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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

A retrospective by Brooks Rich

Let's kick off the spooky season with a bona fide classic. I love the horror genre, but not much really scares or creeps me out. Most horror films I just watch and enjoy. However, 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' is one of those that really gets under my skin, and not just because the Sawyer family are eating people. The way Tobe Hooper shoots the film gives it an almost documentary feel.

If you have never seen 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre,' you should probably fix that immediately. Do I need to explain what it's about? A group of '70s kids is driving across Texas in a van and runs afoul of the Sawyer family, including the man himself, Leatherface. It's a classic of the horror genre and one of the pioneers of the '70s and '80s horror boom. The film has a reputation for being sickeningly bloody and violent, but that is not true. It's essentially a bloodless film, which makes it even more horrifying. Most of the violence is left to your imagination, which is always worse.

There is a great moment right before all hell breaks loose when the hapless, soon-to-be victims are at the Sawyer farm. Things have slowed down, and the film even gets a little boring. '70s films were deliberately paced sometimes. All of a sudden, Leatherface appears, and it is terrifying. It's one of the greatest jump scares in film history. It gets me every time, even when I see it coming; it still creeps me out.

The face of the franchise is obviously the man with the chainsaw and the mask, Leatherface. At this point, Leatherface has become a horror icon. He's right up there with the big three '80s horror icons: Freddy, Jason, and Michael Myers. In fact, Leatherface came before them, as Michael didn't show up until 1978. Leatherface is the face of the franchise and appears in every film. To be fair, the quality goes up and down. Like most franchises, the first one is the best, and I think the first incarnation of Leatherface is the most terrifying. At one point, the films became more akin to very black comedies. The sequel is kind of fun if you know what's going on in its insane world.

My favorite of the series is the first one. I know some people like the remake of the early 2000s, but there is something special about the original. For me, it's because it does get under my skin. This movie creeps me out. Leatherface might be an icon now, but his original appearance is unnerving. I credit Tobe Hooper and actor Gunnar Hansen for that. This film is a masterpiece of the horror genre, and I watch it every year around this time.




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