Here's Part 2 of what I have to say about the TCSM films. *yes, thats the OFFICAL acronym for the series*
In regards to the films, they are a toss up. The first two are bookmark films. One takes place in '73, and the other takes place 13 years later. The sequal follows the family after the events of the first, where they have relocated to an abandoned theme park and have started an award winning chillie franchise (made out of their victims). It's satire. Their other brother (the hitchhikers twin) is with them now, and Leatherface has grown into a more dominate person, but is still very much under control of the other two brothers. This film shows what happens to the brothers after escaping and getting away with their murders. They travel on ego trips and paranoia. Ultimatly, they meet their ends and the true franchise of TCSM ends with Part 2.
Moving on the Leatherface, TCSM3...it's an out of continuity, what if sequal. From this point on, this film and the forth both act as reboot films to the first film, ignoring the events of TCSM2, though labeled as sequals after TCSM2 which render it confusing to continuity. Leatherface has a child (assumed to be from a raped victim) and is living with distant family members. The truck from TCSM2 makes it's appearance in this film, but the family characters are new and so out of place. The only other family member to return is Grampa (he's a corpse..I think..was he still alive?). Ultimatly, everyone in the family dies again except Leatherface (??) and his daughter (??) I'm unsure about the ending and who lives because the black guy who is obviously killed comes back to live with just a gash on his head. WTF? Friday Part 3 all over again. Never knew black guys can suffer major head trama and just shack it off like no big thing.
The forth film once again acts as a true sequal to the original film. The co-writer of the first film wrote this POS. All I remember about this film is Leatherface is in drag, eats pizza and it's a remake of the 3rd film basicly. Same similar characters from the previous film, just recast and slightly changed to be .... more crappy. This film sat on a self for about 4 or 5 years before they even released it straight to video. They really didn't know what to do with this film, but the moment it's two stars became famous they released this film to cash in. To be honest, this film was never intended to be seen and would still be sitting on a shelf if it's two stars never got acclaim.
On to Leatherface the character. In the original, he was a mentaly challenged person who lived with is two brothers who abused him. He was controlled and very scarred of people. He murdered out of fear. He didn't know where the kids came from and why they were there. And even when he killed them, and properly took care of the bodies, his older brother still found ways to neglect and abuse his actions. "..well...YOU RUINED THE FRONT DOOR!" Leatherface was motherish character to the family, as he did all the work for his brothers and took care of the house but was never appreciated.
In TCSM2, Leatherface continued this same type of mentality, but also grew older to know that he too has wants and needs. He eventrually sees a girl, falls in love, and wants nothing more than to be happy in his own bizzar fashion. Of course, his brothers abuse him about this, make fun of him, and tell him to forget it and kill her. He doesn't, but still has to show loyality to his older siblings. He also got pretty good at making mask (thanks Tom..you a-hole). The only differance is the person who played him in this film and he lost his sense of fear of the unknown others.
Onto TCSM3...Leatherface is a completely different character. His personality has changed. He still carries the mental frame of a child, but one who is more of a teenager now. He listens to rock music on a walk-man, has a daughter (?? really weird) and is very much the unoffical leader of his new family. Though one of his so called cousins (?) seems to abuse him, Leatherface isn't at all afraid to stand up for himself. Though similar to previous Leatherfaces, this films version is very different than the character we knew before.
TCSM4....That's just a completely different person all together in my view.
In the remake/Prequals.....I think they just didn't get the character. There's only one scene I really like in the remake that makes me belive they understood him, and it's when Beils character is captured and being questioned/beaten by the Sherrif and Leatherface quietly hides behind the wall, watches, and is beside himself and scared of what's happening. He doesn't understand and is very self aware that they're talking about him and it makes him upset to be 'different'. That's the only thing I liked about the character in the remake. As for the Prequal..it didn't match up to the person in the remake. It was like a progression in the character, when it should have been the reverse.
Thats' all I got to say.
