The horror community has lost another legendary director today, as Deadline is reporting that Tobe Hooper has passed away at the age of 74.
Hooper, perhaps most well known for giving us The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 1974, died yesterday of unknown causes. Respected and iconic, the director not only brought us that aforementioned horror flick, but was also behind many others such as Poltergeist, Lifeforce and more. Additionally, he also did some work on television, directing episodes of Tales from the Crypt and The Equalizer, among others.
Even with 37 credits to his name, though, it’ll be The Texas Chainsaw Massacre that he’ll always be remembered for, as it was a hugely influential movie. Made for less than $300,000, it helped give birth to the slasher genre as we know it today. Not to mention that the film also achieved notoriety for being banned in several countries back when it was released. Despite that, it was still hugely profitable – earning $30 million – and went on to spawn a franchise that will see its next instalment hit theatres this October in the form of Leatherface.
Already, Hooper’s colleagues and various Hollywood directors are paying their respects to the legendary filmmaker on Twitter, and you can check out a few of the Tweets below.
Goodbye Tobe Hooper, the king of transgressive horror. pic.twitter.com/JtkwqntxUs
— N O S â‹Š Ɔ I á´š á´š ÆŽ á—¡ ⊥ ⊥ O Ɔ S (@scottderrickson) August 27, 2017
Very sad to hear of the passing of Tobe Hooper, another master of horror. He conjured some truly shattering, unforgettable moments in film. pic.twitter.com/6Kxw0gURzF
— edgarwright (@edgarwright) August 27, 2017
RIP Tobe Hooper! The Saw is Family! https://t.co/1mATuP2KRI pic.twitter.com/70VEcssiS5
— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) August 27, 2017
So sad to say goodbye to TOBE Hooper, the man who took a chance on me and gave me my career in film's greatest genre.
— Bill Moseley (@choptopmoseley) August 27, 2017
https://twitter.com/creepypuppet/status/901751579363074048
The director is survived by his two sons and a legacy that will always be felt within the horror genre. RIP Tobe Hooper, you will be missed.
