Welcome to Wild Card Wednesday and another installment of the Original vs. Remake series I do with Tiffany A. White. This month’s movie is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. As the title of this post indicates, I’ll be doing the original. Tiffany will do the remake on Friday.
[Note: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake is one of the few remakes I really love. I thought it captured the spirit of a good remake.]
After I agreed to feature The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the original vs. remake series, I realized I have talked about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre on this blog before.
The official topic of that post was the house in which the movie was filmed. However, I talked some about the production of the movie, and I talked a little about the inspiration of the movie. If you’d like to read that post, click here.
I’m not going to cover the same ground for this post. Today, we’re going to examine what puts The Texas Chainsaw Massacre on my Best Horror Movies of All Time list.
We’ll start with the basics in case you’re unfamiliar with the movie.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
Homemade Summary: While visiting a deserted family homestead, a group of young adults stumbles on a family of sadistic killers.
If you’ve not seen the trailer, why wait another day?
About the Film
The film was directed by Tobe Hooper–who also co-wrote the screenplay. Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen starred in the film. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was filmed on location in the Texas Hill Country–specifically the Round Rock area.
[Fun Factoid: The original title of the film was Headcheese. You'd have to watch the film to understand the reference. Rest assured, it is mighty gross.]
How Chainsaw Influenced the Horror Genre
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was an extremely influential film in the horror genre.
Leatherface, the main villain, uses a chainsaw to dispatch his victims–who are then ostensibly served as barbecue in the family gas station/convenience store. This simple formula changed the landscape of horror.
The imposing, faceless villain who seems unstoppable shows up in the Halloween franchise, the Friday the 13th franchise, and the Scream franchise. It has become a staple of the horror genre.
After Chainsaw, the theme of the villains being a family inbred, cannibalistic nut cases began to show up in horror cinema. This can be seen in The Hills Have Eyes (1977) and Wrong Turn (2003). To some extent, the same theme is present The House of Wax remake (2005), Vacancy (2007), and Wolf Creek (2005).
Based on a True Story
Though the film purports to be based on a true story, it is not. The screenplay’s writers (Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel) claimed three different sources.
- Ed Gein, a Wisconsin graverobber, murderer, and necrophiliac. When he was arrested, police found decorations made of human body parts. I wrote a blog post about him some time back. Click here to read it.
- A childhood doctor of Tobe Hooper’s told young Tobe a story that stuck with him for life. The doctor claimed that, as a pre-med student, he skinned a cadaver’s face and wore it as a mask to a party. (I am not sure if I believe this one, but it is interesting.)
- Elmer Wayne Henley, a Texas serial killer who worked with two accomplices. He is thought to have participated in the deaths of no fewer than 28 boys and young men. Stop back by here on Friday. I’ll do a whole post on Henley’s crimes and what became of him.
Why is Chainsaw a Classic?
To prepare for this blog post, I watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for the first time in at least fifteen years. I don’t watch it every year because it’s an uncomfortable film. This time, I tried to pinpoint what horrified me as I watched.
The following is a list I’ve compiled. It doesn’t come from a book on horror films, and I’m not a horror expert. The items on the list are just the things that I found upsetting.
- The very beginning of the movie has a voice over (by John Larroquette) that leads the viewer to believe the events of the film are based on a true story. I can only imagine seeing this film in 1974 when there was no internet to check such things out.
- Throughout the film, a litany of disastrous news reports plays in the background. It is said this type of news report inspired Tobe Hooper to write Chainsaw.
- The hitchhiker. This happens early in the film, and I think it sets the stage beautifully for what follows. I don’t imagine all of us have picked up hitchhikers. But I bet we have all found ourselves in a situation with a stranger where we felt genuinely scared–even if it was for just a second. Click here to watch the scene in its entirety.
- Isolation. For most people, civilization equals safety. Being in an unfamiliar environment–especially a rural one–sets the stage for all sorts of malevolent activity.
- The killer never speaks an intelligible word. Gunnar Hansen, who played Leatherface, said he observed mentally disabled patients in an Austin hospital to prepare for the role.
- Help is not coming. This arises from two factors: 1) the isolation and 2) the conspiracy theory–or “everybody is in on it.” This is one of my favorite horror themes because we live in a society where we are constantly connected–internet, cell phones, densely populated cities. It makes sense to think we’ll always be able to reach someone to come to our rescue. But what if we couldn’t?
- The violence is cringe-worthy. I shouldn’t need to explain this one.
- The music. If you want to call it music. Click here to take a listen.
- The murder house draws the victims like a spider web draws its prey. They can’t help but approach it. One of the most horrifying scenes happens when they find the cars of the previous victims. Not knowing what they’ve found, the victims approach the house anyway.
- The ending does not show the death of the villain. So he’s still out there.
If the horror genre interests you at all, I recommend spending 90 minutes of your life watching this movie. It is old–almost as old as me–so the pacing is slower than today’s pacing. Despite that, this movie stands the test of time. It’s uncomfortable, gory, and terrifying. It earns its place on my Best Horror Movies of All Time list.
If you’re interested in watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it is available for purchase on Amazon.com both on DVD and on BluRay.
Floor is open. Have you ever seen The Texas Chainsaw Massacre? OR What’s your favorite horror movie?
Be sure to stop by Tiffany A. White’s blog on Friday to check out her review of the remake. And come back by here. I’ll be talking about Elmer Wayne Henley, whose horrific crimes served as one of inspirations for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Sources:
The Mad and the Macabre Part 1 by Christian Sellers
They Came, They Sawed by John Bloom (Texas Monthly–November 2004)
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susielindau said:
I am not a fan and have never watched it. I would have nightmares for the rest of my life like after watching “Scarface!”
Ed Gein was one messed up dude!
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Catie Rhodes said:
I’ll tell you a little secret Susie. I have been watching horror movies all my life. As a kid, my nightmares were so bad, I used to barricade my closet door at night. I was afraid of the boogeyman. LOL
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Julie Glover said:
This movie scared the holy crap out of me when I was a teenager. We saw it a junior high girls’ slumber party. (What were the parents thinking???!!!) Everything you point out is so true, Catie. I also recall that the music wasn’t always placed into the story in the usual polished Hollywood ways. Thus, you might receive almost no creepy-music warning when something quite terrible was about to happen on the screen. I realized then how much we use that background mood music to subconsciously brace ourselves. I definitely had nightmares afterward. This one and Pet Sematary are on my never-see-again list. But if you like horror, TCM is a classic!
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Catie Rhodes said:
Wow! I am surprised that the parents showed that particular movie. Had it been my kid and my slumber party, I’d have worried about having an angry parent telling me off for terrorizing their kid.
Part of what makes the movie scary is exactly what you said. The movie is not as polished as the average Hollywood movie. Because of the onslaught of reality shows, I now liken the style to that of a reality show. But the first time I saw it, of course, there were no reality shows.
I read the book Pet Sematary and thought it was significantly scarier than the movie. However. some of the imagery from the movie was absolutely horrifying. Especially those dreamlike sequences with the little boy after he came back from the dead.
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Tiffany A White said:
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre story scared me sooooo much, that I stayed away from it for years. I actually still don’t know if I’ve seen the 1974 film entirely. The biggest scare factors for me? It was reportedly a true story. It was in Texas. It took place out in the country (we kinda lived out in the country when I was a little girl and both sets of grandparents lived out in the country). AND the chainsaw. Terrifying!! I still hate the sound of a chainsaw at haunted houses. I will run like the wind!!
Plus, I’m kinda gullible. I’ll believe anything.
I can’t wait for your Friday post!
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Catie Rhodes said:
The first time I saw TCM, the true story thing scared me. But, then, I researched it and learned it was a marketing ploy.
Another scary aspect of TCM is that we have all gotten lost at some point in our lives. We have all been curious about something and wandered off the beaten path. The idea that something not so nice could be lurking there feels very real and possible.
Friday’s post is going to be one of those weird ones. This case always makes my skin crawl, which is why I have never profiled it.
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andrewmocete said:
Halloween is my number one, but TCM easily makes the top five. Scariest scene was Leatherface’s introduction. The lack of music made it even more realistic and the sound the sliding door made when Leatherface slammed it, left me stunned. I thought about that scene the whole rest of the movie.
Maybe it’s just me, but I never found it to be a gory movie. I was always impressed that it delivered scares and terror, turned up to eleven, with minimal splatter. Nice trip down memory lane!
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Catie Rhodes said:
Oh, good point about Leatherface’s introduction. The first time I saw that scene, it all happened so quickly that I had to rewind (back it the day of VCR tape) to watch it again. As you say, there’s no music. It’s almost as though you may have imagined that quick flash of violence. But you didn’t.
IMHO, the movie is not gory. It’s the stuff like when Leatherface hangs the woman on the meathook. I was nearly flailing in my chair because it was just so gross. And her reaction was so vivid.
Anyway, it’s in my top five too. I am not sure what my number one would be. I do like Halloween an awful lot.
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Emma said:
I couldn’t watch this, way too violent.
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Catie Rhodes said:
It is violent, and it’s not for everybody.
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Rhonda Hopkins said:
I’m with Andrew. My number one is Halloween. TCM did scare the crap out of me though. I don’t think I’ve seen the remake. I may have to give that one a try since you liked it, although TCM is a little more gory than what I like. I’m much more into the scare than the gore. Great post, Catie. I’m looking forward to Friday’s.
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Catie Rhodes said:
You definitely need to give the remake a day in court. It is not an exact copy of the original, which is one thing I liked. Of course, it is not a low-budget film either. So the special effects and the soundtrack are more slick. It is just as cringe-worthy as the original, though. No doubt about that.
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Richard Whittle said:
I really enjoyed the character play by R Lee Ermey in Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. His sadistically warped sense of justice coupled with his twisted family life makes him unforgettable. He may be my favorite cinematic sociopath! LOL..
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Catie Rhodes said:
I need to make a point to watch The Beginning. I started it one night and ended up not getting into it. I need to give it another day in court.
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Tameri Etherton said:
I’m just going to click ‘Like’ and close my eyes until the movie’s over.
Even those pictures freak me out! I’m sending this to a few friends, though who are totally into scary movies.
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Catie Rhodes said:
Thanks for sharing it with your friends! And, no, it is not everybody’s taste.
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William Simon said:
Saw the original TCM at a midnight showing at a theatre literally four blocks from my apartment…. that was the *longest* walk home I ever experienced. Watched it again a few years later on a VCR, and was stunned how *little* blood is in it. The suggestion of it, the hints of it, unlock the imagination and make it all MUCH worse than what is on the screen. The re-make had nowhere near the same effect, but I did like “The Beginning”, where they provided somewhat of a history for the family and why this all happened.
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Catie Rhodes said:
I can imagine how you’d feel walking through the streets at 2:00 a.m. after seeing TCM for the first time. My parents live about 2 hours north of me. The drive to see them takes me through some pretty rural areas. Most of the time, I like it. But there are times my imagination gets the better of me.
You are the second person who has said he enjoyed TCM: The Beginning. I am definitely going to make a point to watch this.
Thanks for commenting!
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