The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - 70s Week

I guess I should do a happy musical from the 1970s next. People who scan across this blog are going to think that I’m some find of practicing psychopath or nutjob because of the four films I’ve chosen to review so far. Maybe NASHVILLE would show some diversity? I’d rather do SHORTCUTS than NASHVILLE, man do I hate country music. Anyways, we have the granddaddy of 1970s horror to discuss today. Probably one of the most revered horror films of all time (behind THE EXORCIST, which I did want to review later this week, but if I switch to happy films I’ll never get to it. Hmmm… We’ll see…) So the follows a group of teens on a road trip that come across the Franklin manor and meet Leatherface. The rest of the film is a cat-n-mouse game of meat hooks, chainsaws, and meat hammers. Not much to the story, but there doesn’t need to be.

Trailer Here

The film starts out with a written disclaimer letting us know the events we are about to see really are an account one of the most bizarre crimes in American History. Such an excellent way to be greeted into a film, and then the flashbulb transitions between pieces of evidence gathered at the scene. We’re not sure if there are authentic or not, but they are effective and start to creative an atmosphere very quickly.

I love the van scene where they discuss slaughterhouses and how they kill the cows. Again, this is just setting the tone for the rest of the film. And then the guy cuts himself with the knife and we’re quickly introduced to the sadistic nature of TCM. I question I always have is – did that crazy hitchhiker mark the van so that his family would know whom to attack down the road? I’ve always wondered that. The first kill scene where Kirk gets hammered was clearly foreshadowed in the van discussion about how they used to kill cattle in the slaughterhouses. Gunner Hansen (leatherface) even takes extra hits to put the animal out of his misery.

Tobe Hooper directed this film and also POLTERGEIST, one of my other favorite horror films from the 1970s. And it was only rated PG, which is strange because of how intense the film is at parts and unsettling. Speilberg co-directed it or was an executive producer, so we all knew it was going to be a fantastic film. So this is Tobe’s first film and it did really, really well in the box office when you compare the tiny budget it had. You can tell when it’s a directors first film, because there seems to be more walking around with scenes. (BLOOD SIMPLE., ERASERHEAD). I learned in one of my film classes that having your characters walk or run around is because the script isn’t as solid or entertaining as it should be. They are trying to eat up screen time to get to the 90 minute mark.

The thing about this 1970s horror films that make them stand the test of time is the look and feel they have. They’re so dirty and grungy looking that they seem real. As if it was a snuff film recorded purposefully. The realism is what makes them so shocking and worthwhile to view over and over again. Just like THE EXORCIST too. It seems so real that you truly lose yourself in the moments. And TCM is the king of this type of film.

The film is disturbing and is extremely hard to take at times. One of the worst moments for me is the meat hook part and the anguish that girl has on her face. And the family dinner was insane too. Where they try to get grandpa to kill the girl with the hammer, just like he used to do back when he worked in the slaughterhouses, but he’s too weak to do it now. Just awesome. The acting from the final girl and Hansen family is top notch. Their performances are as genuine as they could be and it’s hard to not believe it. Probably don’t watch this one with your grandkids or mother. And please don't watch the remake with Jessica Biel. The 1974 original is 100x more frightening and sincere than that garbage.

Rating: 9.75/10