The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) Revisited – Horror Movie Review
On August 22nd, 1986, a sequel to one of the most influential horror films of all time was released 12 years after the original. It came out to mixed reviews and unsubstantial box office but hey, at least its grown a cult following over the years, right? It is probably the most divisive entry in this series even above part 4 and for me personally the only one that I’ve flip flopped on my opinion of it. It’s all about perspective with this one as the movie was directed by the original filmmaker, though as part of a creative deal to get him his passion projects, produced by one of the craziest movie studios to ever exist, and pulled a fast one on audiences by subtly slipping some comedy into this franchise of horror (I’m kidding about the subtlety by the way, its plastered with it). While we have already looked at the vast behind the scenes shenanigans of this strange trip, let’s look at what makes this such a unique experience on screen as we revisit the horror breakfast club, I mean The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2.
A brief history on the film is necessary as it’s important. Tobe Hooper was originally supposed to only be a producer on the film at the tail end of his 3-movie deal with Cannon Films, but the studio couldn’t afford a director that he felt was right for the project. That deal is important because it also gave us space vampires with the Lifeforce in 85 and the Invaders from Mars remake early in 86. While Hooper will probably always be known for the first two Texas Chainsaw films and Poltergeist, he had a ton of these one-offs that are incredibly fun. We at the channel definitely have a soft spot for The Mangler but his whole career is worth exploring. This movie is also the reason we have so much Bill Moseley in our lives after he was able to get his short film parody shown to Hooper who promised him a role if there was ever a sequel. Thank you, Chop Top.
The movie is fairly straight forward in its approach. We get a sequel even in the opening crawl, though missing a paid in weed John Larroquette is a bummer, and it follows the Sawyer family that ends up killing a ton of people. What neither the studio nor the 1986 audiences expected was to be delivered a black comedy instead of a pulse pounding horror film like its predecessor. If you watch the trailer, that’s EXACTLY what you should expect. In the 70 or so seconds that shows up on screen, you get a warning with a silhouette of a chainsaw and a ton of out of context scenes that show the scary or intense parts of the movie. Then we got the poster, and it is one of the best pieces of marketing still that has ever existed. It apes The Breakfast Club completely and yet still didn’t warn audiences enough of what they were getting into. Truth be told I HATED this movie the first time I saw it when I was on my initial horror journey, and you know what? In this quest to talk about the sequels this year on the channel, I kind of fell in love with it, and here’s why. The ambience, including effects, sets, music, and sound, are amazing, the brief horror segments, including one of the best jump scares of all time, and characters really elevate it to rarified air.
Let’s first look at what the movie offers in its ambiance, or more accurately, its style. The movie looks grimy but also very cool. Its use of color, both with the giallo-like lighting at times that reminds me also of From Beyond and the very 80s aesthetic, is an outstanding way to show how colorful and bright a movie can be while also being in the horror realm. From the color usage to the overall look of the film, it walks a fine line between super dark and overly bright, sometimes within the same scene timeframe. The look of the underground slaughter pyramid somehow feels at once labyrinthian in its vastness and also claustrophobic to a devastating degree. I know I’ve said this before, most recently in the Hellbound: Hellraiser II video, but how cool would this movie be as a horror movie maze? You could wander through Stretch and LG’s radio station and then get yourself turned around in the underground bunker filled with bodies and Sawyers. The sub-5-million-dollar budget really went a long way with the set design even if the entire movie only takes place in a handful of locations.
Not only are the multitude of bodies found in the underground area as terrifying as they are cool looking, but they add credence to the family and their never-ending slaughter. Tom Savini was in charge of the make-up and FX and it shows. From the excellent opening kill which includes both a gnarly looking body that Leatherface holds in front of him for the kill and a partial decapitation to the brutal fate of LG which encompasses his beating and unfortunate face skinning, its all incredibly well done and makes the movie stand out even more than it could have under someone else’s tutelage. Unfortunately for us and Tobe Hooper, there were a lot of budgetary cuts that had to happen and that included some other Savini special effects. Even with that unfortunate news, the movie looks the best of the original 4 in terms of gore and effects and even the chainsaw. The final piece to what ends up being the vibe of the movie is the radio station section in general. Not only does the soundtrack rule for both diegetic and non-diegetic purposes but the score rules. Not only does it rule but it took up until this viewing to realize that Tobe Hooper is credited as one of the composers.
The vibe, effects, and setting all work but with dull characters, it would all be for naught. I’m not saying that all the characters are great, mind you, because they aren’t, but confoundingly dumb or annoying characters can be just as valuable to a movie as good ones. First the former. The yuppies in the beginning are annoying as hell so it’s a fun and cathartic experience to watch them get absolutely wrecked when they make the mistake of messing with the wrong family. Their brief screen time is valuable in its purpose and that’s ok. Now a much more important part of the movie is Dennis Hopper’s Lefty. In theory, this could be a meaningful character as he is looking to avenge Sally and Franklin from the first movie, but he becomes so unhinged and kind of annoying that he becomes a waste. Seeing him picking out the multiple chainsaws is a so dumb it’s funny moment but his inclusion feels wasted even if he does help Stretch defeat the family and get some revenge. Even when he finds the remains of Franklin in the wheelchair, which looks great, it just doesn’t have the emotional impact that it was probably meant to have.
Now on the other side of that coin, we were given two characters that not only live on in the hallowed halls of horror but also gave their actors eternal fame in our favorite genre. Caroline Williams plays Stretch and Bill Moseley plays Chop Top and the two of them absolutely steal this movie away from their co-stars. This isn’t to disparage Leatherface as this is the only one that walks the line between horror and humor correctly, but he isn’t the star here. Gunnar Hansen was reportedly set to return to his cannibal role but didn’t due to a couple different versions of the same story. As iconic as he is in that first movie, I don’t think his take on the character would have worked in the context of this sequel. This viewing was also the time that I fell in love with Caroline Williams and her character Stretch who is not only stunning but one HELL of a final girl. Her portrayal threads the needle perfectly between victim and hero while making everything feel very real and believable. Well, as believable as it can be. Chop Top, on the other hand, is charismatic, funny, and deeply terrifying in both his words and actions. He is somehow more frightening than even Leatherface in this movie with how assured he is in his beliefs and the very original and disgusting way he eats the skin off of his own metal plate covered scalp. He chases Stretch at the end like he’s running after the main character in an Ari Aster movie, and it is genuinely terrifying. Moseley gave us a character who never returned but somehow stayed with us more than most of the other sequel characters combined.
That horror is also definitely there. While screenwriter L.M. Kit Carson gave us a pitch perfect black comedy, the final product also has some real fright to it including one of the great jump scares of all time. Carson doesn’t have any other horror to his name. In fact, he only has 10 other credits period, but he gave us enough that Hooper, who knows a thing or two about scary movies, was able to deliver. The horror isn’t all the way through or even the prevailing tone but boy when it’s there, it announces itself. This starts in the opening set piece. While it is fun to see the yuppies get axed, it is quite horrifying on screen. The truck is sinister, and you can’t see inside and then you have the horrifying Frankenstein stitched dead body on top of an imposing Leatherface. While the first movie doesn’t show much and that makes it scarier, the half-decap is still a sight to behold. Near the end you also get good chases with Stretch running from both Leatherface and Chop Top with one getting dangerously close with a very imposing chainsaw and one chasing at full speed like a spider monkey.
The best part and oddly something I hated when I was much younger, is the section in the radio station. It’s a bit of a master class in tension. Even if you haven’t seen the movie before, you know something is coming with how much time is spent there and she plays the tape of the opening kill which will draw them like bees to honey. I guess I didn’t like how long was spent in the station the first couple times I watched the movie and now I see it as an asset. While the chainsaw being held to Stretch’s legs and groin or the brutal beating of LG are great moments, the real winner is more slow burn. Stretch comes downstairs to find Chop Top acting like a fan while he creepily eats his scalp with a coat hanger and lighter. You expect him to do something creepy or attack her but as he slowly creeps in and the camera slowly creeps in your attention may be drawn to the dark room behind them. He asks about it, which could disarm you, but then when the light goes on, we are treated to one of the best jump scares ever. Its earned too. Not a cat scare or a fake scare or a sound cue scare but an honest to God jump scare that is right there with The Exorcist III. You know the one.
I was so pleased with what Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 meant to me this go around. Did I miss these things the first time or did it just get better with age and perspective? Either way, its more than worth revisiting and the Vinegar Syndrome 4K is the best way to go about it. Beautiful transfer and more special features than you could shake a coat hanger at. Let me know how you guys feel and soon I’ll be jumping into part 3 to see if the saw should stay family.
Two previous episodes of Revisited can be seen below. To see more of our shows, head over to the JoBlo Horror Originals channel – and subscribe while you’re at it!
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