Before becoming a filmaker
I'm a native of Austin, Texas spent the 60s as a college teacher and documentary cameraman.I organized a small cast who were also college teachers and students and then me and 'Kim Henkle' made Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The (1974). This film changed the horror film industry.I based it upon the real life killings of Ed Gein, a cannibalistic killer responsible for the grisly murders of several people in the 1950s.My success with "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" landed me in Hollywood and it remains a horror film classic.I rejoined the cast of "Texas" and with Kim Henkle again for Eaten Alive (1976), a gory horror film with Mel Ferrer, William Finley and Marilyn Burns (who played the lead in "Texas Chainsaw"). The film centered around a caretaker of a motel who feeds his guests to his pet alligator. Also in the film was Robert Englund.I helped raise his career and worked with him again in the future. "Eaten Alive" also won many awards at Horror Film Festivals.
I was assigned to the Film Ventures International production of Dark, The (1979), a science fiction thriller. After only three days I was fired from the film and replaced with John Cardos. Instead,I had a greater success with Stephen King's 1979 mini series Salem's Lot (1979) (TV). In 1981, I directed the teen slasher film for Universal Pictures, Funhouse, The (1981), despite its success, "The Funhouse" was a minor disappointment. In 1982, I found greater success when Steven Spielberg enlisted me to direct his production of Poltergeist (1982). It quickly became a top ranking major motion picture, despite some differences that were resolved by Spielberg himself taking over my directing duties.
"Poltergeist" was perhaps a greater success than "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", but it was three years until I found work again.I signed a three year contract with Menahem Golan and Cannon Films, and directed more films, including Lifeforce (1985), the minor remake of "Invaders from Mars" and the disappointing sequel of Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, The (1986). Since then, my career has gone downhill.I also directed two Robert Englund films Night Terrors (1993) and Mangler, The (1995) in 1995 and I have also directed numerous horror television sitcoms.I was just recently asked to write a new script for Michael Bay's new remake of my original Texas Chainsaw Massacre which was released in 2003.
