The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

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This article is about the 1974 film. For the 2003 remake with the same name, see The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003 film).
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

The original movie poster
Directed by Tobe Hooper
Produced by Tobe Hooper
Lou Peraino
Written by Kim Henkel
Tobe Hooper
Starring Marilyn Burns
Gunnar Hansen
Edwin Neal
Allen Danzinger
Paul A. Partain
Jim Siedow
Teri McMinn
Music by Wayne Bell
Tobe Hooper
Distributed by Flag of the United States Bryanston Distributing Company
Flag of the United States New Line Cinema (1983 Re-release)
Flag of the United Kingdom Blue Dolphin
Release date(s) October 1, 1974
Running time 80 min.
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English
Budget $83,532 (estimated)
Gross revenue $36,000,000 (US Box Office)
Followed by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film written, directed and produced by Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel. The film is the first in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series, and features Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Edwin Neal and Paul A. Partain. The plot revolves primarily around a group of friends who embark on a road trip in rural Texas, only to fall victim to a family of cannibals, including the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was strongly criticized at the time of its release for its graphic content by critics,[1] which led to the film being banned by various countries. The film has since produced three sequels, and a remake, with its own prequel.

Contents

[edit] Cast

The main cast of the film consisted of:

[edit] Plot

Group outside the house. From left to right Pam (Teri McMinn), Kirk (William Vail), Franklin (Paul A. Partain) and Sally (Marilyn Burns) Jerry (Allen Danziger) inset.
Group outside the house. From left to right Pam (Teri McMinn), Kirk (William Vail), Franklin (Paul A. Partain) and Sally (Marilyn Burns) Jerry (Allen Danziger) inset.

A group of five close friends are heading through the back roads of Texas en route to their grandfather's potentially vandalized grave. Among them are Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns), and her wheelchair-bound brother Franklin (Paul A. Partain).

They encounter an unpleasant hitchhiker (Edwin Neal) who slashes both himself and Franklin with a strange-looking knife. The others manage to eject the hitchhiker from the vehicle, but shortly afterwards, they are forced to stop and wander over to a small, sinister clapboard house nearby in hopes for gas.

What none of them realize is that this house is the home of the ghoulish Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen) and his evil, demented family of cannibalistic psychopaths. One at a time, the teens are murdered by the evil Leatherface in horrifying ways. Sally soon finds herself an involuntary guest at Leatherface's home where the family torments her for the rest of the night, forcing her to sit at their table while they eat a meal that is obviously made up of human flesh. They bring Grandpa down from upstairs, the patriarch of the family, and slice Sally's finger open, sticking it in the aged man's mouth while he sucks her blood. They tell Sally that "Grandpa" used to work in the slaughterhouse and was the best with a sledgehammer there was. They decide to let Grandpa kill Sally and untie her, forcing her onto her knees and holding her head over a bucket while Grandpa makes several feeble attempts to hit her head with a hammer. The hitchhiker gets frustrated and makes a grab for the hammer to finish her off, and suddenly Sally breaks free. She hurls herself out a window again and lands outside just as dawn begins to break.

The hitchhiker and Leatherface emerge from the house and chase Sally up to the road, the hitchhiker brandishing a knife and Leatherface waving the chainsaw. The hitchhiker very nearly catches her, grabbing for her and catching her hair over and over. A large semi drives by and the hitchhiker is caught off guard; the truck drives over him, killing him. The truck driver slows down and gets out of the rig to see what happened, only to be confronted by a screaming, bloodied Sally with Leatherface close behind, the chainsaw buzzing. He chases Sally and the truck driver to the other side of the cab, when the driver hurls a wrench at him and hits him in the side of the head. Leatherface drops the saw and falls, wounded in the leg by the saw blade. The truck driver flees down the road, but the wounded Sally cannot catch up. Then a pickup truck drives by and Sally abandons the scene by jumping in the back of the truck. Leatherface still gives chase, but the pickup driver pulls away. Sally laughs insanely at Leatherface as she escapes, giggling at him as he swings his chainsaw around in frustration and rage in the middle of the road in the full light of dawn.

[edit] Production

[edit] Creation

(From left to right) Lou Perry, Tobe Hooper and Daniel Pearl setting up a shot using a Eclair NPR 16mm
(From left to right) Lou Perry, Tobe Hooper and Daniel Pearl setting up a shot using a Eclair NPR 16mm

Hooper has said that the idea for featuring a chainsaw in a horror film came to him while in the hardware section of a crowded store, as he imagined a way to get out quickly through the crowd. [2] The concept for the film arose in the early 1970s while he was a college professor and documentary cameraman in his native Austin, Texas.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was loosely based on the murders committed by 1950s serial killer Ed Gein, who served as the inspiration for two other horror films, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960) and Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs (1991). [2] [3] [4]

Special effects were simple and limited by the budget. The blood shown was often real, as the cast members were accidentally harmed during filming. For example, Marilyn Burns index finger was actually cut with a razor because there were difficulties getting the fake blood to come out of the tube behind the blade. Burns' costume was so drenched in fake blood that it was virtually solid on the last day of the shoot.[5] The film was distributed and produced through Bryanston Distributing Company.

[edit] Financing

Most of the financing for this film came from the profits of the hugely successful Deep Throat (1972), a previous adult film the production company had financed. An estimated $83,532 was raised.[6] Hooper produced the film on a relatively small budget of $83,532. [7]

[edit] Casting

Many of the cast members had little or no acting credits whatsoever prior to being cast. They consisted of actors native to or living in Texas who had previous roles in commercials, television shows and stage, as well as acquaintances of Hooper. Involvement in the film propelled many cast members into the motion picture industry. The lead role of Sally went to the then-unknown Marilyn Burns. Burns previously had appeared on stage, and while attending the University of Texas at Austin, she joined its film commission board. For the role of Leatherface, Icelandic-American actor Gunnar Hansen was cast. In preparation for his role, Hansen decided that Leatherface was mentally retarded and never learned to talk properly, so he went to a school for the mentally challenged and watched how they moved and listened to them talk to get a feel for the character.[2]

[edit] Release

Upon the completion of post-production, Bryanston Distributing Company found it difficult to secure a distributor willing to market the film because of its graphic content.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre premiered on October 1, 1974 in Austin, Texas, almost a year after it was actually filmed. Nationally, it was shown as a Saturday afternoon matinée film and attracted an audience consisting of pre-teens and adolescents, but found success with a broader audience after it was falsely marketed as being a "true story".[8]

[edit] Box office

The film grossed an estimated $30 million in the United States, making it one of the most successful independent films, until being overtaken by John Carpenter's Halloween (1978). It was translated into more than 25 languages and released across Europe, Canada and, because of controversy, not until 1982 in Australia.[9]

[edit] Reception

The film earned a major reaction in later weeks by word of mouth. TV Guide called it "An intelligent, absorbing, and deeply disturbing horror film that is nearly bloodless in its depiction of violence" and Empire Magazine called it "The most purely horrifying horror movie ever made".[10] Mike Emery of the Austin Chronicle called it "Horrifying, yet engrossing ... But the worst part about this vision is that despite its sensational aspects, it never seems too far from what could be the truth." and Chicago Reader said "the picture gets to you more through its intensity than its craft, but Hooper does have a talent."[10] Several reviewers disliked the film's gory special effects. Critic Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times believed that it was well-acted, well-directed and effective; but claimed it became too gratuitously violent and seemed "weird" in parts [1] Steve Crum of Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers criticises it as "Cultish trash that set new low standards for brutality".[11]

More recently however, critics have called it one of the scariest movies ever made.[12] Rob Gonsalves of eFilmCritic.com refers to the film as "a masterpiece", and hails it as "The Great American Horror Movie" [13]. Noted reviewer Rex Reed called it "The most terrifying motion picture I have ever seen." Horror novelist Stephen King considers it "Cataclysmic terror", and states "I would happily testify to its redeeming social merit in any court in the country."[13]

Overall critical opinion of the film is highly favorable, with a rating of 89% on the aggregate movie review website RottenTomatoes.com (a relatively high score, especially for a horror film), and a respectable 7.4/10 at IMDb.com.

[edit] Controversy

Hooper reportedly hoped the complete uncut print of the film would be given a PG rating by the MPAA. It wasn't. The film was released uncensored by the MPAA film rating system and with an R rating.[14]

The movie was also banned or delayed in many countries, and where it was released, it was frequently edited. It was not released in Australia until the early 1980s, but it was never banned there. It was banned in the United Kingdom largely on the authority of then-BBFC secretary James Ferman,[15] but saw a limited cinema release thanks to various city councils. Censors attempted to cut it for the purposes of a wider release in 1977 but were unsuccessful.

It was released on videotape and CED disc in the 1980s by Wizard Video and Vestron Video, but was again banned in the United Kingdom in 1984, during the moral panic surrounding video nasties. In 1999, after the retirement of Ferman, the BBFC passed the movie uncut on cinema and video, with the 18 certificate, almost 25 years after its original release.[16]

[edit] Sequels

Main article: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (film series)

The film was first followed in 1986 by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, once again directed by Tobe Hooper. Unlike the first film however, the sequel was much more graphic and violent than the original and was banned in Australia for 20 years, but finally released on DVD in a revised edition during 2006.[17] The film also had a greater budget than the original, and much more special effects were used. The sequel was less well-received by the critics, as they felt it had moved away from the terror of the original for the sake of dark humour.[18]

The film spawned two more sequels. Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) was the second sequel. The film had a budget of $2 million, and was directed by Jeff Burr. R. A. Mihailoff starred as the infamous Leatherface in this sequel. Tobe Hooper did not return for the film, and the film was critically panned, with a 23% rating on the review site Rotten Tomatoes, and only 3 out of 13 reviews were positive.[19] Chris Parcellin of Film Threat said "it's really just another generic slasher flick with nothing beyond the Leatherface connection to recommend it to discerning fans."[20]

The third sequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation was released in 1995, starring Renée Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey. The film was a semi-remake of the original, although it was originally intended to be a complete redo of the first film. This film was the worst rated out of the three sequels, with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a rating of 16% on the Tomatometer, and only 4 out of the 15 reviews were positive.[21] Maitland McDonagh of TV Guide's Movie Guide said that the movie was "Tired and dated."[22]

A remake, entitled The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released in 2003. The film starred Jessica Biel, Eric Balfour, Andrew Bryniarski as Leatherface, and R. Lee Ermey as Sheriff Hoyt. The film was better critically received than most of the sequels, although it only managed to achieve a 35% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with 52 reviews out of 150 being positive.[23] Notable critic Roger Ebert called it "A contemptible film: Vile, ugly and brutal."[24]

A prequel to the remake, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning was released in 2006. The film was directed by Jonathan Liebesman, produced by Michael Bay and Mike Fleiss. It had a starring cast of Jordana Brewster, Taylor Handley, with R. Lee Ermey and Andrew Bryniarski reprising their roles as Sheriff Hoyt and Leatherface respectively. The film was panned by most critics, with a 14% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.[25] Mark Palermo stated "The focus in (The) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning isn't on the confrontation of demons, moral reckoning, or terror. It's an unimaginative exercise in suffering".[26]

[edit] Adaptations

Main articles: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (video game) and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (comics)
The cover to Leatherface #1, the first in a series of comics based on the film series
The cover to Leatherface #1, the first in a series of comics based on the film series

Shortly after The Texas Chain Saw Massacre established itself as a success on home video in 1982, a mass market video game adaptation was released for the Atari 2600 by Wizard Video.[27] In the game, the player takes on the role of the movie's chainsaw-wielding villain Leatherface and attempts to murder trespassers while avoiding obstacles such as fences and cow skulls.[28] As one of the first horror-themed video games, Texas Chainsaw Massacre caused a great deal of controversy when it was released, and sold poorly due to many game stores refusing to carry it.[27] Wizard Video's other commercial release, Halloween, had a similar reception, and the limited number of copies sold have made them both highly valued items amongst Atari collectors.

In addition, several comic books based on the franchise were made in 1991 by Northstar Comics entitled Leatherface. They were licenced the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise to Avatar Press for use in new comic book stories, the first of which was published in 2005. In 2006, Avatar Press lost the license to DC Comics imprint, Wildstorm, who have since begun publishing new stories based on the franchise. The series of comics feature none of the main characters seen in the original film (exempting Topps Comics Jason vs. Leatherface series) with the exception of Leatherface, however the 1991 "Leatherface" miniseries was loosely based on the third Texas Chainsaw Massacre film. Said writer Mort Castle, "The series was very loosely based on Texas Chainsaw Massacre III. I worked from the original script by David Schow and the heavily edited theatrical release of director Jeff Burr, but had more or less free rein to write the story the way it should have been told. The first issue sold 30,000 copies."[29] Kirk Jarvinen drew the first issue, and Guy Burwell finished the rest of the series. The comics, not having the same restrictions from the MPAA, had much more gore than the finished film. The ending, as well as the fates of several characters, was also altered. An adaptation of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was planned by Northstar Comics, but never pulled through.[30]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). Roger Ebert (January 1, 1974). Retrieved on 2008-05-31.
  2. ^ a b c Gregory, David (Director and Writer). (2000). Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth [Documentary]. Blue Underground.
  3. ^ Ed Gein: Real American Psycho. HouseofHorrors.com. Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  4. ^ Dika, Vera (2003). Recycled Culture in Contemporary Art and Film: The Uses of Nostalgia. Britain: Cambridge University Press, Pages 63. ISBN 0521016312. 
  5. ^ The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Sci-FiShock.com. Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  6. ^ The Texas Chain Saw Massacre business statistics. IMDb (1974). Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  7. ^ Phillips, Kendell R, Projected Fears: Horror Films and American Culture (Praeger Publishers, 2005), p. 101, ISBN 0-275-98353-6.
  8. ^ Texas Chain Saw Massacre myth debunked. snopes.com (2007). Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  9. ^ The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Release info. IMDb (1974). Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  10. ^ a b The Texas Chain Saw Massacre(1974): Reviews. MetaCritic (January 1, 2000). Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  11. ^ Steve Crum - Rotten Tomatoes. RottenTomatoes.com (2006). Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  12. ^ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. FilmVault.com (November 2, 1998). Retrieved on 2008-06-05.
  13. ^ a b The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Review). Rob Gonsalves (2006). Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  14. ^ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Ultimate Edition. Entertainment Weekly (2006). Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  15. ^ The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. sBBFC.co.uk (2006). Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  16. ^ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre rated 18 by the BBFC. BBFC (1999). Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  17. ^ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 - SE Film (DVD). OFLC (2006). Retrieved on 2008-06-02.
  18. ^ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Part 2. Roger Ebert (August 25, 1986). Retrieved on 2008-06-02.
  19. ^ Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  20. ^ Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III. Chris Parcellin (2000). Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  21. ^ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  22. ^ Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation. TVGuide.com. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  23. ^ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. RottenTomatoes.com. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  24. ^ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Roger Ebert (October 17, 2003). Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  25. ^ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  26. ^ The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 2008-06-03.
  27. ^ a b The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Atari game. GameSpot. Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  28. ^ Texas Chainsaw Massacre overview. Allgame. Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  29. ^ MortCastle. Glasshouse Graphics. Retrieved on 2008-06-01.
  30. ^  Mort Castle (w), "Hunters in the Night" Leatherface vol. 1,  #4 (1991)  Northstar Comics (1/Introduction)

[edit] External links

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Original series
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Films directed by Tobe Hooper
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