cover for the 2006 DVD release

In 2000, the film was released in a bare bones Region 1 DVD edition, by MGM. In mid 2006, the film received a second DVD treatment from MGM, entitled 'The Gruesome Edition', featuring:

  • Feature audio commentary by director Tobe Hooper with David Gregory, director of Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth
  • Feature 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


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