The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Categories: Movies, Slashers, Hicksploitation, TCM Franchise, Cannibalism
BLANKET SPOILER WARNING: This entry may contain plot spoilers. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) | |
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Theatrical Poster
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About | |
| Release: | October 11-18(?), 1974 |
| Runtime: | 83 mins |
| Genre: | Slasher/Hicksploitation |
| Other Themes: | Cannibalism/Splatter |
Production | |
| Director: | Tobe Hooper |
| Distributor: | Bryanston Distributing Company |
| Budget: | ~$140,000 |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent slasher film. Regarded as one of the best and most influential horror films, it spawned iconic slasher film elements such as masked killers and the use of power tools as weaponry.
The film follows a group of friends on a road trip through rural Texas. After briefly picking up a strange hitchhiker and finding they're low on fuel, the group stops a gas station with no luck, while two split off and attempt to barter for gas at an unfamiliar house they encounter. Little do they know, the horrific chain of events are just beginning...
Table of Contents
Warnings
Ableism
In researching for his character, Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface) visited a special needs school and studied the movements & speech of the students. Though this could be interpreted as trying to better his performance, some may be put off by the method.
Animal Cruelty
A live snake is shot on-screen in the opening of the movie, killing it. Outside the film- but important to note- the snake was a pet belonging to someone on the crew who was asked to bring it on set, but was not aware of the plans to kill it. [26:51]
Animal blood & remains in varying stages of cleanliness and decay are seen decorating the house, though none of said animals are shown harmed on-screen. [26:51]
A chicken is shown caged [37:14], and is later shown dead and beheaded [1:11:50], though no violent acts toward the chicken are shown on-screen. [26:51]
Child Harm
The friend group is made up of teenage characters, who are tortured and/or brutally murdered.
- All the actors playing said teenagers are adults, and resemble adults.
Domestic Violence
The old man (Drayton Sawyer, Leatherface's father) often beats or attacks his sons while they're interacting, typically if he perceives them as disobeying him.
LGBTphobia
Leatherface is described in this scene as being "dressed like a woman". When he first appears in this scene [1:06:28], he is wearing an apron; later he changes into a blazer & tie and wears a skin-mask with makeup crudely applied. [1:06:28] Nobody in the movie comments on or degrades him for this.
- This is likely a more direct reference to Ed Gein- the grave robber & serial killer upon which Leatherface was loosely based- and how he would dress up as his dead abusive mother using his victim's corpses. There is no direct evidence or confirmation that Gein was transgender or committed his acts due to gender identity issues. 1
Racism
Nobody experiences racial discrimination in this movie.
Sexual Violence
Nobody is sexually assaulted in this movie.
Other
Cannibalism
- Leatherface & his family are cannibals. They 'hunt' and murder people to feed themselves, keep Grandpa alive by feeding him blood, and using their victims remaining parts as decoration or keepsakes. [entire film]
Where to Watch
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Sources
Notes
- 1. This information is only representative of the context of this movie as it stands on its own. If the siterunners watching future entries in the TCM franchise changes this, the page will be updated to reflect this.
Page Content
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on Wikipedia
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on IMDb
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on The Numbers
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on Tubi