Director of Texas Chain Saw Massacre dies aged 74

Hollywood directors have paid tribute to Tobe Hooper, who shot horror films such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Poltergeist, following his death.

He died of natural causes at the age of 74 in Los Angeles on Saturday.

The director was best known for the 1974 movie The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which tells the tale of a group of friends who encounter a family of cannibals featuring central villain Leatherface.

Director Tobe Hooper has been called a 'master of horror'

The character, played by Gunnar Hansen, was loosely based on serial killer Ed Gein, but the story was mostly fictitious.

The film cost less than $300,000 (£230,000) to make and became one of the most influential horror films ever due to its realistic approach.

It was one of the most profitable independent films in America in the 1970s, even though violent scenes led to it being banned in several countries.

Shaun Of The Dead director Edgar Wright wrote on Twitter: "Very sad to hear of the passing of Tobe Hooper, another master of horror. He conjured some truly shattering, unforgettable moments in film."

The Exorcist director William Friedkin said: "Tobe Hooper, a kind, warm-hearted man Who made the most terrifying film ever. A good friend I will never forget."

John Carpenter, who shot cult horror film Halloween, called it a "sad day".

He tweeted: "Tobe Hooper directed THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, a seminal work in horror cinema. He was a kind, decent man and my friend."

The 1982 film Poltergeist, written and produced by Steven Spielberg, also became a classic of the horror genre.

It featured a family coping with a house haunted by ghosts and was a box office success.

Hooper also directed the 1986 production, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, which took a more comedic approach compared with the original.

And he shot 1985 sci-fi horror Lifeforce, about alien vampires terrorising London, as well as TV mini-series Salem's Lot, based on Stephen King's bestselling novel.

Hooper continued working in TV and movies in the 1990s and 2000s, but none had the impact of his early works.

His last film as a director was Djinn in 2013 - a supernatural thriller set in the United Arab Emirates.

(SKYNEWS)