Tobe Hooper (born January 25, 1943) is an
American director and
screenwriter, best known for his work in the
horror film genre. His works include the cult classic
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974), along with its first sequel,
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986); three-time
Emmy-nominated
Stephen King film adaptation
Salem's Lot (1979); and the three-time
Academy Award-nominated,
Steven Spielberg-produced
Poltergeist (1982).
Early life and work
Hooper was born in
Austin, Texas, the son of Lois Belle (
née Crosby) and Norman William Ray Hooper.
[Tobe Hooper Biography (1943-)] He first became interested in film making when he used his father's 8 mm camera at age 9. Hooper spent the 1960s as a
college professor and
documentary cameraman. Hooper had shot over 60 documentaries, commercials, and short films before making
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. In 1969, Hooper co-wrote and directed
Eggshells, a film about a group of hippies in a commune house having to deal with the presence of a possible supernatural force.
Eggshells did not receive a theatrical release, but did win Hooper several awards, including the Atlanta Film Festival Award, when the film played around different colleges. His intention was to go to
Hollywood to become a feature film director.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Hollywood
In 1974, he organized a small cast composed of college teachers and students, and with
Kim Henkel, on a budget of $60,000 (which eventually rose to $70,000, though some reports say up to $120,000) made
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Hooper claims to have come up with the idea for
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre while standing in the hardware section of a crowded store. While thinking of a way to get through the crowd, he spotted chainsaws for sale. The highly successful film changed the horror film industry and landed Hooper in Hollywood. Media reports of audiences throwing up and storming out of theaters showing the film swept the nation. Hooper wanted an
MPAA PG rating for
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, as there was no PG-13
at the time. Despite having no sex or sexual situations, no drug use, no hard profanity, and a low level of violence, the film received an R rating. The MPAA cited the film's intense tone as reason enough to issue the R rating.
