The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

by Josiah Morgan

A forensic survey embracing the cinematic delirium of Tobe Hooper. A heady and queer collation of confession, ultraviolence and countless paraphilias. Radical in every way.

Genres: Poetry, Film

294 pages

First published March 1, 2022

About the author

Josiah Morgan was born in Christchurch, New Zealand in 2001. He believes in the power of words to cast spells.

Reviews

[Mike Kleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is so good. How do you separate fact from fiction? Answer: you can't (always). In what I think is Morgan's best work (to date) I'll be the first to admit that I've only seen bits and pieces of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Yeah, I've always known about it and yes, it was released before I was even born, and of course, I'm into horror, yeah... it's just that... how do I put this? For certain films, I need the context. I need someone who is REALLY into that film to lay it out for me. Tell me why it is (maybe) worth my time. Tell me why they are so obsessed with it. And Morgan's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre delivers on that front, in spades! What's most exciting to me, about this work, is the way it fucks with form. Whole sections are dedicated to surface-analysing various Tobe Hooper films. And then there's the (seemingly?) random encounters for sex. Then there's the shot-for-shot re-telling of the film (honestly, basically... my favourite section). There's this thing that happens when someone else (or something else) is telling you about something you sort of know about. Sort of like this uncanny valley thing. Where yes, it's stuff that's grounded in reality, because it exists in this sort of physical space, right now, but since everyone's mind is so different, when you hear how someone describes something so familiar but then they render it into something broaching on the edge of unfamiliarity...(?) So cool! That's what this book does, over and over and over and over and over. Even the typeface keeps changing. And not in a bad way. I don't know that I am going to call this book experimental (because I dislike that term and for different people, it does different things) but if you are after something that is doing something different and it stands out from all the other something differents out there... look no further. Something else that is (oh) so exciting... when someone who is so young, is already producing such great work. I am optimistic about Morgan's future. Very optimistic. Don't sleep!

[Plagued by Visions · Rating 2 out of 5]

Self-obsessed and self-important experimental film analysis. I was intrigued by the ties between the academic and the personal, but it was just missing cohesion and a more aggressive purpose for me.

[Ted · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part critical overview of the filmography of Tobe Hooper, part memoir, part cut up experiment of both this book will bend your brain and send you reaching for those vintage VHS horror tapes you've hoarded since middle school. Highly recommended.

[Niko Kapetan · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was great but there were parts where i was completely lost. definitely a ‘mood’ piece. all of the sudden this would click and i would find myself understanding what josiah was trying to say.
like interpreting a stranger’s dreams.

[Bob Comparda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me want to watch The Mangler.

[Ian]

a stream of consciousness love letter to Hooper by a Dennis Cooper fan