The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The original movie poster
Directed by	Tobe Hooper
Written by	Kim Henkel Tobe Hooper
Produced by	Tobe Hooper Lou Peraino
Starring	Marilyn Burns Gunnar Hansen Edwin Neal Allen Danzinger Paul A. Partain Jim Siedow Teri McMinn William Vail
Music by	Wayne Bell Tobe Hooper
Distributed by	Bryanston Distributing Company (U.S.) New Line Cinema (1983 U.S. Re-release) Blue Dolphin (UK)
Release date	October 1, 1974
Running time	80 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$83,532 (estimated)
Box office	$36,000,000 (US Box Office)

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 first in the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series, featuring Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Teri McMinn, William Vail, Edwin Neal, and Paul A. Partain. The plot revolves primarily around a group of friends who embark on a road trip to rural Texas to visit the Hardesty family gravesite, which according to radio reports, had been gruesomely vandalized. On a detour to visit the old Hardesty mansion, the friends 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,^[1] so much so that it led to the film being banned by various countries, including Australia and the United Kingdom.^[2] However in recent years, the film has been considered a classic amongst critics, and has topped a Total Film poll as the greatest horror film of all time.^[3] The film has since produced three sequels, and a remake which has its own prequel.

The film begins when a group of five close friends are traveling the back roads of Texas en route to their grandfather's grave. Among them are Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns), her wheelchair-bound brother Franklin (Paul A. Partain), her boyfriend Jerry (Allen Danziger), his best friend Kirk (William Vail), and Kirk's girlfriend Pam (Teri McMinn). After visiting the cemetary, they stop at a gas station, but the station pumps are empty so they continue to Hardesty summer home. On the way they encounter a hitchhiker (Edwin Neal), who slashes both himself and Franklin with a straight razor before being kicked out of the groups van.

Arriving at the Hardesty house, the group separates and begin exploring. Kirk and Pam, in search of a place to swim, stumble upon a nearby residence. Looking for gasoline, Kirk enters the house. Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen) appears from behind a metal door and kills Kirk with a sledgehammer. Pam, looking for Kirk, wonders into the house, and she to is grabbed by Leatherface, who hangs her on a meat hook. Back at the van, Sally, Franklin and Jerry begin to worry about Kirk and Pam. Jerry sets off to search for them. Jerry discovers the nearby house and walks in to look for Kirk and Pam. Jerry finds Pam's body in a freezer, which comes to life after he opens the freezer door; Leatherface comes in and kills Jerry with the sledgehammer and pushes Pam's body back into the freezer.

As night falls, Sally and Franklin set off to find the others. Sally pushes Franklin through the woods as the pair call out for their friends. Leatherface appears out of the darkness and cuts into Franklin's abdomen with his chainsaw. Screaming, Sally runs away, with Leatherface running after her. Sally eventually finds her way back to the gas station the group had passed earlier. The owner of the station, known in the credits as "Cook" (Jim Siedow) tries to calm Sally down, who is ranting about a man chasing her with a chainsaw. The owner leaves to get his truck and returns with a bag and rope. Sally realizes that the owner is with Leatherface, and she attempts to fight back. The man manages to get her subdued in his truck, and then he heads back to the house. Picking up the hitchhiker along the way, it is revealed that all are part of the same family of cannibals. Sally wakes to find herself tied to a chair at a dinning table, where Leatherface and the hitchhiker bring their Grandpa (John Dugan) to the table to take part in killing and eating Sally.

Sally manages to break free from her restraints, and runs from the house. The hitchhiker and Leatherface chase after her, with the hitchhiker slashing her back with his straight razor as they run. When the group enters the road, a passing semi-trailer truck runs down the hitchhiker. When the driver stops, Sally runs up to him pleading for them to get back in the truck and leave. Leatherface chases the truck driver and Sally around the truck. The truck driver throws a wrench at Leatherface causing him to fall and the chainsaw to land on his leg, cutting it. A pickup comes by, and Sally manages to get in the back. As Sally laughs insanely as she escapes, Leatherface twirls and swings his chainsaw in frustration.

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.^[4] The concept for the film arose in the early 1970s while he was a college professor and documentary cameraman in his native Austin, Texas.^[5][6]

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).^[4][7][8]

Special effects were simple and limited by the budget. The blood shown was often real, as the cast members were accidentally harmed during filming.^[9] 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.^[10] Burns' costume was so drenched in fake blood that it was virtually solid on the last day of the shoot. The film was shot mainly using an Eclair NPR 16mm camera. ^[11] The film was distributed and produced through Bryanston Distributing Company.

Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkle formed a corporation called Vortex, Inc. with Henkle as president and Hooper serving as vice president.^[12] They approach Bill Parsley for funding for "this simple little ol' horror movie". Parsley formed a company called MAB Inc. and put up $60,000. In return, MAB owned 50% of the film and the profits. Ron Bozman told most of the cast and crew to defer parts of their salaries until after the movie was sold. Vortex made the idea more attractive by awarding nearly everyone with a share of Vortex's potential profits ranging from .25% to 6% (called 'points'). But because of a miscommunication between Vortex and the others, they were not told that Vortex only owns 50% of the film, which made everyone's 'points' cut in half.^[12]

Midway through the editing process, Henkle and Hiioer ran out of money for the project. P.I.T.S. donated $23,532 in exchange for 19% of Vortex's (50% share) profits. That left Henkle and Hooper with 45% of Vortex between them and the remaining 36% divided up between 20 cast and crew members.^[12] Warren Skaaren made a deal as an equal partner with Hooper and Henkle, along with a 15% share of Vortex. Skaaren was paid a deferred salary of $5,000 and a "monitoring fee" of 3% of the gross profits (MAB and Vortex combined) off the top. David Foster arranged for a private screening for some of Bryanston's West Coast executives and received 1.5% of Vortex's profits and a deferred fee of $500.^[12]

On August 28, 1974, Ron Bozman & Warren Skaaren were offered a contract of $225,000 and 35% of the profits from the worldwide distribution of TCM by Louis (Butchi) Periano of Bryanston Distributors. Years later, Bozman was quoted in saying, "We made a deal with the devil, [sigh], and I guess that, in a way, we got what we deserved."^[12] The contract with Bryanston, Inc. was signed. After the investors had recouped their money (including interest), Skaaren's salary and monitoring fee were paid, and the lawyers and accountants had been paid, only $8,100 remained to be split up among the 20 filmmakers.^[12]

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. ^[13] Burns previously had appeared on stage, and while attending the University of Texas at Austin, she joined its film commission board. Teri McMinn was a student and worked with various local theater companies, including The Dallas Theater Center, when her picture was spotted by Henkle in the Austin Statesman. They called her to come in for a reading. On her last call-back they requested she 'wear short shorts'. Her costume handily proved the most comfortable of all the cast members' costumes, taking into consideration the incredible Texas heat that was to last through out the entire shoot. For the role of Leatherface, Icelandic-American actor Gunnar Hansen was cast.^[14] 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.^[4] Hansen recalled: "It was 95, 100 degrees every day during filming," Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface) recalled. "They wouldn't wash my costume because they were worried that the laundry might lose it, or that it would change color. They didn't have enough money for a second costume. So I wore that [mask] 12 to 16 hours a day, seven days a week, for a month." ^[14]

Upon the completion of post-production, filmakers found it difficult to secure a distributor willing to market the film, due to the graphic content. However, on August 28, 1974, the Bryanston Distributing Company agreed to distribute the film.^[12] The Texas Chain Saw Massacre premiered on October 1, 1974 in Austin, Texas, almost a year after it was 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".^[15]

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).^[16] It was translated into more than 25 languages and released across Europe, Canada and, because of controversy, not until 1982 in Australia.^[2]

Overall, the film was generally well received by most critics. TV Guide called it "An intelligent, absorbing, and deeply disturbing horror film that is nearly bloodless in its depiction of violence",^[17] and Empire Magazine called it "The most purely horrifying horror movie ever made".^[18] 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." Chicago Reader said "the picture gets to you more through its intensity than its craft, but Hooper does have a talent."^[18] Christopher Null of FilmCritic.com said "In our collective consciousness, Leatherface and his chainsaw have become as iconic as Freddy and his razors or Jason and his hockey mask."^[19] 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".^[20] Stephen Koch's 1976 diatribe against the film in "Fashions in Pornography" for Harper's Magazine described The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as "unrelenting sadistic violence as extreme and hideous as a complete lack of imagination can possibly make it".^[21]

More recently however, critics have called it one of the scariest movies ever made.^[22] Rob Gonsalves of eFilmCritic.com refers to the film as "a masterpiece", and hails it as "The Great American Horror Movie" ^[23]. 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."^[23] In a 2005 poll conducted by Total Film, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre topped the list as the greatest horror film of all time, beating John Carpenter's Halloween ^[24] Movie review website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an 89% fresh rating.^[25] Variety stated "Despite the heavy doses of gore in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Tobe Hooper's pic is well-made for an exploiter of its type. The script by Hooper and Kim Henkel is a take-off on the same incident which inspired Robert Bloch's novel (and later Alfred Hitchcock's film) Psycho." ^[26]

In spite of its reputation, the movie is in fact remarkably un-graphic. Far more terror is generated from the sounds of a chainsaw or screaming, than from the sight of actual flesh being chopped. And even when occasional acts of violence are shown, they are amazingly quick and almost entirely blood free. Hooper is so skilled a director, with so firm a grip on atmosphere and tension, that you’re leaving this film convinced that you’ve seen much more than he ever actually revealed.

— Kairo, Classic-Horror.com

The film 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 secretary James Ferman, the BBFC passed the movie uncut on cinema and video, with the 18 certificate, almost 25 years after its original release.^[27]

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was originally released on DVD format in October of 1998 for the United States,^[18] and, because of the controversy, in May 2000 for the United Kingdom. ^[28] The Australian DVD release date was in early 2002. A region 1 2-disc edition was released, entitled The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Ultimate Edition. The release included several interviews, improved audio and picture quality, and other features including deleted scenes.^[29] Reviews for the release were extremely positive, with critics praising the sound and picture quality of the restoration.^[30][31] Dark Sky Films has announced a Blu-ray Disc version of the film, which is due to be released on September 30, 2008.^[32]

Hooper reportedly hoped the complete uncut print of the film would be given a PG rating by the MPAA. However, the film was released uncensored by the MPAA film rating system, with an R rating.^[33] The movie was banned or delayed in many countries, and where it was released, it was frequently edited. It was banned in the United Kingdom largely on the authority of Ferman,^[34] 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.

The Censorship Board in Australia first viewed The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in June 1975. The 83 minute print was swiftly refused registration.^[2] The distributor appealed to the Review Board who upheld the decision in August of 1975. The distributor prepared a reconstructed 77 minute version, only to see it banned again in December 1975. In 1976, the film was banned again.^[2]

It would take five years for the film to be presented to the censors again. However the result was much the same. GUO Film Distributors had a 2283.4 (83m 27s) print Refused Registration in July 1981.^[2] The reason given for the ban was violence.^[2]

The film was first followed by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 in 1986, once again directed by Tobe Hooper. Unlike the first film, 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.^[35] The film also had a larger budget than the original, and 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.^[36]

The film spawned two more sequels; Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) was the next. The film had a budget of $2 million, and was directed by Jeff Burr. In the movie, R. A. Mihailoff starred as the infamous Leatherface. Tobe Hooper did not return for the film. 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."^[37] 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. Maitland McDonagh of TV Guide's Movie Guide said that the movie was "Tired and dated."^[38]

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 received better critic reviews than the other sequels, though it only managed to achieve a 35% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with 52 reviews out of 150 being positive.^[39] Notable critic Roger Ebert called it "A contemptible film: Vile, ugly and brutal."^[40] A prequel to the remake, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning was released in 2006. The film was directed by Jonathan Liebesman, and 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.^[41] 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".^[42]

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has been considered one of the greatest horror films of all time,^[24] having had a significant impact on the horror genre. Ridley Scott credited the film as an inspiration for the 1978 smash hit Alien.^[43] Channel 4 called it "a triumph of style and atmosphere", and said The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is without doubt one of the most influential horror films of all time.^[44] John Carpenter's Halloween incorporated the film's use of minimal blood and gore, and focused instead on the suspense. Debra Hill commented on the film saying, "We didn't want it to be gory. We wanted it to be like a jack-in-the box." ^[45] The film was among TIME Magazine's Top 25 Horror films of all time. ^[46] New York City's Museum of Modern Art added the film to its permanent collection, validating its claim as legitimate, unconventional art.^[47] Comedian Patton Oswalt refers to the title as "The Greatest Movie Title Ever", because it perfectly describes the movie. In the realm of music, the punk rock band The Ramones mention the movie in their song "Chainsaw", on their 1976 LP The Ramones. Horror filmmaker and heavy metal singer Rob Zombie claims the film to be a major influence, most notably in his film House of 1000 Corpses.^[48]

The film is a low-budget triumph, still powerful in its impact today, and never outdone by any of the successors to the sub-genre ('slash and dash') which it spawned. 'The Texas Chasinsaw Massacre' is cutting-edge horror, and while it may not be to everyone's tastes, it should find its way at some time onto every cinephile's plate.

— Anton Bitel, Daily Info

Working with a budget of less than $160,000, Hooper cast a batch of unknowns, and shot the film on 16 mm. The cult classic went on to earn more than $30 million, and paved the way for such future shock-franchises as the Halloweens and Evil Deads, and even The Blair Witch Project, whose sequel is currently in theaters. According to Patrick Lussier, the director of the upcoming Wes Craven Presents: Dracula 2000, Massacre is particularly noteworthy for its willingness to forgo redemption. In the end, he says, good doesn't conquer evil -- good is vanquished by evil, standing in the middle of the road, swinging its chain saw.

— Rebecca Ascher-Walsh, Entertainment Weekly

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.^[49] 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.^[50] 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.^[51][49] Wizard Video's other commercial release, Halloween, had a slightly better reception,^[52] but the limited number of copies sold have made them both highly valued items amongst Atari collectors.^[53]

• Jaworzyn, Stephen (2003). The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Companion. Titan Books. ISBN 1-84023-660-4. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Hand, Stephen (2004). The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Games Workshop. ISBN 1-84416-060-2. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Phillips, Kendall R. (2005). Projected Fears: Horror Films and American Culture. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0275983536. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Muir, John Kenneth (2002). Horror Films of the 1970s. McFarland. p. 332. ISBN 0786412496. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Muir, John Kenneth (2002). Eaten Alive at a Chainsaw Massacre: The Films of Tobe Hooper. McFarland. ISBN 0786412828. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
• Friedman, Lester D. (2007). American Cinema of the 1970s: Themes and Variations. Rutgers University Press. p. 133. ISBN 0813540232. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)

• The Texas Chain Saw Massacre at IMDb
• The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: A Visit to the Film Locations
• The Junction House - The restaurant now operating in the original house from the film

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