Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)

Picking up 13 years after the events of the first film, this funhouse mirror reflection of its somber, elder sibling is a fantastic first sequel to one of the most important horror films ever made. The tone may be lightened by a boatload of black humor, but this film is nearly as intense and insane as the original, albeit in a completely different way.
 
Smartly eschewing the van of doomed teens set-up of the initial installment, this entry presents us with a late night rock DJ named Stretch and her trusty soundman LG being menaced by the cannibalistic clan with Texan lawman Lefty Enwright in hot pursuit. The murderous family has now morphed into a model of mid-80’s entrepreneurial moxie. The cook spouts one hilarious business cliché after another while Choptop (the hitchhiker’s brother, apparently at war in Vietnam during the events of the first film) incessantly pesters him to turn their abandoned amusement park hideout into “what the people want… NAMLAND!!!”
 
This is no haphazard stab at comic relief though. Tobe Hooper and screenwriter L.M. Kit Carson clearly set out to send up not only the original film and the horror genre in general, but the greedy, capitalistic obsessions of Reagan-era America as well.
 
It’s a loud, gaudy film with extremely broad performances. The lighting is garish and the gore is plentiful. The music is a chuckle inducing mixture of dated 80’s pop rock and disjointed, carnival-esque Casio. In lesser hands this unbridled excess could prove disastrous, but Hooper deftly balances these over the top elements in such a manner they interlock seamlessly to create a rollicking, madcap adventure of a film.
 
The stunning set design of the Sawyer clan’s subterranean lair is a jaw dropping example of superior craftsmanship. I have yet to see its equal in terms of authenticity and aesthetic impressiveness in all of the horror genre. It was definitely deserving of an Oscar nod, as if that would ever happen.
 
More so than most horror films, TCM 2 is an ensemble piece. Every character plays off each other in a particular manner that colors the film with interaction both heartfelt and genuine. From Leatherface’s puppy dog infatuation to Lefty’s paternal vengeance to L.G.’s unrequited love, we believe in these people and thusly have a personal stake in what happens to them. These are rich, nuanced performances, especially from the late, great Lou Perryman as L.G. We are indebted to him for giving us this much beloved character and he anchors the film with his loveable, laid back personality.
 
Bill Mosley has a star-making turn as Choptop. His introduction at the radio station is on some level played for laughs, yet still incredibly tense and full of menace. It is this tightrope dynamic that makes the films schizophrenic nature work and Mosley deserves a great deal of the credit for walking it so confidently and setting the tone.
 
The makeup effects, courtesy of Tom Savini and company, are an absolute blast of disgusting creativity. They rank with his best work next to Day of the Dead and are entirely emblematic of the decade from whence they came. Bloody, goopy and unflinching.
 
This film does what sequels should, but rarely do. It approaches the material from a different angle, delving into unexplored territory while updating the scenario for a new age. It is wild, hilarious, risk-taking and heartfelt. A rarity among franchise sequels and something all films should strive to be.
 
3½ out of 4

reviewed by Matt Risnes

© Copyright 2009 John Shatzer