Originally Posted by Prince_Vajda  The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) * * * ½
After so many years, this masterpiece (part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in NYC) is still compelling and powerful. Although (or maybe because?) most of the violence and menace is not shown explicitly, the ubiquitous ghastly atmosphere and Daniel Pearl’s skilful cinematography make this Hooper-directed flick a prime example of successful low budget filmmaking. Highly recommended.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2 (1986) * * *
Apart from a few characters (including Leatherface) and some basic ingredients (e.g. chainsaws), this sequel, once more directed by Tobe Hooper, has not very much to do with the original film. It’s an outright disgusting and totally silly Horror film spoof with lots of gory moments and just as many laughs. This is probably not to everybody’s taste, but definitely right up my alley.
The Hills Have Eyes (2006) * ½
This remake of Craven’s 1977 original is a great disappointment. Director Alexandre Aja created a lifeless cardboard replica without any originality. The names of most characters, several individual scenes, bits and pieces of dialogue, clichés – apart from the remake's very own appalling carnage at the ‘ghost town’, this is (co-producer) Craven’s film transferred to 2006. Skip this film and watch the original instead; it’s far from being perfect and its ‘mutants’ are mostly funny instead of frightening, but at least you are spared the preposterous anti-nuclear propaganda of this failed remake. Half a star for the quirky gas station attendant.
Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) * * ½
After the first sequel’s comedic approach, the franchise’s producers wanted the third part to be a merciless Horror film again, but with more gore and violence than the original. However, this did not happen. Wishy-washy financial backers, the MPAA, and to some extent the hair-raising pre-production turned the shooting of this film into a mess. After countless cuts, the final R-rated version was a box office bomb. Luckily, in 2003 the uncut original version was used for the home video re-release. Despite its problematic production, the film is surprisingly good. Convincing gore, lots of totally absurd scenes, quite a bit of action, and a badass Ken Foree make this sick film quite enjoyable. Much better than expected.
Graduation Day (1981) * *
Apart from a few editing and soundtrack experiments (including a pretty neat opening sequence), this is pretty much a standard Slasher film. Most of the genre’s weaknesses (silly dialogues, foreseeable plot) and strengths (cheesiness, inventive murders) can be found in Graduation Day. Unfortunately, the film drags on quite a bit. It’s by no means unwatchable, though, especially as it stars Christopher George - always a plus in my book. |