The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a 1986 American black comedy slasher film directed and co-composed by Tobe Hooper, written by L. M. Kit Carson, and starring Dennis Hopper, Caroline Williams, Bill Johnson, Bill Moseley, and Jim Siedow. It is the sequel to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and the second installment in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series. The plot follows Vanita "Stretch" Brock, a radio host who is victimized and abducted by Leatherface and his cannibalistic family; meanwhile, Lt. Boude "Lefty" Enright, the uncle of Sally and Franklin Hardesty—both prior victims of the family—hunts them down.
Development of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 began following the 1981 theatrical re-release of the original film, which proved to be a financial success. After several delays, Hooper hired collaborator Carson to write the screenplay for the film in early 1986, with an emphasis on dark comedy, an element Hooper felt was present in the first film but went unacknowledged by audiences and critics. The Cannon Group served as the production company and distributor as part of a three-film deal the studio had struck with Hooper, having produced his previous two films, Lifeforce (1985) and Invaders from Mars (1986). Principal photography occurred in Austin, Texas in the spring of 1986.
Released in the United States on August 22, 1986, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 faced censorship both domestically and internationally; in the United States, it was distributed without a rating to avoid mandated cuts by the MPAA, and was banned in Australia, Germany, and Singapore. The film was a modest box office success, grossing $8 million domestically. It received mixed reception from film critics and audiences, largely due to its emphasis on black comedy and gore, which departed from the first film's approach that featured minimal violence, low-budget vérité style, and atmosphere to build tension and fear. The film's promotional materials featured a satirical bent, with its theatrical one-sheet parodying the poster art for John Hughes's popular teen comedy film The Breakfast Club (1985).
Despite its mixed reception, the film eventually gained a cult following. It was followed by Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III in 1990.
