Tobe Hooper is one of the most respected directors of the horror genre. He has created many classics, including "Poltergeist," and the hip slasher/monster movie "The Funhouse." But Hooper began his career with a low-budget film that many had called gruesome, obscene, and unwatchable. "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" may not be the most fun movie to watch, but it most certainly is a classic horror film.
The plot is extremely simple. Five teens are traveling through Texas. The teens are Sally Hardesty, her wheelchair-bound bro Franklin, Kirk, Pam and Jerry. After picking up one wacko hitchhiker, it's pretty clear that the worst is yet to come for Sally and her friends. After their van runs out of gas, Kirk and Pam go looking for help and stumble upon a backwoods house. They don't come back, so Kirk goes looking for them. Kirk doesn't come back either. Now Sally and Franklin are left all alone with no sign of help. Tonight, Sally will be put through hell and back as she is brutally terrorized by a depraved group of cannibals, led by the iconic Leatherface, who uses a chainsaw to kill his victims.
Tobe Hooper's non-stop fright-fest was released in a time where horror directors were considered insane. Films like "The Last House on the Left" and "The Hills Have Eyes" were two of those kind. But "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is where it was done best. So, what makes TCM a piece of essential horror?
First off, the movie is extremely eerie and filled with tension and scares. It felt like you were watching some twisted documentary on some of the most brutal crimes in history. "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is known for being the goriest movie of its kind. That is not all true. While the movie sure has its violent moments, a lot of the kills are off-screen, which just makes it scarier.
Second of all, the acting feels so incredibly real. Marilyn Burns, Sally, was put through so much torture with TCM. All that running and getting hurt. I feel sorry for her just thinking about it. The rest of the teens are also very good. But the movie's demented clan of butchers are pretty damn believable. I thought they were actual criminals. You also gotta give props to Gunnar Hansen and Edwin Neal as Leatherface and The Hitchhiker. They are very good actors.
Third of all, the movie's main villain, Leatherface, is so enormously scary. But he also is interesting to watch when he's not killing. Leatherface is not very intelligent, and he is pretty shocked when Sally and company appear at his house. But when he's on the job, he's a brilliant villain. The fact that this guy ran after his victims and you couldn't get away from him makes him creepy.
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" will always be the most gruesome and claustrophobic horror film of the 70s. This one isn't for the faint of heart and if you get nightmares easily, TCM's definitely not for you. You'll feel like taking a shower after this movie. It's that effective.
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