The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a low-budget horror film, made in 1974 by director Tobe Hooper and starring Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Edwin Neal, Allen Danzinger, Paul A. Partain, and Jim Siedow.
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It concerns a family of cannibals in Texas, who abduct customers from their gas station. One of the main characters — Leatherface — kills his victims with a chainsaw.
Contrary to popular belief, the film is not based on factual events, but instead was (like the films Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs) loosely inspired by Ed Gein, who did wear human masks. Those who do believe the film was based on actual events will try to back up their statements with similar events in Texas, all of which had nothing to do with the film. Although the film's opening would have one believe that the events are factual, it was merely a scare tactic to pull the audience in to be frightened. (Incidentally, the opening voice-over is performed by John Larroquette.)
It is often considered the prototype of the slasher film sub-genre. Despite its grisly subject matter, the film — like John Carpenter's original Halloween — does not rely so much on explicit gore to generate terror in the audience, as it does pacing, suspense, and dramatic tension. The many sequels and imitators the original film spawned have been much bloodier and more graphic.
The film was banned in the United Kingdom (1974-1999, but was subsequently issued on video and DVD), Germany, and India.
The film spawned three sequels:
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 (1986)
- Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)
- Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1997)
and a 2003 remake directed by Marcus Nispel and produced by Michael Bay.
The title of the original film spells 'Chain Saw' with two words, while the sequels and the remake use the compound 'Chainsaw'.
Plot (1974)
Upon hearing that vandals have desecrated a graveyard where her grandfather is buried, Sally recruits her boyfriend Jerry, her brother Franklyn, and her friends Pam and Kirk to investigate. On a side trip to the grandfather's deserted farm, the travellers pick up a slimy hitchhiker who cuts himself and slashes Franklyn. After arriving at the farm, Pam and Kirk search for an old swimming hole — Kirk hears a generator and believes he can find some gasoline. He enters the house hoping to find the owner. Unfortunately, this is the home of the hitchhiker, as well as Leatherface, who has some surprises for the travellers consisting of sledgehammers, chainsaws, and assorted cutlery.
Plot (2003)
In 1974, a group of college kids are headed to Dallas through the back roads of Texas. On the way, they encounter a young hitchhiker who shoots herself with a revolver. The kids contact the sheriff, who takes a long time to come down to meet them. Two of them wander over to a large homestead, which they discover is inhabited by a clan of psychopathic cannibals, including the sheriff and the people at the roadside stand! The leader of these is Leatherface — a 6'4' giant wearing a blood-splattered apron and a mask of human skin, who carries a nasty & loudly-buzzing chainsaw. One at a time, the young college students fall prey to the demented Leatherface and the cannibalistic inbreds, until only one girl remains — Erin (Jessica Biel).
Cultural references
- The movie Summer School featured two students who were fascinated with this film, and whose fascination was central to the story's climax.
- White Zombie reference the film's tagline "Who will survive and what will be left of them?" on their album Astro Creep: 2000.
External links
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- Snopes.com entry on the veracity of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (http://snopes.com/movies/films/chainsaw.asp)de:Blutgericht in Texas
fr:Massacre à la tronçonneuse (film, 1974) ja:悪魔のいけにえ pl:Teksańska masakra piłą mechaniczną sv:Motorsågsmassakern