So Bubba was only 13 in the original? As much as I like TCM, my go to Hooper will always be Salem’s Lot.
The most consistent account is that he was a slow shooter and his sets were probably too relaxed. This didn’t jive well with run-and-gun producers and staunch professionals. That said... he did make films between the ones he was fired from, successfully, so I’d say, the real onus is on those producers who failed to work with someone of his unique approach to conducting a film set. It was the 1st AD, John Cardos, who he suspected was being eyed (and was doing the eyeing) to replace him (and ultimately did). But it’s clear these producers wanted things done their way or no way, and Cardos would eventually be their go-to when directors refused to apply themselves how they wanted them to. They pulled the same bait-and-switch on Mark Rosman on 1984’s MUTANT, removing him after four days and replacing him with Cardos. Rosman claims they wanted to change the film he had prepared... same with Hooper. That’s not to mention directors get replaced all the time for creative differences, and it’s as often a not true. The more likely story is the producers getting in the way again. Worth noting the director of photography also left with Hooper. Legendarily unfounded. Every actor you ask, at least, place him on set directing, it’s just when you get to second-hand observers that they tend to overlook the fact if anyone had any influence on the film’s producer, it was Hooper, and they apparently worked in a thorough give-and-take, if we compare script/pre-viz to screen, and see how Hooper’s improvisatory methods (going back to his slow approach to shooting) are all too apparent.
I assume you're referring to Edward Montoro here. Didn't he take the money and run to Mexico during or shortly after that movie wrapped? They almost completely changed Rosman's movie in that case. There were no zombies in NIGHT SHADOWS as scripted. Or at least definitely not zombies leaking acid from vaginas in their palms. But hey, that's why I like that movie.
Actively avoiding all "horror and gore" type movies, I didn't see this movie until a couple years ago. I was always under the impression that it was a campy gorefest, and boy was I dead wrong. It has a style and texture that grabbed me immediately, and yes it scared the hell out of me. What drew me in was the realism, it plays like an early Richard Linklater movie at the beginning (I'm thinking of his film Slacker). Very, very central Texas. I grew up literally just a few minutes from where most of the movie was filmed. All that raw land is now a bland area of apartment building and toll roads in Round Rock, TX (which is more disturbing than the movie to me). I can't immerse myself in the whole movie, it's quite an ordeal - but it's got a beauty and artfulness about it, and it shows a side of the world that I can't come to terms with - aside from dwelling on filming locations! Texas Chainsaw Massacre Film Locations
Indeed on both counts! I’ve always wondered if he was the tinkerer or Igo Kantor, who also worked on both films but seems like a nice gentleman rather than a crook. Montoro seemed to luck out with good cinematographers on hand, A BOY AND HIS DOG’s John Morrill on THE DARK, SPIDER BABY’s Al Taylor on MUTANT/NIGHT VISIONS... and I doubt he had anything to do in that regard so scratch that.
Yeah, it doesn't need it because of the way it's shot. When Pam gets hung on the meat hook, you see the hook and Leatherface carrying her toward it. But the view from the front when Leatherface lifts her up and drops her on the hook and then her reaction, for me carries much more weight than a shot of the hook piercing her skin. And it still makes me wince.
My wife doesn't like gory movies either, & one night several years ago I put the DVD in while she was on the computer. From how the TV & computer were angled, she could see the movie & got drawn into watching it, without meaning to. She didn't watch it avidly, but did wat j it, & afterwards asked me to not watch it again when she was at home. She also said she sees why I love it, & that it's well made for what it is, intense & compelling, but it disturbed her a great deal, & it looked so grungy & filthy that the combo made her want to shower after it was over. As much as I love it, it still gets under my skin, (which I love!), & I have to really be in the mood to watch it.
I can’t speak of what problems Hooper faced with producers, other than what I’ve read, except to mention he struggled with production interference as late as his last feature, Djinn, which was taken out of his hands and edited against his intentions. Scout TaFoya’s excellent new book on Hooper (very supportive of the director’s work) sheds some light on the struggles. There were many (Hooper completed Toolbox Murders on his own dime after the funding ran out, if I’m not mistaken). I will mention that I think The Funhouse is just about a perfect horror movie, and proof that he made great films after Chainsaw. I’m also an admirer of all three Cannon films, Salem’s Lot, Spontaneous Combustion and Toolbox Murders.
Tafoya’s book is great. Spontaneous Combustion is a favorite, despite it also falling under the influence of producers.
November 20: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre & Eaten Alive & The Funhouse | New Beverly Cinema I already bought my ticket!
Bill Moseley, who played Chop Top, was a college running mate of guitarist Gary Lucas. Gary ran a film society called Things That Go Bump In The Night, played guitar in the Yale Marching Band. He went on to manage and play lead guitar with Captain Beefheart, appearing on his last two recordings, before embarking on a solo career that included working with Jeff Buckley and his own Gods and Monsters among many other projects. Moseley has continued his movie career that I haven't followed nearly as closely. I think the first time I saw the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre was at one of Gary's weekly showings, where I also saw Carnival of Souls and Mad Love for the first time.
Tobe Hooper Pretended to Direct ‘Poltergeist’ for Steven Spielberg! In fact, we’ve sort of confirmed this here on Bloody Disgusting multiple times. One piece of evidence was shared this past February, in which a mini-doc ended the debate once and for all. Before her passing, Zelda Rubinstein, who starred in the film as Tangina, had told AIC this shocker back in 2007: “I can tell you that Steven directed all six days I was there. I only worked six days on the film and Steven was there. Tobe set up the shots and Steven made the adjustments.” While there have been shreds of evidence over the years, it’s hard to understand why this happened. From the outside looking in, it’s hard to not think that Spielberg was saving the film from Hooper’s incompetence. Even Rubinstein suggested in the aforementioned interview that he was allowing “unacceptable chemical agents into his work.” Promoting his new film Wish Upon, director John Leonetti not only confirmed that Spielberg directed Poltergeist but that Hooper was used as a pawn to allow this to happen. You see, his brother is cinematographer Matt Leonetti, who was Director of Photography on Poltergeist. Because of this, John was assistant camera and was on set for every single shot of the film, which is how he learned the truth behind this long-debated mystery. “It was a very intense, very fun, very technical movie to work on,” Leonetti told Shockwaves. “There’s a lot going on. And candidly… Steven Spielberg directed that movie. There’s no question. " While Zelda was only on set for a week, the Leonetti’s where there for every. single. shot. Hearing this from John’s mouth is the best confirmation we’re going to get next to Hooper or Spielberg finally coming clean. This brings us back to the aforementioned question I asked, WHY? John explains and it gives us motive: “Hooper was so nice and just happy to be there. He creatively had input. Steven developed the movie, and it was his to direct, except there was anticipation of a director’s strike, so he was “the producer” but really he directed it in case there was going to be a strike and Tobe was cool with that. It wasn’t anything against Tobe. Every once in a while, he would actually leave the set and let Tobe do a few things just because. But really, Steven directed it.” There you have it. The 35-year-long mystery has been solved. Poltergeist was always supposed to be a Steven Spielberg-directed movie and a young Tobe Hooper played the role to avoid a shut down in the midst of a director’s strike. It all makes sense, and now that it’s in the open it would be pretty cool if Hooper or Spielberg would come clean and talk about it in length. No matter, I think Hooper has carved out a nice legacy for himself and Spielberg doesn’t appear to care one way or another who gets the credit so long as his company delivered a quality product to moviegoers. You have to respect that."
