Tobe Hooper R.I.P.

Tobe Hooper, the horror director best known for helming “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” and “Poltergeist,” died Saturday in Sherman Oaks, Calif., according to the Los Angeles County Coroner. He was 74. The circumstances of his death were not known.

The 1974 “Texas Chain Saw Massacre” became one of the most influential horror films of all time for its realistic approach and deranged vision. Shot for less than $300,000, it tells the story of a group of unfortunate friends who encounter a group of cannibals on their way to visit an old homestead. Though it was banned in several countries for violence, it was one of the most profitable independent films of the 1970s in the U.S. The character of Leatherface was loosely based on serial killer Ed Gein.









Hooper also directed the 1986 sequel “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2,” which took a more comedic approach, as part of his Cannon Films deal.

The 1982 “Poltergeist,” written and produced by Steven Spielberg, also became a classic of the genre. The story of a family coping with a house haunted by unruly ghosts starred JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson. The film was a box office success for MGM and became the eighth-highest grossing film of the year.

After “Poltergeist,” Hooper directed two movies for Cannon Films, “Lifeforce” and “Invaders from Mars,” a remake of the 1953 alien movie.

His 1979 CBS miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s bestselling novel “Salem’s Lot” is considered by many fans to be a high-water mark in televisual horror. Combining the intrigue of a nighttime soap opera with the gothic atmosphere of a classic horror film, the two-part program was eventually reedited and released theatrically throughout Europe.

He continued working in television and film throughout the 1990s and 2000s, but none of the films had the impact of his early works. His last film, the 2013 “Djinn,” was set in the United Arab Emirates and produced by Image Nation. His other more recent works included “Toolbox Murders,” “Mortuary” and two episodes of “Masters of Horror.”

Among his other works was the music video for Billy Idol’s “Dancing With Myself.” In 2011 he co-authored a post-modern horror novel titled “Midnight Movie” in which he himself appeared as the main character.

Willard Tobe Hooper was born in Austin, Texas and taught college before starting out in documentaries.

He is survived by two sons.

One of my favorite directors. He made many memorable and iconic movies.
The Funhouse left a lasting impression when I seen it as a kid.

Terrible loss!

Wow!  Somehow I missed this.

He made a lot of movies I enjoy to this day but I'll always remember him for the original TCM.  I'll always remember the time I was a freshman in college and me and some of my friends went to our neighboring college James Madison University on Halloween night for a screening of Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I'd seen the film several times before that night but nothing prepared me for this experience.  The audience pulled a "Rocky Horror Movie" that night with audience members dressed in costume and people yelling the dialog at the screen.  The place went bonkers after the opening where John Laroquette reads the preamble to the film.  I'll never forget that and to this day TCM is one of my all time favorite movies.

RIP Mr. Hooper.

Geez, first George Romero, now Tobe Hooper. Horror is having a rough year. I hope John Carpenter is okay...

His catalog is hit and miss with me. Texas Chainsaw is prob my least favorite slasher franchise but I can't deny that the original and "2" are grindhouse classics. His space-vampire saga "Lifeforce" is entertaining as hell (in a totally batshit way) too.

Coincidentally, I just watched one of his lesser films (the Stephen King adaptation "The Mangler") about a week ago.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Geez, first George Romero, now Tobe Hooper. Horror is having a rough year. I hope John Carpenter is okay...

His catalog is hit and miss with me. Texas Chainsaw is prob my least favorite slasher franchise but I can't deny that the original and "2" are grindhouse classics. His space-vampire saga "Lifeforce" is entertaining as hell (in a totally batshit way) too.

Coincidentally, I just watched one of his lesser films (the Stephen King adaptation "The Mangler") about a week ago.

"Lifeforce" became a euphemism for my friend and I back in the day.  I'd go over to his house every weekend to watch horror movies and after we watched Lifeforce morph from an intriguing science fiction/horror film into a run-of-the-mill zombie flick we started using "Lifeforce" as a verb, as in "Boy that movie was really good until it totally Lifeforced on us".

Quote :

"Lifeforce" became a euphemism for my friend and I back in the day. I'd go over to his house every weekend to watch horror movies and after we watched Lifeforce morph from an intriguing science fiction/horror film into a run-of-the-mill zombie flick we started using "Lifeforce" as a verb, as in "Boy that movie was really good until it totally Lifeforced on us".

Yeah, I could see that. It definitely does go off the rails big time about halfway in.

I never realized he did Lifeforce, a movie I enjoyed. At any rate RIP, sir and thanks for the great movies.

RIP

Texas Chainsaw Massacre really creeped me out back in the day, especially this scene:



Lifeforce was wacky, but had plenty of nudity!  

Trivia note: the Japanese poster art for Lifeforce was used by Crimson Glory:

So recently we've lost Wes Craven, George Romero and now Tobe Hooper.
I hope John Carpenter, David Cronenberg and Stuart Gordon stick around for a while...

Troublezone wrote:

So recently we've lost Wes Craven, George Romero and now Tobe Hooper.
I hope John Carpenter, David Cronenberg and Stuart Gordon stick around for a while...

Good point. I like all three of those guys' films.

Witchfinder wrote:

RIP

Texas Chainsaw Massacre really creeped me out back in the day, especially this scene:



Lifeforce was wacky, but had plenty of nudity!  

Trivia note: the Japanese poster art for Lifeforce was used by Crimson Glory:

Yeah, that was a classically creepy scene. I think it was in the trailer too if memory serves.