Director: Tobe Hooper
Writer: Kim Henkel (Screenplay)
Starring: Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul A Partain, William Vail, Teri McMinn, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, Gunnar Hansen
Plot: Two siblings visit their grandfather’s grave in Texas along with three of their friends and are attacked by a family of cannibalistic psychopaths.
There may be spoilers the rest of the review
Verdict: Shocking
Story: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre starts with a warning that this is a true story (it is not) before throwing news stories at us with the main one being that a Texas graveyard has been having bodies dug up. Worried that their grandparents grave could have been disturbed Sally (Burns) and brother Franklin (Partain) along with friends Jerry (Danziger), Kirk (Vail) and Pam (McMinn) travel to Texas.
Arriving at a family home the friends look to settle down for the night. Searching for a good time alone Kirk and Pam search for a local waterhole only to stumble upon the neighbour’s house in the search for gas. It is here where we first meet Leatherface (Hansen) and here is where the massacre begins.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one of the most iconic horror movies ever made. The story does keep everything very simple with it being 5 young people finding themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. They find themselves terrorized by Leatherface who doesn’t take long to kill most of his victims. There isn’t too many things fresh to say about this and I do think this is one I think shows you don’t need to overcomplicate horror films.
Actor Review
Marilyn Burns: Sally is known as the one who survives from the opening narration, she is the sister of the wheelchair bound Franklin who is joining her friends on the road trip. She becomes of the most iconic victims in any horror film ever made. Marilyn gives us a performance that will still be talked about today in the horror world.
Allen Danziger: Jerry is the boyfriend of Sally’s who does his best to make sure all the traveling Franklin does through easy. Allen does come off like just another victim in this film.
Gunnar Hansen: Letherface is the iconic mentally challenged horror killer, he kills ruthlessly with a chainsaw or with a hammer before preparing the bodies for food. Wearing human faces as a mask the killer makes an instant impact on screen with his first appearance being the swing of a hammer on his first victim. Gunnar will always be remembered for his role because it strikes fear in everyone who saw it.
Paul A Partain: Franklin is the wheelchair bound brother of Sally, he finds himself the 5th wheel on the trip where he does need help from the fellow travellers. Franklin has the most character development and you will be left shocked with what happens to his character. Paul is great in this role as we get to see a victim that doesn’t get a chance to run.
Support Cast: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has a small supporting cast with the friends being just victims and the rest of Leatherface family only appearing later in the film.
Director Review: Tobe Hooper – Tobe gives us a horror film that shows how you can make true horror with little money and one that can shock the audience too.
Horror: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has some of the most brutal kills in horror history and the shock moments will have you jumping.
Settings: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre keep all the settings feeling like we are in the middle of nowhere.
Special Effects: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has brilliant practical effects going on for the kills in this film.
Suggestion: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is one I do expect every single horror fan should have seen at least once. (Horror Fans Watch)
Best Part: Shock of the kills.
Worst Part: Certain bad decisions being made by victims.
Kill Of The Film: Franklin because it is full of shock and jump scare.
Scariest Scene: Leatherface hooks Pam
Believability: While sold to be real it isn’t at all.
Chances of Tears: No
Chances of Sequel: Has sequels, prequels and remakes.
Post Credits Scene: No
Oscar Chances: No
Budget: $83,532
Runtime: 1 Hour 23 Minutes
Tagline: Nothing Cuts Like the Original!
Trivia: The human skeleton in the house at the end of the movie and many of the bones seen in the rest of the film are real. They used a real bones because a human skeleton from India is far cheaper than a fake plastic skeleton.
Overall: Truly one of the most shocking horror films of all time.
Rating
