There is no touching The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. You can't duplicate the insanity and profound cosmic fear that Tobe Hooper captured in his 1974 masterpiece, even though many have attempted it. It's like a flash of lightning, a solar storm that will only form in that way once, and it deserves to be cherished. Prime Video appears to understand what I'm saying.
Perhaps that’s why the Texas Chainsaw The franchise has represented a series of decreasing rewards for many fans, as nothing could ever match the original film again. The key, at least in my view, is to see each subsequent film as an opportunity to play in the same sandbox, utilizing Hooper's chaos rather than the genuine essence. This applies to all the sequels, but it's especially evident in the one sequel that Hooper directed himself, and one of my favorite sequels of all time, now available on streaming for everyone to watch.
Coming out over ten years after the first movie,The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 returns to the same Texas setting from the first film, documenting another meeting with Leatherface and his crazed family likethey intimidate a radio host(Caroline Williams) and a former lawman (Dennis Hopper) seeking retribution. It expands the family by bringing in the legendary Chop Top (Bill Moseley), and also adds a new dimension with an actual abandoned amusement park located in the heart of the Lone Star State.
As someone from Texas, I find plenty to appreciate in the film's depiction of the state's contradictions and hidden aspects, ranging from two children who are killed while heading to a Texas-Oklahoma college football game (known as the Red River Rivalry, which is a significant event here) to its humor surrounding chili cook-offs. However, there's more to it than just that, and it relates to the raw, anarchic energy that Hooper brings back with a completely distinct style.
At this stage in his career, Hooper had created another intense rural horror film.Eaten Alive), another twisted horror film (The Funhouse), and even become completely mainstream withPoltergeist. Although he had acquired more film production skills and methods over time, he never completely lost that feeling of urgency that pulses through the original.Texas Chain Saw Part 2 maintains that and then takes it even further with lighting and music, intensifying the emotions to a point that feels exaggerated and overwhelming, almost like a cartoon. It's a completely different experience compared to the original movie, but it's based on the same base, and just like the first film, it will still leave you stunned.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2is available on Prime Video now, so go watch one of my favorite horror follow-ups, and one of the finest opening kills in any slasher film.
Related Headlines
- You Can Now Watch "The Best Slasher of the Year" and It's Extremely Violent
- Stephen King Claims His New Streaming Series is "A Real Hit" That Will "Astonish You"
- The Chaos of 'Doom: The Dark Ages' [Monster Mania]
- Now available on Netflix: This Horror Film Is Sure to "Make You Gasp and Jump Out of Your Seat"