The Saw Is Family: The Rankings

 

    I thought I was done with The Saw Is Family. I had finally gave my thoughts on The Next Generation. All of the films had been covered. However, I realized I wasn't done just yet. I had promised at the beginning of the retrospective that I'd conclude it with my ranking of the Chainsaw franchise. And that's why I am here today. Now, this ranking is my opinion and some may consider it to be some hot takes on here. This is all in good fun, right? 

    

9) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation

    Kicking off this ranking, it honestly doesn't come as that much of a surprise where The Next Generation falls. This was a film that is over the top and not necessarily in a good way. The characters managed to fall a bit flat. Leatherface is not even that much of a threat in this installment. And the family is a massive hot take as their whole reasoning for things is working with the Illuminati? Nah, I'm sorry. I understand that there are some that love this film and appreciate it for what it is. However for me, it just hasn't managed to click. It felt too much like they were trying for Part 2 levels and amping them up to 11. 

                                                                8) Texas Chainsaw 3D

    Texas Chainsaw 3D is a film that when I first watched it I enjoyed it. I ended up seeing it three times at the theater after winning a contest for 3D tickets. It was nice seeing Leatherface on the big screen again. Plus the whole concept of a 'recap' of '74 was very intriguing and the closest I'll ever come to seeing that on the big screen. However, there is a lot wrong with the film. There's the whole age discrepancy with Daddarrio's character. I mean I can look past that pretty easily. However, it felt like they didn't understand what the characters were or what they were trying to do. Almost as if it was a celebration that they were going to make the film in the first place. 

    On top of all that, there's all the behind the scenes talk that has now painted 3D in a whole new light. If they hadn't been so quick to pass on some things, we could have had a Chainsaw that took place in the 90s and understood Leatherface and the Family. Instead the producers were so quick to just make a buck instead. Studio meddling at its finest. 

7) Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III

    After New Line landed the rights for Chainsaw, they rushed to deliver a film. I mean they understood that Chainsaw fans were ready for a new film after Part 2. However, they wanted to take a more serious approach than Part 2. The result was a film that featured Leatherface once again but with an all new family. The best part of the film was Ken Foree. Unfortunately, the rest of things were a bit generic and not very memorable. 

6) Texas Chainsaw Massacre '03

    Texas Chainsaw Massacre '03 was a breath of fresh air after the failure of Next Generation. It brought things back to basics with a group of kids encountering the Hewitts and Leatherface. It did a lot of things right. However, it felt like Leatherface was a bit overshadowed by Sheriff Hoyt. Ultimately by the end of the film, they squandered a chance of setting up a sequel.  Why did they have to chop off Leatherface's arm? 

5) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

    The Beginning definitely worked better for me a lot more than '03. We get to see the family at an earlier point in their lives. It's interesting seeing certain characters start the film one way, but then end up transforming into where we seen them at in '03. It certainly has more of a Texas feel than '03 as well. The kids also manage to work a lot better with the interactions between the brothers. I actually found myself caring for the characters and wanted to see some of them survive. However, it's a prequel so no one can make it. 

4) Leatherface '17

    I've seen a lot of people throw a lot of hate towards this film. For me, I enjoyed this one a lot. I enjoyed seeing the Sawyers at the top of the film. Lili Taylor and Stephen Dorff deliver incredible performances. It basically helps establish the feud between the Sawyers and Hartmans that was featured in Texas Chainsaw 3D. Shaking things up and having this be a 'road trip' movie also managed to breathe a bit of fresh air into the film. There is a 'mystery' regarding which of these characters becomes Leatherface. I really wasn't disappointed by it. The only thing that upset me was that Lionsgate took too long to release and by the time it had, it didn't matter anymore. 

3) Texas Chainsaw Massacre '22

I've seen a lot of the discussion that's been going on with Texas Chainsaw Massacre '22. Much like Halloween Kills, it's managed to be a divisive film. You'll either love it or hate it. For me, I absolutely loved it. Was it perfect? No. I feel like it was a nice play on what people were expecting as it had been pitched as being a 'requel' like Halloween '18. Leatherface is a beast in this film. I really dug that he is a man on a mission. He has a clear cut reason as to why he's doing this. There's a clear reason for why his mask looks the way it does. The way they utilized Sally is something that I'm not too upset about. I applaud the fact that they were commenting on the current trend of 'requels' and the 'legacy characters'. There's also a chainsaw massacre in the film. Holy crap. By the end of the film, I was ready for another go. I'm hoping that we will see a sequel. 

2) The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

    This is the reason why this franchise exists. If Tobe Hooper hadn't made the original '74 classic, we wouldn't have what we have today. It established a blueprint that quite a few of these films tried to emulate. It also brought us Leatherface for the first time. I respect the film a lot. During this last rewatch, I found myself actually beginning to understand the character of Franklin a lot better. I feel like maybe there's a chance he's misunderstood. And for the first portion of the film, we are seeing everything through his perspective. But there's a reason why this went on to become a classic. 

1) Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2

    Part 2 is a lot of fun. That is a large reason why this takes the top spot for me. While the first was serious and such, I just appreciated the shift to horror comedy with the second installment. Chop Top is someone that manages to steal scenes. The returning members of the family all deliver fantastic performances. Dennis Hopper chainsaw battling Leatherface. What other movies can say that? Caroline Williams also is incredible in this film. Everything feels like its turned up to 11 and works a lot more for me. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Saw Is Family: The Next Generation (or Formerly Known as The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre) (1996)

 

    Well, well, well. We might again Chainsaw. Just when I thought we were finished. You've decided to crawl out from the shadows once again to remind me that I missed a film. A film that was made by one of the original writers of the Chainsaw '74, Kim Henkel. It was released by Columbia Pictures in its original form. After the film failed, Columbia took it upon themselves to recut the film a few years later and try again. Why did this happen? 

    Kim Henkel apparently didn't like the way Tobe had gone with Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2. He viewed that it was time to try for a more serious approach. Why he felt like that was what he delivered? That's beyond me. He managed to make a film that I believe is super ridiculous. Yeah, I get what he was trying to do. But how long can you take a young Matthew McConaughey that is delivering a Nicolas Cage level of performance seriously? Take into consideration that he's wearing a brace that is controlled by a remote control at one point. It's absurd. I was left wondering how the hell Leatherface had even come into the family in the first place. As Tony from Hack the Movies and Joe and Sean from Movie Dumpster discussed recently, it's almost as if he just came with the house. Now given that Henkel had decided to center the film's main idea around the idea of the "Illuminati" being behind the Family and such, it probably was the case. Or is Leatherface more like the title of 007 and this is another person that was shaped by the group into what they viewed "Leatherface" should be? Wait a minute, that actually doesn't sound too bad really. Call him "Double-Oh Chainsaw" with a License to Cleave. Would that work for a sequel? 

    As for someone that co-wrote the original '74, I thought Henkel would have been a good fit for the film. However, it feels like this attempt ended up turning the ridiculousness and parody up to 15. Whereas, I would say that Chainsaw Part 2 would be at a 10. I mean there are some ideas there. Illuminati being a way of commenting on the status of Horror at that current time which needed to scare people. That's kind of a interesting approach. However outside of featuring Leatherface, this isn't a 'real sequel' to the '74 classic like Henkel had conceived it to be. The original plan was to have Vilmer and W.E. being the Hitchhiker and Cook (Nubbins and Drayton) characters. Honestly, that all feels like Henkel was saying shit for the sake of saying shit. Whatever he had to do to get this film made - even though it kinda turns out to be following the same path of Chainsaw Part 2. 

    The kids in this movie are kids. They are the typical high school dramatic that everyone knows to be. Henkel just wanted them to be there for the family to attack and harass. They are complete caricatures of what everyone was doing in films back then. He wanted it to be goofy. Therefore, they are absolutely ridiculous and outside of Renee Zellwegger - there to be hated. This is the film where we are supposed to be rooting for the family. So go get 'em Leatherface, I guess. 

    This brings me to Leatherface. I have seen some people say that he's not like the Leatherface from '74. I honestly feel like to an extent it does feel similar. However, he's a humongous goof. I mean look at the porch scene between Zellwegger and Leatherface. He's literally screaming at her because they are both scared of each other. Leatherface ultimately feels like made more inept to attempt to lift up the other members of the 'family'. 

    I understand that there are some people that love this film. It is a complete Looney Tunes of a film. It revels in its absolute insanity. If you're looking for something serious, go find a different film. If you're looking for something that's completely off the wall, give this a shot. I honestly don't know if I'll find myself watching it again. I may get the Shout! Factory release to check out the Director's Cut (which I've heard is better). But the theatrical cut of this just didn't work for me and a lot of details were forgettable. On a positive note, this isn't the worst Horror movie that I've seen. 

Rating: 2.5 out of 5. "All right, all right, all right.". 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Saw Is Family: Leatherface (2017)

 

    Welcome back, last time we took a look at Texas Chainsaw '13. Sadly that film wasn't as well received as I believe it should have been. This left Lionsgate in a bit of a bind. They had the Texas Chainsaw franchise. However, they were stuck with what to do with it. Does it sound a little familiar? I think so as it's the same issue Platinum Dunes had run into and New Line Cinema before. Honestly, how can this franchise be such a difficult thing to have things come up with? Are the studio people overthinking what to do with the films? My thoughts are probably as they just want to come up with the right equation to become successful with it. 

    So due to Texas Chainsaw 2013 being unsuccessful, Lionsgate decided to take a page out of Platinum Dunes playbook it feels like. How can we make a Chainsaw film without doing a sequel to the film that came before? Well at this point, the timeline for this branch of the franchise goes as follows: Texas Chain Saw Massacre '74 and then Texas Chainsaw '13. Personally, I would have continued with a sequel. However, Lionsgate decided that we needed a prequel to explain why Leatherface is the way he is. Basically this serves as Lionsgate's The Beginning for the Texas Chainsaw '13 timeline. 

    The studio took it upon themselves to get a new screenwriter, Seth M. Sherwood and then Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury to handle the directing duties. Now I definitely see this as Lionsgate seeing these directors having a success in the horror genre with Inside (2007) and going "Let's get them to do it. For sure, they'll be able to make this a hit.". Sherwood seemed a bit limited by what he could explore as things had to line up to an extent to what we would expect from Tobe Hooper's classic. Let's call it prequelitis if we may. 

    I enjoyed the 2013 film. When I had heard that this film was announced, I was a little unsure. I immediately asked Why? Didn't we already get an origin for a Leatherface with The Beginning? Is this playing it a little safe? Then I had seen the first poster and it had me intrigued. Then hearing what the directors were going for with something of a mystery as to who was to be Leatherface. That was a bit of a new direction, in my opinion. I had heard the synopsis for the film and it's as follows: "A teenage Leatherface escapes from a mental hospital with three other inmates, kidnapping a young nurse and taking her on a road trip from hell, while being pursued by a lawman out for revenge.". 

    Now, the lawman out for revenge was something that I was intrigued by. I knew that Stephen Dorff was going to be in the film. I remember liking him as an actor and thought could do something interesting. It did remind me a little bit of Dennis Hopper's character from Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2. It did feel like they were trying something a little different. Then all news for the film went dark. It disappeared and missed its original release date. There was no word on when the film would be release. Rumors, at first, of major reshoots happening to complete the film. Then it was said that the film was completed, but that Lionsgate was unsure of when it'd see release. That remained for a year. It finally saw its release in 2017 to DirectTV streaming at first. Then it'd eventually make its way to a physical release, but many weren't impressed. It felt too little too late for the film. 

    I remember when I first sat down to watch the film. I was interested. Seeing the continuity details, however small they be, connecting this film to Chain Saw '74 and then to 3D. It was really interesting how they formed a trilogy of sorts. I thought it was a bit of a ballsy move. But I still managed to enjoy it. I enjoyed a lot of the cast in this film. Thought that they all had decent performances. For some reason, I couldn't help but finding myself enjoying it. And I even enjoyed the way that they introduced Leatherface into the film. Was it who I thought it was going to be? No, not by a long shot. I immediately was sure it was going to be their big red herring as to who Leatherface was going to be. I mean it makes a lot of sense because of 'who' Leatherface typically is. Usually, Leatherface is always portrayed as a big beast. So for some smaller person that was renamed Jackson to become Leatherface? I was open-minded. Do I think that there is maybe a sequence that was a little over excessive? Yeah, I do. But like I have mentioned before in this series, there is something I manage to like about each of the films. And that's something I can't say about most horror franchises. 

    If you manage to go in with an open mind, you may find yourself enjoying Leatherface '17. Do I think it gets a lot of hate? Yeah, I think it does. I think a large part is because it was honestly given up on by both the studio as well as audiences already dismissing it. 

Rating: 4 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

If you liked this, please leave a comment or recommend this to a friend.

    

    

The Saw Is Family: Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)

     

    Hello everyone, we are almost there. Texas Chainsaw Massacre '22 is almost upon us. One more day till we can see it on Netflix. I am really interested in seeing what they did with it. And I can definitely say that tomorrow I'll have my thoughts on the film as soon as possible because we all know that I don't get much sleep and am up by 4 am anyway. 

    After Platinum Dunes' success with their two Chainsaw films, they ultimately had written themselves into a corner. There was absolutely no way that they could have continued the story. Well, I more or less was able to figure out ways that they could have done so. But they were just done with Chainsaw. They thought themselves as above it and were focusing on revitalizing other horror brands. So, they let the rights go and with it Leatherface went dormant for a time.

    Lionsgate, Millennium Films, and Mainline Pictures ended up getting ready to make an installment as Lionsgate had secured the rights. At that point, they were trying to figure out how they could potentially bring Leatherface back to the big screen. Horror was undergoing another shift in what was big at the time like we see from time to time. Originally, a plan for a new trilogy was pitched. The films would be released out of chronological order, with the second film coming out first and being set almost entirely in a hospital. The next film would be a prequel explaining the events that led up to the hospital scenario. The third film would complete the storyline. Fearing it was too ambitious and risky, the producers opted for a follow up to the original instead. Now that I know this information it kind of makes a little more sense as to where they ended up going with this installment.

    They ended up bringing in Adam Marcus, who we know from the superb Jason Goes to Hell, and his wife Debra Sullivan to figure out the story for Texas Chainsaw. What they came up with was enough to sell the studio on the film and had impressed Tobe Hooper. It was a direct sequel to the original. It had a proper timeline and had the story take place in the 90s. The whole goal of that script was to explore Leatherface's relationship to his family and fill out some more of the mythology. That honestly sounds like a solid approach to me. So what had happened between that script and the finished film? 

    Well, I have a very strong feeling that studio meddling occurred. They brought in Kirsten Elms and director John Luessenhop to take another crack at the script. It was during this time that they shifted the film to take place in the present day. Why did this need to be? It didn't. I can just hear the studio head saying "It's got to be set in modern day because kids won't notice any small details. It's got to feel fresh. Oh, kids these days have their fancy phones. Throw something in there with a phone.". Thus, we got a whole sequence with an officer and his cell phone. And it does go down from there the more you think about it. 

    Ultimately, this is why I shut my brain off when watching this film. While they were going for monster film approach, it honestly feels like a blockbuster popcorn horror film. It's something to throw on for background noise from time to time. Just try not to think on things too much. 

    I remember in the buildup to see Texas Chainsaw 3D, I was pretty excited. I mean getting to see Leatherface on a big screen was nice. I ended up winning a contest and scoring two tickets to see it in 3D. So, I ended up going to see the film twice in the theater. And with those two watches, I found myself enjoying Texas Chainsaw. Was it a solid film? I honestly don't think so. There were just so many times that I found myself questioning what was happening in the story. I mean if Alexandria Dadarrio just listened and read the note, the film would have been over. Come on, just listen to the old man. I also didn't enjoy any of her friends. Outside of the chef, the rest of the group felt like garbage people. I mean come on, her boyfriend is screwing around with what's supposed to be her 'best friend'. And then when they were attacked, Dadarrio still tried to save that friend. She was better than at least three out of the four. It kind of felt like they were just trying to pile things on for Dadarrio's character to the point where she could just fuckin snap. And honestly where the film goes with that, it makes sense. It's just sad how it gets there. 

    One thing that I didn't mind is that opening with the Sawyer family. I mean we get Bill Moseley as Drayton Sawyer this time around. That was something that honestly had me wishing we could have had more time with this family. We also get to see Gunnar Hansen as another member of the Sawyers. It was interesting getting to see what the consequences were of that first film. I mean it ultimately led the Sawyers to be massacred themselves. The whole character of Verna Carson was one that I enjoyed. Knowing that this was Marilyn Burns, who played Sally in the original, was so interesting. It added such a beautiful layer to the film. 

    Outside of the family story and what I have mentioned already, the rest of the film just doesn't work. Is it exciting? Nah. Is it entertaining? Yes, in a I'mma turn my brain off to enjoy this kind of way. I was really interested as to where the story could have gone next with that end-credit sequence. It set up something interesting with the idea of Dadarrio taking care of Leatherface. Would I have been interested in that film? Yeah. 

    I think the biggest disappointment was that the studio had changed Adam Marcus and Debra Sullivan's initial story. What could have that story been like? I honestly am really wishing that we could see that one made. No script changes to it. That script entirely. 

    So I guess, in conclusion, if you are looking for a film that's something for background noise. Check this out. 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Saw Is Family: Texas Chainsaw Massacre '03 (2003)

 

    Welcome back to The Saw Is Family. Last time, we took a look at Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III. I know the next film in line was supposed to be The Next Generation. But as of right now, I have not been able to find a copy of it. The plan is to try and find a copy soon. Fingers crossed with that. So instead, I thought it'd be time to move on to the Platinum Dunes's first Chainsaw. 

    2003. Hard to believe that it's almost been 20 years now. It honestly feels like just year to me. I was a freshman in high school. I remember a couple of my classmates had been talking about Texas Chainsaw Massacre one weekend. They were really excited about it. And then I recall hearing their reactions at school on Monday, the film was scary. They said it was really good and scary. This was something that caught my attention. At that point in life, I remember horror films were still on the verge of making a comeback after the late 90s. I had seen the trailers. But I knew my Dad wasn't going to take me to go see it. I didn't have my license yet nor anyone that I would be interested in going to see the film with. So, I had to wait till the film was released on Pay-Per-View. It honestly felt like it was a long wait. Through those few months, I kept hearing from friends that I needed to see Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It fueled an expectation that I had for the film. 

    Then the day came when it arrived on Pay-Per-View, my Dad was going to be watching a football game. I asked him if I could get Texas Chainsaw Massacre to watch it. He agreed. That afternoon I watched it. And for the life of me, I couldn't understand what my friends were talking about. This was scary? Maybe in a theater setting with an audience it would have worked differently. But in a living room with the shades drawn, the film just wasn't scary to me. It felt like it was padded with its runtime. The things that were supposed to be scary just weren't working. It was overrated in my opinion and had missed the mark. I found it to be dull and I was unimpressed.

    But then something changed, I remember going to our local K-Mart. At that time, we didn't yet have a Wal-Mart in my hometown. So unless one travelled an hour to Port Huron or 40 minutes to Bad Axe or Caro, K-Mart was your stop. On the video shelf among the new DVD releases, there sat the 2 Disc Collectors Edition of Texas Chainsaw Massacre '03 with its red metal plate featuring the artwork of Leatherface holding his chainsaw. When my Dad was ready to go, he found me in the Entertainment section holding the set. I used my allowance to get it. He had asked me "Why I was interested in that? Didn't you watch it before and not like it?". I explained that maybe I was wrong and that I could like it. I don't think he really understood it. But I came home with that set. 

    I remember a lot of people kept asking me what I wanted to do after high school. 'What's your plans?' was the big question that loomed over me. I kept saying that I wanted to talk about movies. I was extremely interested in how movies were made. The whole process still fascinates me. Whenever I get a chance to check out behind the scenes looks at films or commentaries, I jump at it. It's just so interesting hearing how a film is made and what are the many processes that it goes through. One of the big things that fueled my passion for film-making is that Texas Chainsaw Massacre set. It has a whole hour and sixteen minute documentary on the making of it, as well as three different commentary tracks. I remember that weekend I watched all of those features so many times. 

    Did the Special Features help change my opinion of the film? Absolutely. It gave me such a better understanding of what they were going for. I understand that some films probably shouldn't need their Special Features to help one understand more about the film. But this was a case that it helped me get more in the mindset of what they were going for. And I grew to have a large appreciation for the film. 

    It's not trying to be the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. There was no way that they could do that. I mean they could, take a look at Psycho 1998. That wouldn't be successful nor would it work. But if they were set on it, they could still do it. But they were trying to tone down the humor that was evident in the original film. This is a film that is a horror movie first and foremost. Gone is the documentary feel of the original. I mean we did get Daniel Pearl back to give this film a distinct look. He did a pretty fantastic job of differentiating it from the original. Marcus Nispel does a solid job with directing the film. Could it have been trimmed a little more? Chances are yes. But for the most part once I understood what they were going for, the film didn't feel like a total slog of a film. 

    It does a solid job of re-establishing Leatherface as well as establishing the Hewitt Family. And what a family it is. I mean R. Lee Ermey as Sheriff Hoyt is such fantastic casting. Andrew Byrnarski does do a solid job of a menacing Leatherface. But ultimately, he feels a little bit held back. He could have and should have been more. But it's a solid start.  Could we have used some more scenes and interactions between Leatherface and the rest of the family? Hell yes. I mean come on, why didn't we get a scene with Momma and Leatherface? That would have been fantastic. The part where I think the film falters is where it ends up. Leatherface is injured and on the run from police? Hoyt is potentially dead? They never do address what happened to the other members of the family. It all feels a little surface level, if that makes sense. If they had time and a chance to delve deeper into the characters after the events of this film, it'd be interesting. I know we get The Beginning and we'll get there. 

    I do find Leatherface's mask to be creepy. It's a little unsettling to look at. But he makes a Kemper mask and uses it in one scene. Why? Why go to that length to do that for just one scene? I would have appreciated it so much more if he had gone on to use it for the remainder of the film. You could have shown it becoming damaged and a bit more worn down. Instead, the mask gets thrown away after the van scene. 

    Why is it always wet in this film? That's something that really irked me. Everything is wet. The walls. The floors. The meat factory sequence. The whole amount of rain in that last few moments. Did we really need it to be so wet? I may be ranting, but come on they could have done better. 

    There were a few things that were deleted that intrigued me. The whole alternate opening and ending of the film - it focuses on an interview with Present Day Erin in an Asylum. That was something that was vastly different. I don't get why they decided to open and close with the police investigating the Hewitt House in Black and White. Trying a little too hard for the documentary feel with that sequence, in my opinion. It clashes with the whole aesthetic of the film. There was a subplot with Erin being pregnant with Kemper's child. Why was this taken out? Because Erin goes through the frickin ringer and is beaten down so much that chances are she'd lose the baby? Honestly, it adds a bit more depth to things. 

    I get that maybe I'm being a bit too hard on the '03 remake. Is it bad? No, it's not really bad. It's actually pretty good and interesting. I would definitely say that it's one of the better Texas Chainsaw films in this franchise. If you need your Leatherface fix, I'd say give this a watch.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

If you liked this, please leave a comment or recommend this to a friend.

The Saw Is Family: Texas Chainsaw Massacre The Beginning (2006)

 

    Are you still with us? Here we are, four films deep into the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. It's been an interesting experience. I have done this before, but this is the first time viewing the films in a more critical way. Last time, we took a look at Texas Chainsaw Massacre '03 from Marcus Nispel and Platinum Dunes. It was an interesting, more serious take on the story. But one downside was that it felt like they had used up everything in one film. Interesting thing is if it was made today, they wouldn't have thrown all the eggs in one basket would they?

    After the success of the 2003 Texas Chainsaw Massacre, people were asking for more Leatherface. The large question I remember asking was How in the hell could you do a sequel? Well, you don't go all in on a sequel. That would have been too much of a risk for them probably. I mean if you're going to do another Chainsaw, you have to make sure you have a solid story right? That's what Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller were all saying in the Behind the Scenes. So what do you do? 

    Well, there was a time in Hollywood where it felt like prequels were all the rage. You make a movie and it's successful. How else can you explore that world? Well, if you don't want to do a sequel - you do a prequel. I mean George Lucas did it with Star Wars and that went well, right? Platinum Dunes sure thought so as they developed The Beginning. 

    It's a film that's set three years prior to the 2003 remake and gives fans more of what they thought was interesting about that film - the Family. I mean that's what worked really well about that previous film. But sometimes going back to tell a story can be a hinderance. It writes you into a corner potentially. You're not getting to develop the characters further, you're adding more personalities to them that would hopefully carry over into the subsequent film in the timeline. So then what's the point?

    Now, it may seem like I'm just shitting on TCM: The Beginning. I actually really like it a lot, probably more than the remake if I'm honest. The brothers and their girlfriends are all solid characters. The way that each of them play off of one another in the scenes before they meet the Hewitts is interesting. There is a bit more depth with these characters when compared to the kids from the remake. They are all more likeable. I found myself caring for what was going to happen to them. I wanted someone to be able to make it out of the film alive. However, that's one of the big problems. It's set three years prior to the remake. Leatherface is still out there and no one is fully aware of him yet. Therefore, no one can make it out. Personally, I would have had Jordana Brewster make it out and then she could have been so terrified and PTSD from this situation that she would have went in to hiding. It would have also set up the possibility of using the character if they had wished to bring them back in a sequel to the remake. You could have also brought back Jessica Biel for that said sequel if interested. But instead, we got the easy way out. 

    Being this is a prequel, we also have to establish how Leatherface was born for some reason. This was something that I felt we didn't need. We could have had Luda Mae find Leatherface still or something. But instead we are shown the birth of Leatherface on the Meat Factory floor because plot. One of the things that I do appreciate is seeing how Sheriff Hoyt became the 'Sheriff'. It adds a lot of depth to an already colorful character. I mean now it makes things even more out there considering Hoyt spent three years in this newfound 'job'. When one thinks more about it, would it have been plausible? Honestly, it probably would have because there is practically no 'town' nearby them. My question though is Was the gas station something that they had owned and run before? Was it a family owned business for the Hewitts? Or did they take that over like Hoyt had taken the position of Sheriff? Moving on, we have Luda Mae, Uncle Monty, and the Tea Lady. I honestly don't think we get enough with these characters. They kind of are just there going along with things. Hoyt barks Monty to clear up the car accident and such. But outside of getting his legs cut off, is there a point for Monty? Yeah cause of plot. He didn't have his legs and we need to see how he lost them. Luda Mae goes along with things cause she believes in Hoyt? That's what we're saying? I just wish they had more with the characters. And as for the Tea Lady, ultimately she's like an easter egg for those that had watched the remake. She serves the purpose of being shoved up against the door and blocking it at one point. 

    The cinematography for The Beginning kind of works. Does it work in tone with the remake? No. It absolutely does not. Yeah, it's supposed to tie in to that film. But compared to the remake, The Beginning is full of hot warm lighting. It's an absolute stark contrast to that 2003 remake. But I guess that's probably the point. But honestly, it doesn't allow the two films to gel together very well. 

    Blood and gore? Yeah, The Beginning is not afraid to show everything. I remember going to see this at the theater and being astounded at how much they were getting to show on the screen. And then watching the Uncut Version later when it hit DVD, holy crap. It just expands on the gore. But an interesting thing about that version is that it does add some small things to the plot. They may be small and it mostly focuses on restoring the gore to its full glory, but it honestly does add a bit. Something that was interesting about the Behind the Scenes on that DVD is seeing the work put into the effects from KnB. They did an astounding job. It's a great sight to see physical effects being done on screen vs. computer doing everything. 

    While I loved The Beginning, I don't find that it works too well with the 2003 film. It works better as its own standalone because of the continuity issues between the two films. I mean Leatherface is said to be suffering from a skin eating disease in the 2003 film, yet he's not that far gone in The Beginning. And that's with a three year gap between the two films. If they hadn't shown Leatherface unmasked in the 2003 film, it would have helped immensely. The Beginning also was written into a corner by having to make sure that things line up with the 2003 film and it does feel it a little bit. It does have memorable characters though everyone is doomed to die. 

Rating: 4.25 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

If you liked this, please leave a comment or recommend this to a friend.

    

The Saw Is Family: Leatherface Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)

    Welcome back to The Saw Is Family. So far in this look back, we have managed to cover just a small tip of this franchise. With the first film, it had managed to find its success and gone on to become such a classic. However with Part 2, it missed its mark at the time. Personally, I chalk it up to being a little ahead of its time. Audiences just weren't prepared for it yet. And there's the small fact that a lot of people were probably expecting something a bit closer to that first installment. 

    It would take a few years, but Leatherface would eventually find his way back to the big screen. This time it would be with a whole new company. While they were new to Leatherface, they weren't new to the horror genre. I mean there's a reason why they're called "The House That Freddy Built" - New Line Cinema. 

    But herein lies the issue, new company holding the chainsaw means there's many chances for mistakes. Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III definitely had its fair share of issues during its production. For one, New Line was gearing everything up for production on the film but one thing - a director. They had also made sure to have KnB Studios on the project for the effects. They eventually approached Jeff Burr after their first choice (Peter Jackson) hadn't panned out to direct. Ironically, New Line would go on to fire Jeff Burr before production was set to begin. With no one else accepted the job, New Line rehired Burr. Sure signs of production troubles. 

    The synopsis of the film is as follows: "A couple encounters a perverted gas station attendant who threatens them with a shotgun. They take a deserted path in Texas to seek help, but only meet up with a cannibalistic clan interested in helping themselves to fresh meat.". New Line was fully set on this being its own installment apart from the previous films. I mean what other direction did they have to go on? At the end of Part 2, the family is basically wiped out by Stretch and Lefty. Roughly, this is a sequel in name only. It also harkens back to a more serious tone akin to the first installment. 

    While I was watching this film earlier today, I just kept thinking to myself 'What had happened to the film?'. This watch was with the Unrated version. I appreciate that it's trying to craft a new story. I appreciate that it even has a new 'family' that Leatherface works alongside. But as much as I would like to say that it's good. It's okay. It just screams of its troubled production. It screams that the studio had no idea what to do with it. They had the Texas Chainsaw license, but didn't fully understand what that meant. Therefore, Leatherface becomes a shallow thug shell of his former self. He's just someone that goes around with his chainsaw terrorizing people. I mean Yeah, Leatherface did that in the first two films. But he also used his hammer quite a bit. He wasn't always so reliant on that damn chainsaw. Plus even in the Unrated cut, the film feels tame. Understandably that's a shame considering the original script had more gore in it. If they had made the original script today, I'm not sure they would have cut back on the gore. They wouldn't have had to. But hey, it was the 90s and horror was going through its cycle. 

    Two things the film does have going for it though is Ken Foree and Viggo Mortensen. Both of these actors do great job in this. Ken Foree is a bit of a tough action hero. Viggo Mortensen - well, he does a superb job at playing crazy.

    Outside of those two, the film just feels like a pale imitator of the Texas Chainsaw name. I'm not trying to come down on it too hard. But it just feels like there could have been a lot more done with it - perhaps if the studio hadn't wanted to rush it out to the theater. The commentary for the film was an interesting listen as well as the Behind the Scenes documentary. Those two things did help give a better insight as to what happened with Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III.

Rating: 3 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

The Saw Is Family: Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 (1986)

     

    Welcome back to The Saw Is Family! Our retrospective that dives into the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. Last time, I took a look at the original 1974 film that started it all. It's a film that I appreciate and that I enjoy a bit. I mean this franchise wouldn't be where it is today without it. Is it a completely perfect film? No, I don't think so. It does have some faults that have come to the forefront with the last watch that I did. However that first film was a bit of a success and it took a while before people were asking for a sequel. But one did come...

    Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part II was released in 1986. Wait a minute, that's 12 years between the two entries. Tobe Hooper had returned to direct and co-write alongside L. M. Kit Carson. When it was first released, it turned out not to be a financial success. It had managed to recoup it's budget, but nothing more substantial than that. What had happened?

     Well, I can definitely say that when people stepped into theaters to see Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 - they were probably expecting a certain kind of film. Something that was a further continuation in the established style of that first film. However this film was far from that, this managed to carve a new path and legacy for itself apart from the previous film. 

    Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 is a film that is fun. It is an absolute rollercoaster. It literally took any of the preconceived notions one would have after watching the original and flipped them on their heads. Could it have been done in the same style as the original '74 classic? There's a chance it could have. Would it have been a hit? I honestly couldn't say. I fear that if it had tried to emulate what made the first so successful, it would have lost something. It definitely wouldn't be as iconic as Part 2 has gone on to be. 

    One of the large reasons why Part 2 works so damn well for me is its cast. Dennis Hopper in a Texas Chainsaw film? Who would have thought it would have worked so well? He is so over the top in such a beautiful way. He knows exactly what he wanted to do with the role and what he had to do to get there. It allowed him to make Lefty such an interesting and fleshed out characters. The same goes for Caroline Williams as Stretch. She delivers such an incredible performance. The film literally hinges on her shoulders. If she didn't work, the rest of the film may not play as well as it does. 

    We do get to see the return of Jim Siedow as Drayton Sawyer. He was very memorable in the first film, however in this second film - the character flourishes. Honestly in this installment, the whole Sawyer clan comes to life in such an interesting way. It's more lively than in the original film, in my opinion. And that definitely has something to do with Bill Moseley as Chop Top. This is a character that is the brother to the hitchhiker from the '74 film. He is completely over the top in such a fun way. Every time he's on screen, this performance manages to steal the scene. Every time I have watched this film, I keep an eye on Chop Top and always find something new in the performance. It's such an iconic performance. And we also have Bill Johnson as Leatherface. 

    This is probably one of the largest changes from the original film. In that original film, Leatherface was a bit more of a brute and did as instructed. In this installment, we get to see many layers to the character. He takes moments to think for himself. He does make some mistakes - accidentally denting Chop Top's dome probably one of them. He does manage to take a liking to Stretch. Some would say that it's a very cartoonish approach, but I say that it works really well. It's a more embellished approach when compared to the original film. 

    Holy crap, I went this far into talking about the film without discussing the story. I guess that shows the power of this film. It's a very simple story, which sometimes is what works best. It picks up 13 years after the events of the original. One night we have two dimwits calling a radio station while encountering Leatherface and Chop Top. It's something that sets the whole film into motion. Plus we get to see the return of Nubbins, the hitchhiker - even if he is just a corpse. The story moves along at a very quick pace and before I knew it, we were seeing Dennis Hopper battling Leatherface in a Chainsaw Battle for the Ages. 

    It's amazing to see that after all these years, Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 continues to find an audience. It may not have found it on initial release, but I'm sure it's made up for it since then. The film has such a chaotic energy at times and can be captivating. I would say that out of the whole franchise, this is probably my favorite. And it's very easy to see why. 

If you haven't seen it yet, go check out Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2. 

Rating: 5 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

If you subscribe, you can have updates sent to your e-mail. 

The Saw Is Family: Texas Chainsaw Massacre '74 (1974)

    

    Welcome everyone to our first installment of The Saw Is Family: The Texas Chainsaw Retrospective. This is something I have been pretty excited about. In the span of this latest run of this blog, I have covered quite a few franchises so far: Puppet Master, Leprechaun, Child's Play and Scream in their entireties. We have dipped our toes in with Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the Elm Street remake. But while all those franchises were something that I had grown up with, Texas Chainsaw is one that's separate from the rest. 

    My first time watching the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre wasn't till at least 2006. It was something that I hadn't grown up with. My first installment of this franchise that I had seen was the 2003 remake. And that first watch of it was an interesting one as I just didn't really gel with it. It was probably because at the time I wasn't prepared for the film. And after watching the original Amityville Horror for the first time, I wasn't exactly ready to give the original Texas Chainsaw a try. But I remember that 2 disc set that they released for the film. I finally was able to sit down and give the film a watch. 

    Texas Chainsaw Massacre '74 is something that is incredibly interesting. It's a film that when it was originally released was pitched to be 'based on a true story'. Yeah, we know a lot of films claim to be 'based on a true story' when in reality - they not. While Leatherface and Texas Chainsaw didn't happen, it was still inspired by the story of Ed Gein. Ed Gein was also the inspiration for Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs and Norman Bates in Psycho. It's incredibly interesting that these three horror icons are inspired by one man. Each of them manage to find some aspect of inspiration from that story. 

    When I had first watched Chainsaw '74, it was something that I was well aware of. I had been told repeatedly that I had to watch it. "It'll give you chills.", some of my friends had claimed. While that didn't happen, I did find myself incredibly intrigued by the film. While we are shown the events of the film through the view of Sally and her friends, the film is about Leatherface's family and their interactions with them. I was incredibly annoyed by Franklin, which I'm assuming is something that was supposed to be the case. He's someone that typically we would care for, but he's just a downright jerk to Sally and the rest of her friends. At some points, it's just downright sufferable. So, it just helped us root for Leatherface when the time came for poor Franklin. 

    I love Tobe Hooper's approach to showing us the family and making them so distinct and unique from one another . He gives each of them their own moment to shine - the Hitchhiker scene in the van, Leatherface's Hammer Time entrance into the film, Grandpa's masterful attempt to swing that hammer or that pitch perfect family dinner scene with Drayton. All of these moments are incredible and have gone on to become such iconic moments. 

    The way that the camera is used in this film doesn't necessarily make it feel like a film. It feels more of something like a documentary. When this first released, I could see this lending credence that this 'happened'. Especially as they were marketing this to be the most terrifying film at the time. 

    The pacing of this film is something that is also very interesting. Hooper took the time to introduce and develop the characters. Some may consider it to be a bit of a slow pace. But I have to say that it's much appreciated. Sally and Franklin receive a lot of the development in the film. Sally's friends however are a bit one note especially during the hitchhiker scene. How long did it have to take before the one driving knew what the hell was going on in the back? Everyone was playing it small and quiet. I guess I get it because they don't want to instigate Nubbins into doing anything further drastic. But he went on a little too long, in my opinion. Franklin's a jackass that starts off relatively light, but after encountering Nubbins it caused him to take a dark turn. He started looking at everyone differently to the point where he was completely crass. 

    The whole reason for this 'trip' for Sally and her friends being they are going to investigate the 'suspected vandalization' of her Grandfather's grave. Within the first few minutes of the film, we quickly solve that mystery. It was dug up, but it didn't look like he had been vandalized. After that had been solved, I would have been out of there. Instead, they decide to check out Grandfather's old house. And it's very apparent that nobody has been there for years. It's dilapidated and run down. Heck, the local 'watering hole' out back has all but dried up. There's also the small fact that there isn't many places to get some gas for their van. But outside of all that, it feels like it was a small reason to have them run into Leatherface and his family. 

    Now this may seem like I'm trashing the film, but I am not trying to. I really enjoy the film. It's a very original and distinct horror film. There's a reason that it was one of the first horror films to arrive on the scene. And when it did, it hit in a bit of a big way. Hooper has done many films over the span of his career. However, I don't think many of them come close to what he was able to achieve with Texas Chainsaw Massacre '74. 

Rating: 4.5 out of 5. 

Follow BlazinBlue's Horror Review on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Subscribe to receive updates sent to your e-mail for the blog.