Guess #3: Okay, I don’t really know what I’m talking about with this one, but I’m going to guess that the film is an allegory of some sort. Throw in his attack modes of choice (chainsaw, sledgehammer, the occasional hook) and I’m running for the hills. I think it goes without saying that Leatherface’s choice-mild spoiler here for anyone who doesn’t already know-to wear other peoples’ faces contributes to his being a visually disturbing figure. Guess #2: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is revered not in small part due to its genuinely terrifying villain. Every scene works to give the impression that the whole town is conspiring against our main characters and that something terrible awaits them. Guess #1: The makers of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre do an extremely effective job of instilling a sense of dread in the audience.
These were my takes, unedited-enjoy my attempt at understanding what could possibly make a movie about cannibalism so evergreen.
Why is The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Considered Important?Īs with my previous posts, I wrote out a few guesses as to why this movie is so well-known and highly regarded before I looked up the actual reasons it is those things. What is it about TTCM that has endured for so many years? I had to find out, so I prepared myself to be properly disturbed and got to work so that I can share with you, dear reader, whether or not TTCM is worth the nightmares it will inevitably induce.
It spawned a franchise consistent of eight-soon to be nine- films, plus comics and a video game. 14 on The Guardian’s 2010 list of Best Horror Films of All Time, and made Time’s list of the Top 25 Horror Movies. The movie topped Total Film‘s 50 Greatest Horror Films list in 2005 (an honor voted on by the likes of George Romero and Wes Craven), ranked No. TTCM is considered one of the most significant horror films ever made. and Australia, upon initial release and in the years following. Due to its violent nature and perverse content, it was banned in multiple territories, including the U.K. TTCM was produced for somewhere between $60,000 and $160,000 (exact numbers vary) and grossed in the ballpark of $30 million domestically (again, the figures vary slightly from source to source). The stop proves fateful as the teens find themselves ensnared in a cannibalistic operation running out of the neighboring Sawyer home. Hooper’s horror classic follows siblings Sally and Franklin Hardesty and three of their friends as they set out on a summer’s day road trip and end up at an old Hardesty homestead. TTCM is a 1974 slasher film directed by the late Tobe Hooper, who ( most likely) also directed Poltergeist. It doesn’t even really matter, as I will henceforth shorten the name to TTCM, but just know that I *probably* wrote it correctly above. I decided to use two words for this piece after consulting IMDb and Shudder (where it’s currently streaming).
I would like to start off by pointing out that the “Chain Saw” part of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is written in some places as “Chain Saw” and in others as “Chainsaw.” The film’s iconic poster displays it as one word, while the title card separates it in two. Warning: The remainder of this article contains mild spoilers for the 1974 film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
That said, this series of reviews is meant to be a discussion of which movies provide good, old-fashioned fun. I believe in the importance of art and understand that all films are worth watching for one reason or another. More like it? In that case, let me tell you about the “true story” of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and whether or not it’s the right choice for your Halloweekend viewing.īefore I get into it, I’d like to preface this piece, as I do all of my posts, by acknowledging that entertainment is subjective.
No? Just me? Okay, well then maybe you’re trying to salvage a Halloween in which you’ll be stuck inside on the couch. So, let me guess how you found your way to this post-you’re looking for something comforting to watch during these trying times and the first thing you thought of is The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.