By KEVIN HOOVER
Director JEFF BURR‘s death in late 2023 left an immeasurable void in horror cinema. Working with genre icons Vincent Price, Clu Gulager and Susan Tyrrell in 1987’s From a Whisper to a Scream entrusted Burr to studio heads – tumultuous relationships at times, but fruitful, nonetheless. Not one to shy away from the stigma associated with filming sequels to beloved franchises, the director’s entries into the Pumpkinhead, Puppet Master and Stepfather franchises achieved cult status with fans, but it’s his work on Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III that many remember most fondly. This June, Chattanooga Film Fest (CFF) kicks off its annual event with a free-for-all celebration of the filmmaker’s life and work, including a special screening of the rarely seen TCM III workprint.
From the press release:
Director Jeff Burr
“Every year, the CFF throws a free kick-off event anyone can come out and enjoy. This year’s launch party is a tribute to one of the festival’s first champions. Filmmaker Jeff Burr was the embodiment of CFF’s mission to bring great genre cinema to the city of Chattanooga and beyond. He accomplished this with numerous screenings of his own films but also as a warm-hearted film historian, educator, and mentor to young, local filmmakers. Jeff gave fans new reasons to love cult classics screening for CFF audiences. This event is a free-to-attend (Jeff would have wanted it that way) celebration of the life and films of Jeff Burr.
Some very special guests, including some of Jeff’s close friends, will be joining us as we share memories of the man. As part of our tribute, we’re honored to have the opportunity to share something we know Jeff would have liked more folks to see: a workprint of LEATHERFACE featuring a version of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III that hews far closer to Jeff’s original vision than the official studio release. Also uncovered at Jeff’s home by his close friend Mark Hannah is an incredible collection of dailies and behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot that we’ll also be sharing along with our own stories and memories. We hope you’ll come and enjoy this candid glimpse into a profoundly creative, warm, and wonderful man.”
Now in its eleventh year, CFF has developed a reputation as one of North America’s premier film festivals, providing a platform for filmmakers at all stages of their careers. Aside from the Jeff Burr tribute, the organizers have already announced two dozen features and 80 short films for guests to screen as well as live podcasts, author panels, Q&A’s and more. This year also marks a continuation of CFF’s hybrid format, with both in-person and virtual festivities.
Chattanooga Film Fest ’24 runs June 21 through 23 (in-person) and June 21 through 28 (virtual). Click here for more information and to purchase badges.
