October 1st - Don't Mess With Texas (Tuesday)!:
Film #1.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Choosing the inaugural film(s) for this year's celebration proved to be more difficult than expected due to the unseasonably and unbearable hot weather here. Nevertheless, a hot day calls for a hot movie so
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) it was and boy was it the right decision! Apparently this film originally had its premiere in Austin, Texas on this very day 50 years ago! I swear, I did not plan this in any way so I like to imagine that the spirit of Tobe Hooper entered my subconscious and influenced my selection. Despite what the lurid title may suggest, there's actually very little on-screen bloodshed, gore, or cannibalism. Instead, this film relies more on atmosphere and tension which creates a very unique viewing experience. Although Leatherface receives most of the love and attention from audiences (and rightfully so), Jim Siedow's character of the cook Drayton Sawyer may be one of the most under-appreciated horror characters in cinema history. His macabre sense of humor delivered by his distinctive voice definitely makes him one of my favorites. A film director friend of mine once told me very nonchalantly, "The best (horror) films straddle the thin line between arthouse and grindhouse." That sentiment struck a strong nerve with me so many years ago and has remained stuck in my mind ever since. With that said, I believe
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) is an excellent example of this peculiar concept. (And it's an unpretentious example that's easily accessible for average moviegoers too!)
Points Of Interest include: Directed by horror hero Tobe Hooper, a rotting corpse display at a cemetery, discussions about head cheese, a handful of sexy "butt shots" (in short shorts/hot pants), room decor made of skeletal remains, hammer induced death spasms (or if you prefer the phrasing "a twitch of the death nerve"), masks made of human skin, mongoloid squealing, hanging around... on a meathook, family fun with grandpa, and a classic grindhouse style ending featuring a beautiful ballet with chainsaw (or is that
chain saw?
) choreography.
Röckzilla's Final Verdict: A gritty and gruesome low-budget masterpiece of sweaty independent '70s cinema.
Film #2.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
Overall, this sequel is so tonally and visually different from the more grimy and realistic approach showcased in the original film, it may leave some viewers scratching their heads (with a flame heated wire coat hanger). It is noticeably more over the top, comedic, and even campy to a certain degree, all in a very distinctly 1980s (horror cinema) fashion. If you're wondering if this was all intentional or not, just take a look at the original movie poster which parodies the famous poster of the John Hughes' classic
The Breakfast Club (1985). However, do not let this alarm or discourage you too much because this is still a horror film after all and a very enjoyable one to watch at that. Albeit for slightly different reasons here than the original but that is not necessarily a bad thing in this case. In fact, it's hard not to love this film on its own right. Fans of the classic MTV era, such as myself, will surely dig it!
Points Of Interest include: Director Tobe Hooper returns for more carnage (and even has a brief cameo), a Rock 'N' Roll radio station (ZZ Top T-Shirt & The Beatles - Yesterday And Today (1966) poster duly noted
), geysers of blood squirting from someone's chainsawed head (provided this time by gore-master Tom Savini), a mini log cabin made out of French fries, profound words of wisdom spoken by new character Chop Top (see GIF included below), awkward sexual tension between an unlikely pair, incredible sets/props/decor that is truly a
feast for the eyes
, guts spilling out of a wall, skinning a human, gifting a freshly removed human face,
more family fun with grandpa, and a duel to the death between Roger Corman alumni Dennis "don't you f*cking look at me!" Hopper and Leatherface himself... both wielding large chainsaws! Not to mention some rockin' tunes by The Cramps, (Texas native) Rocky Erickson, Stewart Copeland (of The Police), and Oingo Boingo among others!
Röckzilla's Final Verdict: A totally fun and striking sequel despite the obvious shift in tone, morbidly humorous and perfect for Halloween viewing parties.
Here's some "Thrashin' Bay Area love" for y'all "Lone Star State maniacs", courtesy of Lȧȧz Rockit!
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