The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [R]

Five teenagers take a road trip through 1970s Texas, which turns into a hellish nightmare as, one by one they stumble into the lair of a clan of cannibalistic ex-slaughterhouse workers. For Sally, the last left standing, the nightmare becomes all the more traumatic and hellish as she gets chased by a man with a mask made from the skin of his victims, armed with a chainsaw and then brought to dinner with the rest of the clan. 

EEEK! Talk about your shock-horror! This highly controversial and hugely grossing movie is loosely based on the real-life story of serial killer Ed Gein (as was, according to The Book, Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs), which really does make the whole thing all the more terrifying and horrifically shocking… to think something like this actually happened! AAAHH! The only reason I hired it was because it’s in The Book. So, now, I’ve seen it and I will be quite happy to never see it again thank you very much! Eeew thank everything sacred that I watched this movie on an empty stomach! 

Five teenagers take a road trip through 1970s Texas, which turns into a hellish nightmare as, one by one they stumble into the lair of a clan of cannibalistic ex-slaughterhouse workers. For Sally, the last left standing, the nightmare becomes all the more traumatic and hellish as she gets chased by a man with a mask made from the skin of his victims, armed with a chainsaw and then brought to dinner with the rest of the clan. 

Probably one of the highest grossing independent films to ever be made, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a really well constructed horror movie. Made on a very small budget, the film features a small group of cast members, a short running time, an almost documentary style of filming, and virtually no soundtrack. 

The lack of soundtrack was something that really caught my attention because I am a firm believer in the awesome power of music and what it can do for horror films. But this movie proved that not all horror movies need the aid of a spooky tri-tone crescendo or a sudden burst of staccato violins. The dominating sound effects in this movie were brutal screaming, squeals, merciless laughing, and, of course, the never-ending sound of that bloody chainsaw. 

The up-close-and-personal documentary style of camera work was hugely effective as it really captured the danger and unprecedented fear that the heroine contends with. I was both terrified and captivated by the extreme close-ups of Sally’s wide and frantically whizzing eyes and I tell you, it really did scare me. I spent the majority of the film poised with my hands ready to clamp over my ears and eyes. 

Starring Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain, William Vail, Teri McMinn, Jim Siedow, Edwin Neal, and Gunnar Hansen as the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a terrifying macabre shock-horror that’s packed with violence, gore, brutality, suspense, murder, and cannibalism. Even though I really don’t like these sorts of brutal horror movies, I can appreciate the cinematic craftwork behind them and this is a very well crafted piece of cinematic history.