Tobe Hooper

Honored with many awards for his films and achievement in the horror genre, 'Tobe Hooper' (qv) is truly one of the _Masters of Horror (2005)_ (qv).'Tobe Hooper' (qv) was born in Austin, Texas, to Lois Belle (Crosby) and Norman William Ray Hooper, who owned a theater in San Angelo. He spent the 1960s as a college professor and documentary cameraman. In 1974, he organized a small cast that was made up of college teachers and students, and then he and 'Kim Henkel' (qv) made _The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)_ (qv), featuring the maniacal chainsaw-wielder Leatherface ('Gunnar Hansen' (qv)). This film changed the horror film industry and became an instant classic, remaining on many lists of top horror films of all time. Hooper based it upon the real-life killings of 'Ed Gein' (qv), a cannibalistic killer responsible for the grisly murders of several people in 1950s Wisconsin. 'Rex Reed' (qv) said, "It's the scariest film I have ever seen." 'Leonard Maltin' (qv) wrote, "While not nearly as gory as its title suggests, 'Massacre' is a genuinely terrifying film made even more unsettling by its twisted but undeniably hilarious black comedy." It is in the Permanent Collection of the Museum of Modern Art, and was officially selected at the Cannes Film Festival of 1975 for Directors Fortnight.Hooper's success with "Chainsaw" landed him in Hollywood. Hooper rejoined the cast of "Texas" and with Kim Henkle again for _Eaten Alive (1976)_ (qv), a gory horror film with 'Mel Ferrer' (qv), 'Carolyn Jones' (qv), 'William Finley' (qv), and 'Marilyn Burns' (qv) (who played the lead in "Chainsaw"). The film centered around a caretaker of a motel who feeds his guests to his pet alligator. Also in the film was 'Robert Englund' (qv), whom Hooper helped advance his career and worked with him again in the future. "Eaten Alive" also won many awards at Horror Film Festivals, receiving the first Saturn Award. Also in the film, making his debut, was 'Robert Englund' (qv).Hooper was assigned to the Film Ventures International production of _The Dark (1979)_ (qv), a science-fiction thriller. After only three day, he was fired from the film and replaced with 'John 'Bud' Cardos' (qv). Instead, Hooper had greater success with 'Stephen King' (qv)'s 1979 mini series _Salem's Lot (1979)_ (qv). In 1981, Hooper directed the teen slasher film _The Funhouse (1981)_ (qv) for Universal Pictures. Despite its success, "The Funhouse" was a minor disappointment. In 1982, Hooper found greater success when 'Steven Spielberg' (qv) hired him to direct his production, haunted house shocker _Poltergeist (1982)_ (qv), for MGM. It quickly became a top-ranking major motion picture, despite some differences that were resolved by Spielberg himself taking over Hooper's directing duties."Poltergeist" was perhaps a greater success than "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," but it was three years until Hooper found work again. He signed a three-year contract with 'Menahem Golan' (qv) and 'Yoram Globus' (qv)'s Cannon Group, and directed more films, including _Lifeforce (1985)_ (qv), with 'Patrick Stewart' (qv) for TriStar; the minor remake _Invaders from Mars (1986)_ (qv); and the disappointing sequel _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)_ (qv), with 'Dennis Hopper' (qv). During the mid-1980s, Hooper also directed several television projects, including episodes of _Amazing Stories (1985)_ (qv), _The Equalizer (1985)_ (qv), _Freddy's Nightmares (1988)_ (qv) and _Tales from the Crypt (1989)_ (qv) with 'Whoopi Goldberg' (qv).In the 1990s, Hooper continued working in both film and television: _I'm Dangerous Tonight (1990)_ (qv), _Nowhere Man (1995)_ (qv), _Dark Skies (1996)_ (qv), _Perversions of Science (1997)_ (qv) with 'Jamie Kennedy' (qv) and 'Jason Lee' (qv), _The Apartment Complex (1999)_ (qv) with 'Amanda Plummer' (qv) for Showtime, _Night Terrors (1993)_ (qv) and _The Mangler (1995)_ (qv) for New Line, the latter two with 'Robert Englund' (qv). In the new century Hooper's career grew stronger, with _Night Visions (2001)_ (qv), _Shadow Realm (2002)_ (qv) and the pilot episode for 'Steven Spielberg' (qv)'s award-winning miniseries _Taken (2002)_ (qv).In 2003, Hooper co-produced the successful remake of _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)_ (qv) for New Line. His final three films as director were _Toolbox Murders (2004)_ (qv), with 'Angela Bettis' (qv), released through Lions Gate; _Mortuary (2005)_ (qv), a zombie film with 'Dan Byrd' (qv); and evil genie tale _Djinn (2013)_ (qv).'Tobe Hooper' (qv) died on August 26, 2017, in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles._Leatherface (2017)_ (qv), technically the eighth film in Hooper's Chainsaw franchise, was slated for release just weeks after his death.::Anonymous