AN EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEW
WITH ACTOR BILL JOHNSON AKA LEATHERFACE 2
AN EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEW
WITH ACTOR BILL JOHNSON AKA LEATHERFACE
2...
All you horror film buffs out there are probably
more
than familiar with the TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
franchise. Now, a few weeks back I conducted a
big
interview with the newest LEATHERFACE Andrew
Bryniarski. It doesn’t stop there killaz! This
season I was fortunate enough to interview not
one,
but two men who have captivated and terrified
audiences as one of America’s most notorious
movie
monsters- LEATHERFACE! That’s right, I recently
interviewed actor BILL JOHNSON AKA LEATHERFACE
#2.
Even though the TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2 made
it’s
big theatrical debut many years ago, it’s
following
remains strong by old and new fans eager to catch
the
spirit of Halloween every season. Although
BILL’s
portrayal as LEATHERFACE will forever remain his
most
famous role, his film credits have continued to
grow
through the years. In this interview BILL covers
such
topics as- the similarities between "House of
1000
Corpses" & "TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2", his
upcoming
film roles, being asked to reprise the role of
LEATHERFACE in TCM 4, the missing deleted scenes
from
the TCM2 DVD, his opinion on the TCM Remake from
2003,
upcoming convention appearances, his views on the
new
Real-Murderer clothing, working with legendary
actor
Dennis Hopper, his favorite horror movie, working
as a
voice actor on video games, and more. Enjoy!
Ps*(a special note from BILL JOHNSON)BILL
JOHNSON- As
of the completion of this interview I find it
humorously ironic that Today is now the O.U. vs
U.T.
weekend just as in the opening of TCM2. The
traffic
has been pretty crazy around here...
HODGE- Welcome Bill! My favorite time of year
is
right around the corner. That’s right, HALLOWEEN
is
coming! In celebration of every horror fans
favorite
season, I’m honored to get this exclusive
interview
with Mr. LEATHERFACE himself- BILL JOHNSON. So
Bill,
I gotta ask you, what’d you think of last years
"TEXAS
CHAINSAW MASSACRE" remake?
BILL JOHNSON-
Tobe Hooper’s TCM is widely
acknowledged as a masterpiece, a unique Icon in
the
Horror genre. Any remake as you might expect
will be
compared and separated by the differences.
The remake is dynamic and interesting including
stylistic nuances and "signatures" from other
horror
films and stands on its own.
The team who made it deserves high praise for
their
work and commendation for its financial success.
HODGE- A lot of people on the internet have been
pointing out the similarities in Rob Zombies
"House of
1000 Corpses" and the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre"
films,
especially TCM 2. I have to agree that with all
the
human bone structures, underground lairs, and
human
skin wearing (by your TCM 2 co-star Bill
Moseley), the
similarities are pretty striking. What’s your
view on
the TCM 2/House of 1000 Corpses connection?
BILL JOHNSON-
Director Rob Zombie put one
hellacious
film up on that screen.
Often, a director resonates with their
influences. I
would contemplate that director Zombie was paying
homage to films and directors that have enriched
his
experience.
When Tobe Hooper directed his re-make of INVADERS
FROM
MARS a scene took place in an abandoned high
school.
And in a dusty corner a character from the
original
film was momentarily revealed. The Martian
creature, a
giant humanoid head in a crystalline globe and
quite
recognizable as the creature from the original
INVADER
film. A directorial "tip of the hat" to the
original,
so to speak. I really enjoyed seeing that
creature
show up. So, to see in "HOUSE OF A 1000
CORPSES", a
similar TCM2 subterranean abode, replete with
bone
furniture, skeletons and other familiar
characteristics was heart warming.
But even more heartwarming is seeing "ChopTop"
BILL
MOSELEY in the
"HOUSE." ripping and tearing as Otis. And the
buzz
about the sequel to "HOUSE", is that THE DEVILS
REJECTS has ratcheted up the stakes by many
magnitudes
of intensity. And of course familiar faces are
back,
Bill Moseley, Sid Haig and some new cast members
who
are familiar friends from other horror films,
such as
Ken Foree. It oughta rock.
HODGE- In "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2" you shared
many
scenes with Legendary actor Dennis Hopper. There
has
been numerous tales of Hoppers eccentric and over
the
top behavior on movie sets. What was it like
working
with Oscar Nominee- Dennis Hopper?
BILL JOHNSON-
Dennis Hopper is a legend for good
reason. His roles- renowned, his
accomplishments-
numerous, his artistic predilection- fusing
dramatic
essence and psychological gesture within his art
forms.
About the numerous tales of Hoppers eccentric
and
over the top behavior on movie sets, I can only
speak
for our set of TCM2. Dennis showed up on time
and
ready to rock. He was professional, considerate
and
friendly.
His behavior on the set that really counted, his
behavior that got on screen, which was great.
Dennis
brought to Lefty his vulnerable complexity of a
soul
in torment. I accounted it my good fortune to
have
performed with him.
HODGE- Throughout the 5 "Texas Chainsaw Massacre"
films, no actor has played the demanding role of
LEATHERFACE in more than one film. At the recent
"Monster Mania" horror convention in NJ, even the
original LEATHERFACE actor GUNNAR HANSEN
commented
that he enjoyed your work as LEATHERFACE. Why
didn’t
you return as LEATHERFACE in any of the following
films?
BILL JOHNSON-
Thanks for passing along that
welcomed
compliment Mike. Especially since Gunnar Hansen
is the
actor who profoundly created the role of
Leatherface,
I take it as high praise that Gunnar enjoyed my
work
in TCM2.
Simply stated, that for TCM 3 and 5, since I was
never
contacted, I've no idea what was in the mind of
the
decision makers of those films.
However I can speak about TCM 4. I was in fact
offered to return and
Reprise my role of LEATHERFACE, but the proper
conditions in order to go forward were not
reached.
HODGE- At one of the big Horror Conventions last
year
I picked up a dvd-r of "TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
2, the
Special Edition". The bootleg featured about 5
deleted scenes from TCM2. One of the scenes had
you
jump out of a van and slaughter a bunch of wild
tailgate partying teens. Another deleted scene
was
where you burst into a movie theatre and sawed up
actor JOE BOB BRIGGS. Why do you suppose scenes
like
these were not included in the legit version of
the
TCM2 DVD?
BILL JOHNSON-
As Seinfield says, "What were they
thinkin’???"
However, with MGM being newly acquired, who knows
what
good things might happen?
Speaking of scenes, Tobe shot some scenes not
exhibited in any release, but that I did see in
some
of the dailies.
Dennis Hopper’s character, Lefty is on a bender
drinking, Mescal. As he’s obsessively absorbed in
his
pearl handled Colt .45 Peacemaker, he goes
through
some gnarly Mescal hallucinations experiencing
chainsaws attacking him through the walls.
Too bad they didn’t make it into Cannon’s edited
version either.
If "the powers that be" would allow Tobe all the
footage and proper conditions to let him edit the
movie he really wanted to put together, I for one
would celebrate that as a happy day.
I’d like to own the Directors Cut, including
hopefully some Bonus Features, interviews, etc. I
think the fans out there might like that too.
HODGE- Did you have a favorite scene from TCM2?
BILL JOHNSON-
Well there are many that I really
love
but maybe my favorite is-
Bill Moseley’s AKA ChopTop’s first time encounter
with
Caroline Williams’, Stretch in the K-OKLA radio
station.
Bill Mosley’s work was a tour de force
performance
hacking at Stretch, blending extreme creepy
tension
and sinister surreal comedy.
And Caroline’s contortions of escalating terror
and
nonchalance while trying to find a way around
Chop
Top's bizarre intimidations was a perfect foil
for
Bill.
Tobe’s idea was to have the audience confused
between
screaming and laughing but much crazier, and we
all
worked like fanatics for that.
Caroline’s ability to portray a character who is
in
terror but who is also resourceful was a marvel.
She possessed such enormous ego strength to
retain
that vulnerability of Stretch throughout the
filming.
Which especially paid off for her in the final
scene
when she revved up the chainsaw from Gram-maw in
"Chainsaw Heaven" and ripped up ChopTop’s guts,
pushing him down the mountainside.
HODGE- I know it’s usually pretty hard to narrow
one
down, but do you have a favorite horror movie?
BILL JOHNSON-
There are so many horror films that
are
excellent for their own particular merits.
If I had to choose only one then the film that
inveigled its way off the screen into my daily
reality
to panic me at a level so deeply within me, - at
a
disturbingly primitive level, is Tobe’s first
Texas
Chainsaw Massacre. No other film has impacted me
in
the way that one did.
HODGE- I’ve noticed that at a lot of these
horror
conventions, people are selling and wearing REAL
Serial Killer shirts such as- Charles Manson, or
John
Wayne Gacey. Fictional movie monsters are one
thing,
but celebrating the actions of Real Murderers
seems
disrespectful in my opinion. In my most recent
horror
Icon interviews I've been trying to sum up the
actors
opinions on fans wearing merchandise celebrating
true
serial killers on them. What are your views on
this
BILL JOHNSON-
I’m all for live and let live as
long as
it causes no harm. To aggrandize what you
illustrated
seems a horribly slippery slope, which is the
real
scary movie.
At certain times in the gentle and laid back
grasshopper population there comes a point when
conditions are such, often increased competition
and
social pressures causes something to transform
about
the grasshopper. The jaws of the grasshopper
grows and
changes until the grasshopper population has
transformed into a ravenous population of
Locusts.
Bottomless appetites with giant chomping
mandibles
swarming and crashing down the countryside
devouring
all that’s edible in their path.
So, regarding what you just mentioned, one might
want
to casually turn a discerning eye upon certain,
big
jawed, t-shirt wearing grasshoppers.
HODGE- Besides your most famous role as
LEATHERFACE in
"Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2", you’ve also landed
roles
in movies like- "Redboy 13", "Talk Radio", "Full
Moon
In Blue Water", "D.O.A.", "Paramedics", etc.
However,
the last film you appeared in was "Crosswalk" in
1999.
Can fans expect to see you in anymore films?
BILL JOHNSON-
Well Mike, here in Austin, Texas
I’ve
recently wrapped up a role on an Indy film titled
THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, written and directed by Mari
Marchabanks. A human interest drama about how
three
families of diverse ethnic roots are
interconnected in
unforeseen ways that critically affect the fabric
of
each families well being.
I play, Auggie, a restaurant businessman who
loses his
wife, his sobriety and his business and turns to
dealing drugs. He incrementally loses almost
every
thing else meaningful in his life including his
freedom.
And, Yesterday, I’m excited to say, I was sent a
new
script by Jim O’rear titled THE DEMONS 5.
I'm going to quote Jim from online interview:
What can we expect from the film?
Blood, carnage, and brutality! It’s a cat and
mouse
game. A group of college students organize a
school
research excursion to an abandoned prison that
once
housed five of the most brutal serial killers in
history, known as The Demons 5. Unfortunately for
them, the students become trapped inside the
steel
maze by the killers, who have returned seeking
blood
and have been granted supernatural powers by an
angel
of death. The kids have got to fight for their
lives
if they want to find a way out. Expect a lot of
action, dark humor, plot twists, and special
effects.
I’m not talking about CGI special effects,
though. I’m
talking about "in your face" effects that happen
in
front of the camera lens, like in the good old
golden
days of horror films. The type of effects that
Tom
Savini and his crew are best at, with DAY OF THE
DEAD
realism and quality.
Director, Jeff Burr happened to be looking for
another horror project to become involved with.
He did
great work with TEXAS CHAINSAW 3, PUMPKINHEAD 2,
and
THE STEPFATHER 2, among others, and enjoyed
horror
films. After reading the first draft, he
signed a
commitment letter to be the director.
I wanted that talent to be compiled of people
who
have had a major influence on horror over the
past 25
years as well as up and coming horror actors.
people
like Robert "Freddy" Englund, Gunnar
"Leatherface"
Hansen, Kane "Jason" Hodder, Bill "ChopTop"
Mosley,
Tom Savini, R.A. "Leatherface 3" Mihailoff, Jacki
"Miss Maniac" Lynn, Debbie "Toxic Avenger 4"
Rochon,
and more.
So I am excited about being on board THE DEMONS 5
project too.
Here’s links if you fans want to read those
interviews:
www.thehorrorchannel.tv , www.horror-asylum.com
HODGE- I’ve also heard somewhere that you’ve
done
voice acting for certain video games. What games
have
you worked on?
BILL JOHNSON-
Yes, I’ve done a host of character
voices for interactive software and RPG games.
Seems
like everything from children’s titles as: WHALE
OF A
TALE, LEFT HANDED IN A RIGHT HANDED WORLD, BRAIN
BUSTERS, to name a few.
To adult games, most recently: from Origin
Systems the
ULTIMA SERIES: THE BLACK GATE, SERPENT ISLE,
ASCENSION
voicing the evil almost all powerful demon, the
Guardian of the Black Gate. BRUTE FORCE from
Digital
Anvil/Microsoft. DEUS EX2 from Ion Storm.
HODGE- With Halloween right around the corner,
will
you be appearing at any of the Big Horror
Conventions
like "Chiller Theatre" or "Rock & Shock"?
BILL JOHNSON-
I was going to appear at the
Spooky Con
in Syracuse, NY, Oct. 22,23 but it was just
cancelled.
So I guess I’ll just have to get out on
Halloween
night this year and take care of "family
business".
I’ll be appearing at ScreamFest in Plantation,
Florida
on Nov. 6, 7. www.spookyempire.com . I’ll also
be at
Chiller Theatre in January 2005 and MonsterMania
the
weekend of May 20, 2005
HODGE- I want to thank you for taking the time
out to
do this interview with me. The TEXAS CHAINSAW
MASSACRE films are legendary in the horror genre.
This was quite an honor Bill. Do you have a
website
for fans interested in seeing what you’re up to
these
days?
BILL JOHNSON-
Mike, the honor was mine. Thank
you
for this chance to chat with you and all you far
out
fans. Thank you for inviting me to be a part of
what’s
going on in your world.
I keep my appearance schedule posted so come on
down
and visit my site at www.leatherface2.com and
also
you can also plug in with goaliegurl133 at the
Yahoo
Group " Bill Johnson Online"
http://movies.groups.yahoo.com/group/billjohnsononline/
Thank you everybody, and Keep On Buzzin’!