Some interviews feel inevitable. My conversation with filmmaker Edward Payson was one of them. Looking back, I honestly couldn't tell you exactly when we first connected. It was probably through horror, video games, collecting, or some combination of all three. Over the years we've occupied a lot of the same spaces, shared a lot of the same interests, and crossed paths through plenty of mutual friends. By the time we finally sat down to discuss In Search of All American Massacre: The Lost Texas Chainsaw Film, it felt less like conducting an interview and more like finally checking a long overdue conversation off the list.
For longtime followers of Payson's work, that conversation could have gone in a dozen different directions. I'm a huge fan of The Cohasset Snuff Film, which continues to find new audiences more than a decade after its release, and Rarity: Retro Video Game Collecting in the Modern Era remains one of the most entertaining documentaries ever produced about a hobby many of us spend far too much time and money obsessing over. Still, it was In Search of All American Massacre that brought us together this time, and considering the recent developments surrounding the lost Texas Chainsaw spinoff, there was plenty to talk about.
What makes the documentary work so well is that Payson approaches the material as a fan first. This wasn't a project born from market trends or content opportunities. His fascination with All American Massacre dates back to the early 2000s when rumors of the unreleased Texas Chainsaw spinoff circulated through horror message boards, websites, and word of mouth. As he explained, he first learned about the film around the same time he was hearing stories about other elusive horror projects, and the idea of a lost Texas Chainsaw sequel featuring Bill Moseley returning as Chop Top immediately captured his imagination. Having grown up watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre films with his father, the franchise already held a special place in his life, so the mystery surrounding an unreleased entry lingered with him long after many fans had moved on.
Years later, when the world slowed down during COVID and documentary projects became a practical way to keep creating, Payson revisited the story. Interestingly, the documentary almost didn't happen when it did. He revealed that when he and producer Adam Gotsens started assembling potential projects, In Search of All American Massacre and Rarity were competing for attention. The Texas Chainsaw documentary actually began first, but the challenge of tracking down interview subjects and gathering reliable information slowed production considerably. Rather than forcing the issue, the team shifted gears, completed Rarity, and then returned to the mystery with fresh momentum.
That delay may have been a blessing in disguise because the finished documentary feels remarkably comprehensive. Payson told me that his goal was to create a single source that gathered decades of speculation, rumors, interviews, and discoveries into one cohesive story. The internet had plenty of information, but it was scattered across countless forum posts, articles, and half-remembered conversations. He wanted to bring those pieces together and create something that preserved the history of the project while also investigating what really happened.
Along the way, he uncovered details that genuinely surprised him. One of the most meaningful discoveries involved original Texas Chainsaw Massacre creator Tobe Hooper. Payson admitted that before making the documentary, he hadn't fully understood just how involved Hooper had been with the production. What struck him wasn't simply Hooper's presence, but the father-son relationship at the center of the project. Payson explained that it felt as though Hooper had passed the reins to his son while remaining close enough to offer support, and seeing that dynamic resonated deeply with him because so much of his own love for horror stems from memories of watching these films with his father.
He was equally surprised by the amount of talent attached to All American Massacre. Horror fans tend to focus on Moseley's involvement because Chop Top remains one of the most beloved characters in franchise history, but Payson quickly realized that the crew behind the camera was every bit as impressive. The more he researched the project, the more he discovered seasoned special effects artists and filmmakers whose work stretched across major productions throughout the genre. By the time he had fully mapped out the production history, it became clear that this wasn't some forgotten backyard fan film. It was a serious effort with serious talent behind it.
One thing that became increasingly apparent during our conversation is that Payson has a knack for identifying subjects that exist at the intersection of nostalgia and obsession. Whether he's exploring retro video game collecting, cryptids, lost films, toys, or found footage horror, he gravitates toward communities driven by passion. Even while discussing All American Massacre, he was already talking enthusiastically about future projects involving rare toy collections and even a documentary chronicling the bizarre rise, fall, and eventual resurgence of Pogs. It is easy to see the common thread. Payson is fascinated by the things people refuse to let disappear.
That philosophy may be exactly why In Search of All American Massacre feels so genuine. The documentary is not simply about a missing movie. It is about the people who spent decades trying to figure out what happened to it. It is about rumors becoming folklore, unfinished projects becoming legends, and fans refusing to let a mystery fade away. Payson understands that mindset because he is one of those fans.
Before wrapping up our discussion, he hinted that the story is far from finished. According to Payson, major news is on the horizon, including a significant physical media release for In Search of All American Massacre. He also teased upcoming developments related to Rarity, ensuring that both horror fans and collectors will have something to keep an eye on in the near future.
For me, finally getting the chance to sit down and talk with Edward was every bit as enjoyable as I expected it would be. We covered horror, collecting, lost media, documentary filmmaking, and everything in between. More importantly, we discussed a film that has become one of horror's great unsolved mysteries and the filmmaker who dedicated himself to preserving that story. If you've already seen In Search of All American Massacre, you'll know exactly why it has earned a place among the most compelling genre documentaries in recent memory. If you haven't, now is the perfect time to change that. Edward Payson went looking for one of horror's most elusive ghosts and returned with a story that is every bit as fascinating as the legend itself.
Jessie Hobson