For some reason, I was a total wuss as a kid and this is probably the most pathetic of my VHS scares. I’ve been staring at these images of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 VHS cover and I can’t figure it out. All I know is that the idea of renting this film petrified me. At 12 or 13 years old, I had handled the original film just fine. In fact, I really didn’t find it all that scary. So what in the damn hell was it about this lame ass packaging for the sequel that freaked me out so much?
Years later, when my friend Tim insisted on renting Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2, I was ready. I was also 19 years old and somewhat less of a wimp. After the end credits had rolled, I was ashamed of myself. Not for being too scared to even watch this film when I was a kid; no, I was more ashamed for having waited so long. I loved and still love Part 2 very, very much. This is such a fucking great movie!
I guess you could say that my kidself was more afraid of the concept of the sequel than of the actual video content that the VHS cover was purporting to contain. Or you could say that I was postmodernally terrified by the very act of unimpressive representation that the VHS cover was doing all too well. Damn it. I have no idea why the hell I couldn’t bring myself to rent TCM 2 back in the day. Maybe I was just a stupid ass idiot dumbass moron. Either way, this should have been the cover of the VHS:
Or this:
'TCM2' was outright banned in Australia in 1986 and, as a result, achieved mythic status out of all proportion to its tone and onscreen violence (well - mostly!). ;)
ReplyDeleteBootleg copies showed up in the late 90s (likely duped from VHS copies in New Zealand - Australia's distant cousin, effectively - where it was permitted release), and there are tales of Australian Customs officers raiding both private and commercial premises to seize the offending items. Oddly, the film (in edited form) screened on cable television in the early '00s, with no outcry...
'TCM2' was only legally given an uncut release in Australia in 2007 (via the 'Gruesome Edition' DVD). As a film, I think it's a silly, brave and very knowing response to the cult status of the original 'TCM', and has become a real favourite of mine of late.
You're right though, Richard - the US VHS box cover art, although directly taken from the 'A' version original one sheet promotional poster, lacks the punch of the original 'B' poster. But I guess the 'A' design does highlight the parody aspect of the film in smirking at 'The Breakfast Club' - which viewers at the time may have immediately recognised...?