The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) – Review

It’s hard to believe that Tobe Hooper’s seminal classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is based on the same events surrounding that of Hitchcock’s Psycho, yet both of those movies – as well as several others – were inspired by real-life American murderer and body snatcher Ed Gein, a man who had exhumed corpses from local graveyards and fashioned trophies and keepsakes from their bones and skin. But could fiction ever truly capture the face of true evil? It was with this intent to find out that Tobe Hooper waged his war on the American Dream.

The script for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is fairly simple, it follows a group of young people who are on a road trip to visit their grandfather’s grave and take the wrong pit stop where they find themselves in the cross-hairs of a cannibalistic family, it is basically the story of Hansel and Gretel but with Tobe Hooper giving the tale a very naturalistic look. This isn’t some dark German forest but the bleak and wide-open spaces of Texas, a place just as easy to get lost in as any location found in a Grimm’s fairy tale, and this adds to the horror because we the audience can then wonder “Could this be happening in my town?” In this take on the Ed Gein story, we have five young people on a road trip, consisting of Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns), Jerry (Allen Danziger), Pam (Teri McMinn), Kirk (William Vail), and Sally’s handicapped brother Franklin (Paul A. Partain), who are taking this trip to check on the grave of Sally and Franklin’s grandfather after learning a grave robber had been stealing and desecrating the remains. This seems like a rather strange idea for a group excursion with your friends, but what do I know?

“My vote was for Disneyland.”

When this group of friends encounter a crazed hitchhiker (Edwin Neal) and then stumble upon the home of Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), a monster figure wearing a flesh mask of his victims, where we the viewer feel that we are trapped along with them on this nightmare journey, and what makes this film so effective is its use of tension and suspense as it draws us deeper into the horror. The movie is not just a mindless bloodbath as most of the carnage is implied and not shown, instead, Tobe Hooper carefully crafted the experience by slowly building it to a terrifying climax and gallons of blood and viscera were simply not needed. Whereas later films like Evil Dead and Hellraiser would revel in the gore, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre used a surprising amount of restraint.

“We all go a little mad sometimes.”

Another element that sets The Texas Chainsaw Massacre apart from other horror films of its time is its raw, gritty, and realistic style. The movie was shot on a shoestring budget, and it shows in the documentary-style camera work and rough editing. The lack of a traditional music score also adds to the unsettling and uncomfortable atmosphere that completes the “could this be real” vibe that Tobe Hooper was trying to create. Of course, one cannot talk about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre without acknowledging the performance of Gunnar Hansen as Leatherface because his gruesome killer is a truly terrifying presence on screen with his iconic look having become one of the most recognizable images in horror history. This is not to disparage the rest of the cast, consisting of relatively unknown actors, who all gave convincing and naturalistic performances that added to the realism of the film, perfectly portraying the terror and desperation of their characters, making the audience truly invested in their survival.

Who hasn’t had awkward family dinners?

Stray Observations:

• Learning that the opening narration was provided by John Larroquette, who was paid for his work with a marijuana joint, is just one of many things that makes this movie great.
• If you are a fan of the genre you know that road trips and horror go together like ham and eggs, that is if those eggs were a side course to a cannibalistic feast.
• If you find yourself on a road trip in a horror movie, for the love of God, don’t compound things by picking up a hitchhiker. That’s a cardinal rule of survival right there.
• Consulting the American Astrology guide can help you prevent dangerous encounters while travelling, this was information that these young people should have taken to heart before setting out.
• Franklin set the standard for the annoying character that would populate the genre for years to come, inspiring such as entries as Shelly in Friday the 13th Part 3.
• The odds of surviving this type of horror film would be greatly increased if the stalwart men would simply listen when a woman says, “Let’s just get out of here.”

How about we don’t check out the creepy farmhouse?

The cinematography and the brilliant decision to not have a traditional score – aided by the haunting sound design – all went towards creating an atmosphere of dread that permeates every scene of this film, the fact that the script is fairly threadbare doesn’t really matter as it is more about primeval horror designed to seep into your soul so that you can never forget the experience than it is about plot and character development. The last act consists mostly of actress Marilyn Burns running around screaming her fool head off doesn’t leave much room for thematic discussions or interpretations. And when the film fades to the image of Leatherface dancing in frustration it’s clear that even if Sally Hardesty escaped this killer family, with her face soaked in blood and her wailing cries of madness, it’s abundantly clear that though she physically survived this horrible encounter her sanity is definitely in question.

This is not the “happy ending” most viewers were expecting.

Overall, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a landmark of the genre as its visceral horror is something that really gets under your skin, leaving you both appalled and fascinated at what unfolds. It’s a film that has influenced the genre and has left a lasting impact on cinema, its raw and realistic approach to horror makes it a truly unsettling and unforgettable experience, leaving us with the desire to take a shower even if it seems we’ll never feel clean again.