The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) (Movie Review)

  I’ve been around the block with horror movies for years, and there’s no shortage of popular titles that have stuck with me as favorites … including “Halloween”, “Psycho”, “Poltergeist”, “A Nightmare on Elm Street”, “The Haunting”, and even “The Exorcist” to an extent have all had their place as films I enjoy watching around October. However, there’s one iconic horror movie that’s just never really done anything for me … not to say it’s bad, it just didn’t leave much of an impression … and that’s the original 1974 horror classic "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre". This is one of those early scary films of the 70’s that’s often been credited for re-shaping the genera, and it’s inspired independent, low budget filmmakers for decades. While I can’t dismiss the impact it made for its time, or the influence it’s had on young filmmakers … I just can’t say that it’s stuck with me as any kind of favorite. I for one have never been a fan of exploitive or grizzly horror, and this film came out right at the dawn of “Grindhouse Cinema”, so it’s generally never peaked my interest. What did catch my attention was the word of moth stating that, despite it’s intimidating title, the movie is not a “gore fest”, which got me thinking … okay, maybe it’s like “Halloween” in which it was less about the kills, and more about the thrill of the chase. After my initial viewing, there was nothing about “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” that turned me off, but I just can’t say that it gave me much either.

  Things are off to a strong start, as the film presents itself as a real-life documented event, and it puts you in an uncomfortable mind-set. In truth, the film is only loosely based on real life serial killer Ed Gene, and everything else was made-up for the film. Still, it effectively puts you in this state of unease, like these are real events, and your stuck watching the story of the survivor unfold. 

The opening credits themselves are chilling, with an ominous score droning in the background, radio reports of incidents revolving around grave robing, all set to a strange red-filtered backdrop, (supposedly shots of the sun or another nearby planet), and we get a chilling opening shot of a corpse that’s been dressed up as some kind of decorative display. The premise is about as simple as they get, as we follow five youths on a road trip into the outback’s of Texas in search of an old family house that’s been rundown over the years. Things get more and more desolate the further they go, and like dominoes toppling over, there’s one creepy encounter after another. The first being a mysterious hitchhiker, who turns out to be mentally unstable. The second is a secluded gas station that’s run by a shady owner. At last, when they reach their destination, there seems to be a new house with new neighbors next door … only the family isn’t very nice. It is in fact the dwelling place of a family of deranged Psycho Paths, and one particular member wields a frightening Chain Saw.

  This film is often cited as one of the scariest movies ever made, but for me, I wouldn’t call the movie “scary” exactly … I think the better word to describe this film is “disturbing”. Weather the film was based on real events or not, it still creates an eerie atmosphere that it could be real, and many of the scenes convey a genuine sense of urgency. Director Tobe Hooper also gives the film a very grizzly and realistic look, almost documentary style in the way it’s shot and edited. The bear bone set-design just adds to the film’s uncomfortable realism. 

Likewise, this movie met my expectations in which it wasn’t overly exploitive in its violence, and the terror comes largely from what’s implied as opposed to what’s shown on screen. Actually, I think the “Indiana Jones” movies contain more horrific imagery and violence then this film. Again, the disturbing nature of the film comes from what’s implied, and that’s something I genuinely admire. The most horrific scene of the whole film is the Psycho’s family dinner, which has no violent content at all … yet is extremely unsettling. It’s all framed from the perspective of a young girl tied to a chair in a room full of creeps. Nothing physically horrific is happening, yet the intense camera shots, tight closeups and quick edits convey an unbearable sense of dread and unease. While I can always respect a filmmaker for accomplishing so much from a technical perspective, this dose lead me to my first big issue with the movie. Unlike “Psycho” or “Halloween”, which balanced its chills with a thoughtful examination of what drives someone to be either evil or psychotic, this film is less of an “examination”, and more of a straight forward “observation” of a day in the life of these horrible people. While the film succeeds in putting me in a simulation of what feels like real-life horror, I just don’t feel like there’s much substance underneath the experience.

   Another thing that brings the film down is that I don’t really connect with any of our main characters. 

The acting is consistently good, but aside from the kooky brother in the wheel chair, there really isn’t a character that I latch onto. Even the female lead is really just “the one that survives”, and there’s not much else to her. By comparison, the female leads in “Halloween”, “Scream” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” were multilayered, very distinct, and the connections I made with them gave me an anchor to carry me though the frights, and made those films feel like they had something of substance. 

Even the highly marketed villain Leatherface is more of a weakling servant to an abusive master, and it slightly diminishes the tension when you see him acting like a whimpering dog. Although, this dose shed an interesting light on the titular title character, as he’s less of a mastermind, and more of a rabid animal set off his leash. There’s a curious detail in which, after claiming a victim, he slumps on the ground with a look of confusion … like he didn’t know why he did that, or why he’s provoked to do so, which adds some layers to the character. Of course, Leatherface would become the first in a long line-up of marketable horror villains in masks. For me, it always begged the question … remove his mask, his trade mark weapon, switch the movie’s title to “Psychopaths of the Texas Outback”, and keep everything else the same … would this movie have still made as big an impact as it did? Obviously, it still would have been an effectively disturbing experience, but would it really be as famous?

  In the plus column, I was pleased that there was only one chainsaw death in the whole film, and everything else with the weapon is utilized in a riveting chase sequence. Seriously, despite my overall feelings for the film, the climactic chase between Leatherface and the blond girl is one of the best that the genera has to offer. 

Keeping with the tone of the film, the chase feels very grounded, and it puts the viewer in the characters shoes … like we feel we’re on the run from this ruthless chainsaw wielding maniac. It also covers a lot of ground, as she gets trapped in prickly trees, runs through the house, and she even jumps through a glass window … twice. Not only a great spectacle, but I love that its pure adrenaline propelling this girl to jump through these windows. One thing I find hilarious is that the girl manages to outwit a two-tone gorilla of a man with a chainsaw, but gets bested by an old man with a broom stick. Another funny detail is when the old man ties her up, puts her in his car, and just before he takes off with her, he gets out of the car to turn the lights off in the station … just because he doesn’t want to waste electricity ... what an amusing detail to put in your frightening climax. The chase works its way out onto the highway, and there’s yet another amusing moment when a truck driver picks up the girl, only to climb out and run away on foot when he could have clearly just driven off. Then we get one of the most abrupt endings I’ve ever seen in a horror movie, in which the girl escapes, but the villain isn’t defeated, and he just dances off into the sunrise. Yeah … while the movie certainly wasn’t boring, this ending leaves me scratching my head wondering why I spent an hour and a half of my time watching it.   

  In the end, “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” certainly has its place in horror history, but it doesn’t have a place among my personal favorites of the genera. While the films low-budget production, laced with a solid direction, and even a smart script is credible, there was just nothing to the experience that really stuck with. When I think back on 1978’s “Halloween”, I remember it’s absorbing atmosphere, it’s two memorable leads, it’s riveting music, and despite its bare-bone premise, it still felt like a rewarding experience. This film kept me engaged in the moment, and had some highlights, but nothing that made me want to give it a second viewing. Again, I can’t call this a bad movie, just one that didn’t leave much of an impression.

Thanks for reading my review of the 1974 Horror classic “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” … and treat yourself to one good scare this October.