Tobe Hooper is now widely recognized as a horror icon. His breakout film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is often touted as a groundbreaking film for the horror genre at large as well as the slasher subgenre in particular. Following the success of the film, he continued to make well-liked horror films throughout the decade. In 1982 he collaborated with Steven Spielberg as producer to make the film Poltergeist. His ability to produce genuine horror fused with Spielberg’s ability to craft family adventure films to another truly special film. Hooper’s career gradually dwindled in the years that succeeded and he has since passed away, but his legacy lives on today. Here are his ten best films.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
In Hooper’s breakout film, two siblings and their three friends visit their family’s old farmhouse. When they arrive, they discover a family of psychopaths, including a chainsaw-wielding killer who wears a mask of human skin living next door. The group must try to escape the family as they are picked off one by one. The film was met with much praise, some comparing it to George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead with regards to its impact on horror at large.
Poltergeist (1982)
Hooperian horror and Spielbergian mass-market appeal blend to create something entirely new with Poltergeist. A California family (Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Dominique Dunne, Oliver Robins, Heather O’Rourke) finds ghosts reaching out to them through their television. As the situation gets increasingly dire, they seek the help of paranormal experts. It is one of the best of not only Hooper’s body of work but also Spielberg’s.
Lifeforce (1985)
In Hooper’s Lifeforce, humanity comes into contact with a species of aliens that can only be described as “space vampires.” Scientists and military officers must work to protect the world from impending apocalypse. Written by Dan O’Bannon (writer of Alien), it is quite a bit of campy sci-fi/horror fun.
Salem’s Lot (1979)
Hooper took the helm of Salem’s Lot, the two-part television adaptation of a Stephen King novel of the same name. In it, a young man returns to his hometown of Salem’s Lot, Maine. The town is now host to a vampire and the disease quickly spreads. He and a small band of uninfected locals try to put a stop to the spreading vampirism. It is an enjoyable but relatively tame television miniseries.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)
As in its predecessor, the cannibalistic family of killers is terrorizing locals. This time the central characters, a radio DJ (Caroline Williams) and a former Texas Marshall (Dennis Hopper), attempt to draw the antagonists onto their turf to end the bloodshed. While not met as warmly as the film prior, it is a sturdy, freaky horror-comedy.
The Funhouse (1981)
In Hooper’s somewhat-forgotten film The Funhouse, a creepy old carnival comes to town and a group of rebellious teens intends to stay the night in its funhouse ride. Things go awry when they witness a murder committed and they must find a way to escape without getting caught. It is an enjoyable bit of campy horror.
Invaders from Mars (1986)
Invaders from Mars was another collaboration between Hooper and screenwriter Dan O’Bannon. Like the film of the same name which it is based from, a boy witnesses a UFO land behind his house. People all over the town — including his parents and teachers — are gradually brainwashed one by one, but no one believes what he’s saying. Though it performed poorly at the box office, it is a relatively enjoyable, breezy watch.
Eaten Alive (1976)
Following the success of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hooper took on Eaten Alive. A mentally unstable motel manager begins slaying some of his occupants and feeding them to a crocodile which lives in a nearby swamp. While not beloved by critics, the film nonetheless has its fans.
Spontaneous Combustion (1990)
Spontaneous Combustion is a light, campy film. A man discovers that — because of his parents’ role in atomic testing — he possesses the ability to cause people to spontaneously combust. Amongst its cast feature director John Landis and Brad Dourif — a character actor probably best known for his roles in David Lynch’s Dune and Blue Velvet.
The Mangler (1995)
From the Stephen King short story of the same name, The Mangler imagines an outlandish world in which a laundry folding machine mysteriously kills someone. A detective and demonologist look to solve the murder. Robert Englund (best known for playing Freddy Krueger in Wes Craven’s The Nightmare on Elm Street franchise) plays the killer machine’s strange owner.
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