A radio host is victimized by the cannibal family as a former Texas Marshall hunts them.
12 years after “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” exploded on the scene we were given a sequel, many felt a sequel was inevitable but didn’t expect to wait 12 years. Luckily we saw the return of Tobe Hooper to direct it. We see the return the Hewitt family who have been keeping low key since the revelation of their crimes from the first film.
Leatherface, this time played by Bill Johnson, is just as good as the original, portrayed by Gunnar Hansen. Also we see the brilliant Bill Moseley playing Chop Top, for those of you who have wondered if Chop Top was the hitch-hiker played by Ed Neal in the original, the answer is No. The dead body “Nubbins” that Chop Top carries around with him is the Hitchhiker from the first film, stitched back together and kept around as a souvenir. Chop Top was in Vietnam during the events in the first film; he was wounded in combat, received the metal plate in his head, and recieved an honorable discharge from the armed forces with a pension that he used to finance the Last Roundup barbecue business we see in this film. Chop Top explains this in one of the deleted scenes. Nubbins being the ” Hitchhiker ” is also confirmed in the same deleted scene when Chop Top is speaking as Nubbins, and Drayton tells Chop Top to shut his brother up. Also in some of the clearer screenshots of Nubbins, the Hitchhikers birthmark is easily visible on the face of Nubbins.
It was with this film that I gained a-lot of respect and admiration for Bill Moseley. I’ve always felt he is seriously under-rated as an actor, even to this day. Caroline Williams also made her mark on the Horror genre with this film, since it’s release she has gained a strong cult following. The only original cast member to return was Jim Siedow, returning to play his role as the cook, unfortunately this would be Jim’s last film, his only other appearance was for a Texas Chainsaw documentary.
We can’t talk about the great cast without talking about the late Dennis Hopper. This was a surprise casting role too many but he put in a terrific performance as Lieutenant ‘Lefty’ Enright, A former Texas ranger who was the uncle of Sally Hardesty and her brother Franklin, who were victims of Leatherface and his family from the first film. It’s a role that many dislike but I truly thought he was great and his backstory was great for the plot of the film.
The effects of the film are amazing, which is no surprise when you have Tom Savini on board. The film is much more gruesome than it’s predecessor and Savini’s work, as always, is outstanding. For some this is seen as a terrible sequel, upon it’s release it was panned by critics and fans, which I never understood. Maybe it’s because it was the decade of the slasher film and although there’s plenty of blood and violence the body count is low, that’s my only reasoning for it. If you’re one of those people then you never got the point of Hooper’s work.
The film may be seen as a cult film today but it still gets dismissed and mocked by many, I personally love the film and thought it was a great sequel. Yes it’s more of a black comedy-horror but that doesn’t diminish the terror and gore of the film, I suggest those who haven’t seen this get on it right now!
Miscellaneous facts about the film:
A poster can be seen on the wall in the radio station for the band “Fine Young Cannibals.”
The “family group shot,” as seen in the advertisements, posters and video covers, uses the same positioning as the promotional group shot for the movie The Breakfast Club.
When the BBFC notified Cannon that at least 20 minutes, and possibly 25, would have to be trimmed, Cannon aborted its plans for a planned U.K. release in 1986.
Director, Tobe Hooper and co-writer of the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Kim Henkel originally had an idea for a sequel that would feature an entire town of cannibals, and also be a satire of the film Motel Hell, which itself was a satire of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The title of that sequel was to be ‘Beyond The Valley Of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’, but the studio forced considerable changes to be made to the screenplay, even hiring a new screenwriter, and the result of those changes are what became Texas Chainsaw Massacre part 2.
The controversial “butcher cover” of The Beatles album “Yesterday and Today” can be seen hanging in the radio station.
When originally submitted to the MPAA, it received an “X” certificate, prompting the filmmakers to release it as “unrated”.
John Bloom was cast, and his name is listed in the closing credits, but his scenes were edited out of the final version.
Out of all the sequels and remakes, this is the only film which follows the same time-line as the original film. All of the others have no reference in their screen stories to the events in the original film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Throughout the film, many references are made to the “Red River Rivalry” or “Red River Shootout” in regards to the football game going on during the film. This was not invented for the film. As any avid college football fan can tell you, the “Red River Rivalry” is the common name for the animosity between the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas. The film takes place during OU vs. Texas weekend.
Tom Savini once stated that the makeup effects that he created for Grandpa is his most proud accomplishment, which he compares to the makeup for the aged Dustin Hoffman in Little Big Man (1970).
In the original screenplay, Stretch was going to be Lefty Enright’s illegitimate daughter.
Director Tobe Hooper deleted a lengthy scene in which the Sawyer family goes out hunting for prime meat. The scene was cut for pacing but is present on the Gruesome Edition DVD.
Caroline Williams wanted to make a strong impression at her audition. When she was called in, she went to the end of the hallway and ran screaming into the room, where she pulled Tobe Hooper and L.M. Kit Carson out of their seats and used the chairs to barricade the door before she began her scene.
A release in West Germany in 1986 was not possible because the film was banned before the film could be released to theaters. In 2012, Turbine Medien acquired the rights to the film and has now begun the process of getting the banishment revoked (something they successfully did for the first TCM).
