The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Companion

Rating:
Summary: 'Chainsaw' fans: go ahead and buy it, but be forewarned.
Review: As far as I know, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Companion" is the only book entirely devoted to the legendary "TCM" series. That alone makes it an irresistible purchase to any hardcore fan of the original film. And those fans won't be entirely disappointed, since this book contains brand-new exclusive interviews with many cast and crew members, plus lots of photographs (all reproduced in B&W) and dozens of trivial tidbits. Those of you who are diehard "Chainsaw" fanatics -- and you know who you are -- go ahead and buy it. It's not expensive, and you will learn a thing or two about the films.

However, judged strictly as a book, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Companion" is merely adequate. Stefan Jaworzyn has done his homework, but he doesn't distinguish himself here as much of a writer or critic, and he doesn't bring any particular insight or wit to the subject matter. Jaworzyn's book is largely told in the oral history style, using long quotes from interview subjects and letting them tell the story in their own words. The "oral history" approach has become a cliche in books of this nature and seems a bit lazy at times, but perhaps it's for the best that it's recycled (once again) here. When Jaworzyn takes over the narration, the book seems a bit flat and lifeless. The author's worst tendency is to make bold generalizations without backing them up with evidence or explanations. For example, he says that "Psycho" is the most overrated film of the last 50 years and then doesn't explain WHY he thinks so. Similarly, he declares "Motel Hell" to be "terrible" without any explanation whatsoever and casually dismisses "Deranged" as "obvious" exploitation but doesn't explain why.

Frankly, a good deal of this book is padding. There's a whole chapter, for example, devoted solely to quotes from various reviews of the first "TCM" film. While it's good for a few chuckles, it hardly merits the space it takes up. Similarly, the chapter devoted to the real Ed Gein is a space-waster: a Cliff's Notes summation of information readily available on the Internet or in dozens of books. Depending upon your degree of interest in the "TCM" sequels, nearly half the book could be considered padding. The author is highly democratic in giving roughly equal coverage to all the films in the series. It's possible that fans of the original film would be tempted to merely skim through those chapters.

I hope that this book is considered a mere first step in documenting the entire "Chainsaw" films and doesn't end up being considered the "last word" on the series. It's a worthwhile read, and I'm glad it exists, but I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. Luckily, "TCM" fans have a variety of ways to gain real knowledge and insight into the film. First, the commentary track on the "TCM" DVD (by Tobe Hooper, Daniel Pearl, and Gunnar Hansen) is excellent. Second, there are numerous fine websites devoted to the series (several of which are mentioned in this book). And third, serious students of all things "Chainsaw" are advised to go to their local libraries and scour through anthologies of film writing and books about the history of horror movies. You'll find that numerous thought-provoking essays on "TCM" have appeared over the years, from surprisingly high-minded sources. Too bad that no one has ever thought to compile these essays into one big book.

Rating:
Summary: 'Chainsaw' fans: go ahead and buy it, but be forewarned.
Review: As far as I know, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Companion" is the only book entirely devoted to the legendary "TCM" series. That alone makes it an irresistible purchase to any hardcore fan of the original film. And those fans won't be entirely disappointed, since this book contains brand-new exclusive interviews with many cast and crew members, plus lots of photographs (all reproduced in B&W) and dozens of trivial tidbits. Those of you who are diehard "Chainsaw" fanatics -- and you know who you are -- go ahead and buy it. It's not expensive, and you will learn a thing or two about the films.

However, judged strictly as a book, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Companion" is merely adequate. Stefan Jaworzyn has done his homework, but he doesn't distinguish himself here as much of a writer or critic, and he doesn't bring any particular insight or wit to the subject matter. Jaworzyn's book is largely told in the oral history style, using long quotes from interview subjects and letting them tell the story in their own words. The "oral history" approach has become a cliche in books of this nature and seems a bit lazy at times, but perhaps it's for the best that it's recycled (once again) here. When Jaworzyn takes over the narration, the book seems a bit flat and lifeless. The author's worst tendency is to make bold generalizations without backing them up with evidence or explanations. For example, he says that "Psycho" is the most overrated film of the last 50 years and then doesn't explain WHY he thinks so. Similarly, he declares "Motel Hell" to be "terrible" without any explanation whatsoever and casually dismisses "Deranged" as "obvious" exploitation but doesn't explain why.

Frankly, a good deal of this book is padding. There's a whole chapter, for example, devoted solely to quotes from various reviews of the first "TCM" film. While it's good for a few chuckles, it hardly merits the space it takes up. Similarly, the chapter devoted to the real Ed Gein is a space-waster: a Cliff's Notes summation of information readily available on the Internet or in dozens of books. Depending upon your degree of interest in the "TCM" sequels, nearly half the book could be considered padding. The author is highly democratic in giving roughly equal coverage to all the films in the series. It's possible that fans of the original film would be tempted to merely skim through those chapters.

I hope that this book is considered a mere first step in documenting the entire "Chainsaw" films and doesn't end up being considered the "last word" on the series. It's a worthwhile read, and I'm glad it exists, but I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. Luckily, "TCM" fans have a variety of ways to gain real knowledge and insight into the film. First, the commentary track on the "TCM" DVD (by Tobe Hooper, Daniel Pearl, and Gunnar Hansen) is excellent. Second, there are numerous fine websites devoted to the series (several of which are mentioned in this book). And third, serious students of all things "Chainsaw" are advised to go to their local libraries and scour through anthologies of film writing and books about the history of horror movies. You'll find that numerous thought-provoking essays on "TCM" have appeared over the years, from surprisingly high-minded sources. Too bad that no one has ever thought to compile these essays into one big book.

Rating:
Summary: Doesn't get to the meat of things
Review: Gathered in this book are the behind the scenes stories from those that were there of the making of one of the horror genre's truly legendary films and its sequels (with a passing, and mostly negative, mentioning of the 2003 remake). Author Stefan Jaworzyn lets the participants speak for themselves in almost uncommented upon interview clippings (he does step in clarify some details or to just share his unneeded opinion). The result is a far clearer glimpse at director Tobe Hooper (who gets a chapter of his own) and the trendsetting thriller he directed back in 1973. Hooper (who appears via interview clippings from other sources) comes across as an extremely talented man hampered with bad business skills and even worse luck in choosing who he does business with. Those he worked with mostly come across as an intelligent bunch of plain old folks completely caught off guard by the powerful little movie they worked on. The first TCM had a notoriously bad shoot and what happened afterward (in terms of the shafting by the film industry received by all) was a sad foreshadowing of what was to befall Tobe Hooper over the next thirty years. History more or less repeated itself with each sequel, though only the Tobe Hooper directed one receives truly in depth treatment. The chapter on Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3 is tantamount to Cliff Notes and largely repeats the information from the DVD extras with nothing added. Kim Henkel's The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (or TCM: The Next Generation, depending on which video you get) is slightly more in depth, but the 'discussion' of the (at the time of writing) remake is two pages of psychic arm chair criticism that, in light of the film's box office success, seems overly harsh and a tad immature. Nonetheless, everything that is Saw is revealed, discussed, and shared and no fan of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and/or its sequels and remake will want to be without it. Highly recommended to those who proclaim the Saw as part of their family.

Rating:
Summary: Doesn't get to the meat of things
Review: I'm a huge fan of both the film and the author (check out his music!) but was pretty disappointed by this book. While Jaworzyn's choice of quotes (it's told 'oral histroy' style a la Please Kill Me, etc) certainly gives insight into things such as the process of making the film and the now legennadry financial fallout that followed, very little is told about the characters or the script. The detailed descriptions of what exactly went into filming border on the academic and may bore the bejeezus out of anyone who doesn't already have a background in filmmaking. There is very little information on the writing process - maybe it's just me, but I would have preferred to hear who inspired the Hitchhiker character, for instance, than read pages about foreign licensing and shady deals.

Rating:
Summary: A Comprehensive Guide to the Chainsaw Legacy..
Review: In 1974, a horror film would be released that would revolutionize the genre with its unrelenting terror, that film was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Now thirty years later, fact finder and author Stefan Jaworzyn has fashioned the ultimate literary compendium to not only Tobe Hooper's original film but the many sequels that followed.
The story of the Chainsaw franchise is related through the people directly involved, such as associate producer Kim Henkel and actors Marilyn Burns and Gunnar Hansen revealing a wealth of insightful information. As a sidenote, director Tobe Hooper declined to be directly involved but is represented through archival quotes.
The book devotes a chapter to Hooper's unremarkable pre-chainsaw efforts and is essential reading for hardcore Hooper enthusiasts only. The meat (no pun intended) of the book is devoted to that hot 1974 Texas summer when Hooper and crew embarked on the unambitious quest to make a B-movie that would turn a quick buck. The book details the difficulties in financing, making and distributing the film. Ironic, that even though this film would ultimately gross millions the makers would sadly see little profit from it. The author also goes in depth into the controversy generated by the first film, in particular the banning of the film in the UK due to the efforts of the morally misguided British Board of Film Censors. The chapters pertaining to the original film are tremendous and will prove enthralling to Chainsaw die-hards. The subsequent chapter on Tobe Hooper's post chainsaw career is less interesting, I have often thought that Hooper's initial success with the Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a fluke as most of his later efforts pretty much sucked (Lifeforce, Invaders from Mars).
The rest of the book is dedicated to the lesser sequels and also features an interesting chapter on real life murderer Ed Gein who inspired this film through his misdeeds in Plainfield, Wisconsin in the late fifties.
The chapter on Hooper's ridiculously over the top sequel is overlong. Indeed, Texas Chainsaw Massacre II was mostly a bland affair undeserving of such lenghty coverage. The less said about the third entry Leatherface:Texas Chainsaw Massacre III and Texas Chainsaw Massacre:The Next Generation the better. These films are truly amongst the worst horror films ever made notable only for the early performances of Matthew McConaughy and Renee Zellweger in Next Generation. Nonetheless, I found the chapter on Texas Chainsaw Massacre:The Next Generation fascinating at times, Henkel's comments were especially illuminating. The dim view the author and participants took of New Line's recent Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake or re-imagining was a little disconcerting as the finished product was a very decent horror film in my opinion and far surpassed any of the sequels on the fright factor.
In closing, this book will provide a plethora of information for fans of this long lasting series and should also be considered required reading for amateur filmakers everywhere. Potential readers are strongly advised to pick up Pioneer's excellent DVD release of TCM and view it again before undertaking to read this fine and very reasonably priced book.

Rating:
Summary: A Comprehensive Guide to the Chainsaw Legacy..
Review: In 1974, a horror film would be released that would revolutionize the genre with its unrelenting terror, that film was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Now thirty years later, fact finder and author Stefan Jaworzyn has fashioned the ultimate literary compendium to not only Tobe Hooper's original film but the many sequels that followed.
The story of the Chainsaw franchise is related through the people directly involved, such as associate producer Kim Henkel and actors Marilyn Burns and Gunnar Hansen revealing a wealth of insightful information. As a sidenote, director Tobe Hooper declined to be directly involved but is represented through archival quotes.
The book devotes a chapter to Hooper's unremarkable pre-chainsaw efforts and is essential reading for hardcore Hooper enthusiasts only. The meat (no pun intended) of the book is devoted to that hot 1974 Texas summer when Hooper and crew embarked on the unambitious quest to make a B-movie that would turn a quick buck. The book details the difficulties in financing, making and distributing the film. Ironic, that even though this film would ultimately gross millions the makers would sadly see little profit from it. The author also goes in depth into the controversy generated by the first film, in particular the banning of the film in the UK due to the efforts of the morally misguided British Board of Film Censors. The chapters pertaining to the original film are tremendous and will prove enthralling to Chainsaw die-hards. The subsequent chapter on Tobe Hooper's post chainsaw career is less interesting, I have often thought that Hooper's initial success with the Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a fluke as most of his later efforts pretty much sucked (Lifeforce, Invaders from Mars).
The rest of the book is dedicated to the lesser sequels and also features an interesting chapter on real life murderer Ed Gein who inspired this film through his misdeeds in Plainfield, Wisconsin in the late fifties.
The chapter on Hooper's ridiculously over the top sequel is overlong. Indeed, Texas Chainsaw Massacre II was mostly a bland affair undeserving of such lenghty coverage. The less said about the third entry Leatherface:Texas Chainsaw Massacre III and Texas Chainsaw Massacre:The Next Generation the better. These films are truly amongst the worst horror films ever made notable only for the early performances of Matthew McConaughy and Renee Zellweger in Next Generation. Nonetheless, I found the chapter on Texas Chainsaw Massacre:The Next Generation fascinating at times, Henkel's comments were especially illuminating. The dim view the author and participants took of New Line's recent Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake or re-imagining was a little disconcerting as the finished product was a very decent horror film in my opinion and far surpassed any of the sequels on the fright factor.
In closing, this book will provide a plethora of information for fans of this long lasting series and should also be considered required reading for amateur filmakers everywhere. Potential readers are strongly advised to pick up Pioneer's excellent DVD release of TCM and view it again before undertaking to read this fine and very reasonably priced book.