Origins and inspiration for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre film (Tobe Hooper, 1974)

Origins and inspiration for the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film (Tobe Hooper, 1974)

“Who will survive and what will be left of them?”

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Tobe Hooper, 1974) is one of the most significant and box office successful horror films. Texas Chainsaw Massacre is an independent film written, produced and directed by Tobe Hooper the majority of film makers and actors   were students from University of Texas at Austin. The film Texas Chainsaw Massacre has a huge impact on film industry and it’s considered that redefined the “last girl” horror film concept.

Tobe Hooper's  inspiration for Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a “meat movies” according to a large number of very well established film critics and academics because the main concept of the film beyond the title! The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is not a film about Chainsaws and not a film about a massacre.  It’s a film about a cannibals family in Texas fictionalizing  the most bizarre crimes in American history through camera lens using “cinema verite” (documentary) film making style.

In the beginning of cinema the act of cannibalism was not shown on camera, films like “Dr X” (Michael Curtiz, 1932) and “Sweeney Todd:The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”  (George King, 1936) were the first films about fictional stories of cannibals.

Four decades later, in 1963 HG Lewis a southern independent filmmaker filmed the prototype for the gore, the legendary film “Blood Feast” and for the first time in cinema audience watched the cannibalistic intentions of fictional characters but there are restrictions to limb – lopping and tongue – pulling aplenty and there is no “human flesh consumed”. In 1972, Gary Sherman directed in London the film “Death Line” (in USA it was distributed) under the title “Raw Meat”. The plot structure of the film is based around the history of the “Man” a fictional character who was cannibal and he killed his victims in the tunnels around Russell Square tube station. In 1973 Fassbinder protégé Ulli Lommel directed the film “Wolves” / “Zaerlichekeit Der Voelte” the story of the film is about a true – life case of cannibal killer Fritz Haarmann.

Tobe Hooper’s idea about Texas Chainsaw Massacre                     

One Christmas during Tobe Hooper’s early life, the teenager Tobe Hooper was trapped in the hardware department of Montgomery Ward’s by the throng of seasonal shoppers. Tobe Hooper was looking around to find a way to escape he saw a chainsaw and immediately realized that the only way to get out from his trap was to use the chainsaw – the broad outline of the film’s plot and feel followed soon after.

The real crime case (cannibal case) of Wisconsin grave ripper and ghoul Edward Gein influenced the creation of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Kim Henkel co written the script of the film and during one interview she revealed that a local real crime case known as “Candyman Murders” influenced the script development and the creation of the film Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Also, Tobe Hooper said that EC Comics influenced him for the creation of plot structure. 

You can see a Tobe Hooper interview about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series  

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I need to mention that this article tries to provide information to reader using all the available data on the day of its publishing. New information and data for this subject and issue are published every day. It’s been highly recommended to the reader to search on Google for more information. World is moving searching is the driving force. Searching is the source of inspiration and the source of truth.  

Kane Hodder

Kane Hodder

Kane Hodder not just an actor and stuntman

Kane Hodder is known to cinema audience for his portrayal of “Leatherface”  in the third film of the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series. The film “Leatherface : The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III”  is the second sequel film of the initial horror masterpiece “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (Tobe Hooper,1974). Kane Holder also played the fictional character “Jason Voorhees” in four films from “Friday the 13th” film series “Friday the 13th Part VII:The New Blood”, “Friday the 13th Part VIII:Jason Takes Manhattan”, “Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday” and “Jason X”.

Kane Hodder also played the Character -Victor Clowley in films “Hatchet ” (Adam Green, 2000),"Hatchet II" (Adam Green, 2010) and Hatchet III.

Few worlds about Kane Hodder

Kane Holder is from California and he was born in fifties and he started his cinema career as stunt and actor in the film “Lone Wolf McQuade” (Steve Carer, 1983) and he continued his career until he was offered to participate in the movie ”The Hills have eyes” (Wes Craven, 1985) more participation followed until the milestone film for Kane Hodder’s career “Friday the 13th Part VII: The new blond” (John Carl Bluechler, 1988) a year later Kane Hodder  participated in the movie “Friday the 13th Part VIII : Jason Takes Manhattan” (Rob Hedden, 1989). In 1990 Kane Hobber portrayed the “Leatherface” character in the film “Leatherface : The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III” (Jeff Burr, 1990) and Kane Hodder followed his carer by performing as stunt in 72 movies and in 73 movies as actor.

to be continued

You can watch a Kane Hodder's interview on youtube.

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I need to mention that this article tries to provide information to reader using all the available data on the day of its publishing. New information and data for this subject and issue are published every day. It’s been highly recommended to the reader to search on Google for more information. World is moving searching is the driving force. Searching is the source of inspiration and the source of truth.  

John Luessenhop

John Luessenhop

John Luessenhop the director of Texas Chainsaw 3D (2012 - 2013)

The director of Texas Chainsaw 3D is John Luessenhop who has not only film studies background but he has studied also legal studies in the University of Virginia. According to Internet Movies Database John Luessenhop has studied film in University of California at Los Angeles and at New York University.

John Luessenhop film director career

John Luessenhop started his film making career with the short film “Tick, Tick, Tick” (1994) six years later John Luessenhop directed his first feature “Lockdown” (2000) and in 2010 he directed the film "Takers”.

Texas Chainsaw ED is the first horror film of John Luessenhop since the Lockdown was a drama and the film Takers is a crime / thriller / detective crossover.

You can watch on youtube an interview of John Luesenhop speaking about "Texas Chainsaw 3D"

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I need to mention that this article tries to provide information to reader using all the available data on the day of its publishing. New information and data for this subject and issue are published every day. It’s been highly recommended to the reader to search on Google for more information. World is moving searching is the driving force. Searching is the source of inspiration and the source of truth.  

Tania Raymonde

Tania Raymonde

Tania Raymonde performs the support female character in Texas Chainsaw 3D film.

Tania Raymonde was born in 22 March of 1988 ans she appeared in the TV series “Malcolm in the Middle” performing the character of Cythia Sandrrs during the period 2000 - 2002. According to script of the above TV series Cythia Sanders is a gifted student who joins Malcolm’s class in the episode “Kreyboyne Girl”. Three years later, in 2006 Tania Raynold Helen Katz played the part of Alex Rousseau, in the American Broadcasting Company’s (ABC’s) TV series “Lost” also she performs as Officer Carla Rinaldi in the American Horror Black Comedy Mockumentary television series of MTV - Death Valley.

Tania Raymonde's filmography.

1. Children of their Birthdays (2002)

2. The Garage (2006)

3. Japan (2006)

4. The other side of the Tracks (Amelia) (2006)

5. Chassing 3000 (2008)

6. Foreign Exchange (2008)

7. Good Sam and Mox (2009)

8. Elsewhere (2009)

9. Wild Cherry (2009)

10. Still Waiting (2009)

11. The Immaculate (2009)

12. Crazy Eyes (2011)

13. Trophy Kids (2011)

14. Blue Like Jass (2011)

15. Manson Girls (2012)

16. Texas Chainsaw 3D (2012)

Tania Raymonde's TV Performances

Providence, The Brothers Garcia, Malcolm in the Middle, Te Nightmare Room, That’s so Raver, The O’ Keefers, The Gurdian, NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigate Services, Medium Lost, The Cleaner, CSI:NY, Gold Case, Bones, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, The Forgotten, Hawaii Five - O, Death Valley, 90210, Switched at Birth.

You can watch an interview of Tania Raynold on youtube

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I need to mention that this article tries to provide information to reader using all the available data on the day of its publishing. New information and data for this subject and issue are published every day. It’s been highly recommended to the reader to search on Google for more information. World is moving searching is the driving force. Searching is the source of inspiration and the source of truth.  

Zombies archetype of horror Cinema

Zombies - From Haitian Folklore to Hollywood

ZombiesZombies are the only Cinema monsters without previous reference on horror literature. Only on a book about folklore research  “The Magic Island” (William Seabrook, Alexander King) we can find the first reference about Zombies as a believe among the Haitian islanders and rumors among the African slaves in Caribbean.   There are significant differences between the archetype of Hollywood zombies and Haitian folklore zombie.  Cinema presents Zombies as returned dead ready to conquer earth by expanding a disease. Hollywood zombies are unstoppable flesh eaters.  On the other hand according to Haitian tradition Zombies are not necessary dead  and they are not eat flesh they are weird human beings walking on night around cemeteries.  

After the release of the book “The Magic Island” theater was the first art to create an artistic project based on a Zombie concept. In 1932 took place the stage play “Zombie”. The same year cinema introduced the archetype of Zombies in film “The White Zombie” (Victor Helperin, 1932). The film “White Zombie” was produced on a minimal budget by using the already used in films Frankestein and Dracula sets and the available cast form Universal Studio (Bela Lugosi). The theme of the film is about a mad scientist (Muder Legendre) who used a special drug to turn the local citizens of an island into an army of Haitian Zombies. The film is excellent  and it achieved a huge commercial success.

Later in 1936 Halperin brothers tried to repeat the success of the film “White Zombie” by producing a sequel film with the title “"Revolt of the Zombies"”, the theme of the film is about the creation of a Zombie army in Cambodia. As result, the Helperin brothers created a new sub - genre, the military zombie sub genre. The film “The Revolt of the Zombies” was not a great commercial success as the initial film “White Zombie” but influenced the film industry and and the creativity. Later Jean Yarbrough in 1941 directed the film”King of the Zombies” and in 1943 Steve Sekely directed the film “Revenge of the Zombies” both films share the same theme mad Axis scientists trying to use zombies for world domination.

In 1941 Jacques Tourneur directs a masterpiece of horror cinema and in my opinion the best Zombie film ever “I walked with a zombie” by adding another aspect to Zombie mythology, the mental illness. The film “I walked with a Zombie” asks a question to audience “what if, the Zombie is a mental ill person.

After two decades Hammer Studios produced the film “The Plague of the Zombies” (John Gilling, 1949) the theme of the film is about the exploitation of cheap labor with poor white villagers turned into Zombies for use as labor slaves.

(to be continued)

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I need to mention that this article tries to provide information to reader using all the available data on the day of its publishing. New information and data for this subject and issue are published every day. It’s been highly recommended to the reader to search on Google for more information. World is moving searching is the driving force. Searching is the source of inspiration and the source of truth.                    

Isle of the Dead (Mark Robson, 1945)

Isle of the Dead, you are invited to a Forbidden Adventure

Abandon all hope, you are on the Isle of the Dead!

Isle of the Dead is one of the most significant horror films ever (I share the same idea with Martin Scorsese (Isle of the Dead is among the 11 horror films of all time). The film “Isle of Dead” is directed by Mark Robson, the screenplay was written by Ardel Wray and the idea of the film is based on the Arnold Bocklin painting “Isle of the Dea”. The score of the film is was composed by Leigh Harline and director of photography is Jack Mackenzie and the film was edited by Lyle Boyer and finally the film was distributed by RKO Radio Pictures.

The cast of “Isle of the Dead”

The part of General Nikolas Prenides (the main male character) is performed by Boris Karloff, the part of Thea (the main female character) is played by Ellen Drew. Also, in film participate Marc Cramen, Katherine Emery, Helen Thing, Alan Napier, Jason Robards, Ernst Deutsh, Sherry Hall, Erick Hanson and Skelton Knaggs.

The plot structure of film “Isle of the Dead”

During the first world war in a small Greek island a plaque forces an emergency situation and a quarantine. One by one the habitats of the isle are dying and ayoung woman is accused by being a “vrykolakas” a Greek - version of vampire and actually the oldest on earth.

Isle of Dead and box - office

The film was not a huge box office success and it’s production budget was the highest in relation with previous films of Val Lewton

You can see on the following video, the trailer of the film "Isle of the Dead".

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I need to mention that this article tries to provide information to reader using all the available data on the day of its publishing. New information and data for this subject and issue are published every day. It’s been highly recommended to the reader to search on Google for more information. World is moving searching is the driving force. Searching is the source of inspiration and the source of truth.                    

Cat people (Jacques Tourneur, 1942)

Cat People “I like the dark is so friendly”

Val Lewton in 1930 published a short story with the title “The Baghette”. The story is about a girl who believes that she belongs to a special kid of people who can transform into cats.

In 1942, twelve years after the initial publishing of the story, the story was adapted by De Witt Bodeen for the silver screen and Val Lewton was offered the change to produce a film based on De Witt’s screenplay.  Actually, the film Cat People it is not just a good film it’s one of the most significant works of horror cinema.

Director of Photography in film “Cat People” is Nicholas Musuraca, the soundtrack of the film was composed by Roy Webb and it the film was edited by Mark Robson.

The film “Cat People” was distributed by RKO Pictures and it was a huge box office success. According to financial data the ”Cat People” film crossed about $ 4 million and it’s production and distribution planet was about $ 134.000. The ratio of sales / production cost is about 29, 8 and it is among the most attractive in film business.

The Cast of Cat People

The main female character is Dubrova Reed and her part was performed by Simone Simon. The main male character Oliver Reed is played by Kent Smith. Also in film participate Tom Conway as Dr. Louis Judd, Jane Randolph plays the part of The Cammrode and finally participate in film Elizabeth Rusell, Alan Napier, Theresa Hains, May Hasley and Elizabeth Dunn.

The plot structure of Cat People

The Serbian born fashion designer Irena Dubrova (Simone Simon) draws sketches of a black panther. She attacks the interest of a marine engineer Oliver Reed, who starts a conversation with her. Irena invites Oliver to her apartment, Oliver likes the statue of a medieval warrior on horseback impaling a large cat with a sword. Irena informs Oliver that the statue figure is King John of Serbia and the cat represents evil.  According to Serbian legends, centuries ago the Christain residents of her home village in Serbia, turned their faith from Christianity to witchcraft or devil worship during their enslaving by the Mamelukes. During the war against Mamelukes, King John of Serbia drove his enemies out of the village and saw what her village residence had become and decided to kill all Satan believers. But a small number of village residents “the wisest and the most wicked” according to legend escaped into the mountains.

Later, Oliver will buy her a kitten but upon their meetings, kitten attacks her. They go to a pet shop to exchange it but as they enter into the shop the animals go wild in her presence. The pet shop owner comments that animals can sense things about people.

Day by day Irena believes that she is descend  from the Satan believers of her home village in Serbia.  Irena fears that she will transform into a panther when her passion arises. She remembers from her childhood when other children  called her mother a cat person and the mysterious death of hers father

Despite all the above incidents, Oliver marries Irena. Few days after their wedding at a Serbian restaurant a woman walks over ans asks Irena if she is “moja cetra” (my sister). This incident created anxiety and fear to Irena.  Their marriage is ready to be destroyed, Irena denies to sleep with her husband. Oliver persuades her to visit a psychiatrist. Dr Judd tries to convince Irean that there is no reason to worry. Oliver has spoken to her attractive assistant about their marriage problems.

Oliver starts a relationship with his beautiful assistant Alice Moore. Irena sees her husband Oliver with Alice seated together at a restaurant. Irena follows Alice as she walks home alone  through one of the Central Park’s pathways. Irena is walking behind Alice. Alice becomes increasingly uneasy. She’s feeling that something is behind her.  She hears a menacing sound a bus pulls up, and she hastily bouds it. Soon after, several sheeps are killed. There are paw paths with blood and away turn into imprints of a woman’s shoes.

After hours later Alice is taking a dip in the basement swimming pool, she sees the shadow of an animal and she fears. Alice, jumps into the pool, using the water to keep creature at bay. Alce screams for help, Irena turns on the lights and claims that she was looking for Oliver.

Alice is not sure, she believes that she has imagined the whole thing, but she convinced only when she finds her robe torn to shreds.

Finally Irena will announce to her husband that she doesn’t fear anymore. Unfortunately, for her Oliver has decided to take divorce and to marry Alice.

     

to be continued

You can see on the following video (youtube) the classic pool scene from the film “Cat people”

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I need to mention that this article tries to provide information to reader using all the available data on the day of its publishing. New information and data for this subject and issue are published every day. It’s been highly recommended to the reader to search on Google for more information. World is moving searching is the driving force. Searching is the source of inspiration and the source of truth.