Way Back Wednesday - Texas Chainsaw Massacre

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

The orginal Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American independent horror film directed by Tobe Hooper, and written collaboratively by Hooper and Kim Henkel. Because of the content, the film was banned in many foreign countries. Initial critical reception of the film was mixed, receiving both praise and criticism regarding the atmosphere, story, characters, and graphic content, but it became a strong commercial success, grossing $30.8 million at the United States box office. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has gained a reputation as one of the greatest and most influential horror films of all time, originating several stereotypes common in the slasher film genre, including the characterization of the killer as a large, hulking and faceless figure and the use of power tools, knives and blunt objects as murder weapons.

The film stars Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Teri McMinn, William Vail, Edwin Neal and Paul A. Partain. While presented as a true story involving the ambush and murder of a group of friends on a road trip in rural Texas by a family of cannibals, the film is completely fictional. This is another one of those scary movies I first saw at the Starlight Drive-In in Danville, Kentucky.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has spawned three sequels, and a remake — titled The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and produced by Michael Bay — released in 2003. The original film was first succeeded by The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986), once again directed by Hooper. The sequel was considerably more graphic and violent than the original, due to the fact that a larger amount of gore was present in the film.

Favorite quotes:

Franklin: If I have any more fun today I don't think I can take it!

Franklin: They just shoot a bolt in their head, and then retract it. It's just BOOM-shht-BOOM-shht.
Sally: Franklin, I like meat. Please change the subject!

Franklin: [refering to the Hitchhiker] I think we just picked up Dracula.

Hitchhiker: You could have dinner with us... my brother makes good head cheese! You like head cheese?

Old Man: I just can't take no pleasure in killing. There's just some things you gotta do. Don't mean you have to like it.

Old Man: Look what your brother did to the door! Ain't he got no pride in his home?

Drunk: [laughs] Things happen here about, they don't tell about. I see things. You see, they say that it's just an old man talking. You laugh at an old man, it's them that laughs and knows better.
[laughs again]