The Great Re-Watch vol. 4 - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Some movies can terrify a generation just with a name or a poster. Movies like Jaws (1975) are so etched into the collective consciousness that even if you haven't seen it (then shame on you) you can still be scared by it. The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) is one of those movies. I know growing up as a fan of sci-fi and fantasy that segued as a teenager into horror, Texas Chainsaw was the first barrier I had. When you start watching extreme movies you set barriers for yourself. "I watch horror movies, but Texas Chainsaw is too intense for me." That barrier was quickly passed and movies like I Spit on Your Grave (1978) (disappointing), Last House on the Left (1972)(disturbing), Nekromantic (1987) (impressive, but not for everyone) and Cannibal Holocaust (1980) (now a favorite) all had a place among my barriers. Texas Chainsaw is still a very special movie to me, so I wanted to revisit it when I saw the new 40th Anniversary blu-ray edition on the shelf this October.

This movie still has the ability, no matter how many times I watch it, to feel unsettling and still a little disturbing. From the very start with the iconic opening voice over and the almost poetic flash-bulb sequence with its screeching sound effects makes the viewer wonder what they have gotten themselves into. This is no Hollywood throwaway slasher flick. This is part art film, part slaughter house tell all and part deranged family reunion. By now everyone knows who Leatherface is, but his murderous family of brothers and grandparents are just as bizarre as he is. The cruelty of The Cook and the insanity of The Hitchhiker are what really drives this movie and pushes their unsuspecting victims into a living nightmare. Make no mistakes, the original movie broke barriers and terrified movie goers for years. But the movie is brilliant in its style, grittiness and delivery. It was like no movie before it, or any movie after (especially the host of Hollywood sequels - starting with part 3 - and pale remakes).

I think it helps the eeriness of the original film to know that it is (very) loosely based on the true atrocities of American serial killer Ed Gein. Director Tobe Hooper has repeatedly told the story of how his older relatives used to tell him as a child that the cannibal was going to get him if he was bad like a modern day boogie man. So while Hooper knew some basics of the real case, he never did any real research to follow up what had become mostly urban legend. This is why the family's house in the movie is decorated in furniture and art made of the parts of their victims and various road kill. This loose mythos layered with amazing set design and the oppressive Texas heat makes for an even more intense setting for the film. On top of all of that is Hooper's avant garde approach to sound design that can make your skin crawl.

Part of the genius of Texas Chainsaw is the dark humor Hooper and company inserted amid the horror. One moment that always makes me chuckle is when the teens stop at the Cook's gas station.When he comes out to talk to the kids, a wacky hillbilly with a bulbous head follows with a bucket and starts washing the window on the van. Every time the Cook goes back to the office, the hillbilly stops cleaning and walks back. When the Cook goes back to his conversation with the teens, back to window washing. There are a few gems of dark humor throughout the film. There is a sense of thumbing their nose at American society and ideals of the family union. While this motif is faintly noticed here, I love Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) for its black comedy and high octane violence joined hand in hand.

Some of the myth of Chainsaw 1 is that it is one of the bloodiest movies of all time. This is plainly not true. While the violence is intense, clever filmmaking and inventive editing trick the mind into thinking you saw more than you really do. Many of the interviews and documentaries about the film point out how many members of the audience were too busy covering their eyes from the terror to see just how bloodless the scenes really were.

Another big impact that Chainsaw had on horror history are some very early examples of staples in the genre. It has been noted that Marilyn Burns' Sally may have been one of the original Final Girls. The Final Girl is a theory based around the common slasher theme of brutal serial murderer movies having one female character, usually the "good girl" of the original larger group of teens, that bests the killer and survives to usually show up in the sequel (ie. Nancy Thompson in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) or Sydney in Scream (1996). Another common technique in horror that may have originated in Chainsaw is creating a gang of victims that the audience grows to hate a la Hostel (2005). Sally, Jerry, Pam and Kirk are at times annoying and trite long before we meet the real bad guys of the movie. Take a look at how they treat the wheel-chair bound Franklin. Its hard to believe that any of them are friends or family to him considering the trip the take him on in the completely handicap inaccessible back roads of Texas. On the other hand, Franklin is one of the most irritating characters in the history of movies. Just like in Hostel, you are almost ready to jump in the screen and hurt these characters yourself, but luckily Leatherface and family take care of this for you.

For me, the excitement of picking up this blu-ray edition was the extras. I was happy to see that among the documentaries on the second disc was the David Gregory feature Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth (2000). This doc is a wealth of stories straight from the filmmakers' mouths and a big influence to me when I started interviewing horror icons when I was in grad school working on my thesis film. Along side of Shocking Truth is a collection of newer featurettes including Red Shirt Productions excellent Flesh Wounds: Seven More Stories of the Saw (2006). I love the candid look at actors Ed Neal and Gunnar Hansen, the fans of the film and more. Both of these docs are available on past DVD sets, but its nice to have them together here.

New extras in honor of the 40th Anniversary are on this edition too. There is a wonderfully intimate discussion with John Dugan who played Grandpa as a teenager. Seeing him now look back on the torturous shoot and the behind the scenes fun was great and at times touching. A brief interview with the editor of the movie, Larry Carroll, also revealed some new stories. And another cool bonus extra that I was happy to see on this set was the episode of Horror's Hallowed Grounds that tours the locations from the film.

On a sad note, there was a definite delay in me writing this blog post. The horror community was shocked by the news that Leatherface actor, Gunnar Hansen, had passed away on November 7th. This was a very tough blow for me. As I mentioned earlier, when I was in grad school I made a two part documentary on horror and cult films called indie/cult/horror. At the time Gunnar was a little hard to get in touch with and I had to actually send a letter to his home in Maine asking for an interview. Gunnar was not giving many interviews back then, but expressed interest in my project and agreed because of the educational nature. He was the nicest man I encountered during the year that I made my movie. So much more than a man behind a mask in a horror movie, Gunnar was a witty and charming person who led an interesting and happy life. His career as a journalist and writer was his true passion and trips to horror conventions to meet fans made for a strange and pleasant diversion. He was kind and warm to me and would greet me at conventions after our first meeting with a big hug and smile. I will truly miss him and was so sad when I heard of his passing.

Back to the review. So if you haven't guessed, I highly recommend this movie to anyone that loves horror movies. Having sat through the 2003 re-make, I honestly wish it hadn't been made. I was so disappointed that I wanted my money back...for both tickets...and popcorn...and soda. It makes me sad that an entire generation think of the wrong movie when the words Texas Chainsaw Massacre are spoken. If you fall under this category, you owe it to yourself to right this wrong. The clothes and the music may feel dated, but the brutal terror is still there.

Texas Chainsaw on imdb