Happy October! It’s the beginning of my favorite three-month stretch of the year. So many holidays. So many memories to be made. And so many movies to watch. Specifically in October. I find a real cozy joy in getting in bed after a long day at school or work and putting on a good horror flick.
For the last few years, I’ve even gone as far as to program an entire 31-movie schedule for October. One movie that appears on that list every single year is Tobe Hooper’s classic “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre,” which celebrated its 50th birthday on Oct 1. What about this movie keeps it permeating in the culture and in the brains of its viewers?
One of the things that keeps me coming back viewing after viewing is the visceral nature of watching it. The grime, sweat and grease of the characters make you feel like you need a shower after watching. There is also something uniquely taboo about it, especially compared to other slasher-horror franchises like “Friday the 13th” or “Halloween.” It’s one of the few movies that even as an adult it feels like you’re not supposed to be watching it.
It never treads on “Is this real?” territory like “The Blair Witch Project,” despite what the “Based on true events” card at the beginning of the movie implores you to believe. Mostly in part to the clear production behind what you’re watching, but in spite of this I’m always left constantly at the edge of my seat… or dug deep into the side of my seat trying to be as far away from my TV as possible.
“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” is inspired by true events however. The actual plot is largely fiction, but the character of Leatherface is inspired by real life serial killer Ed Gein.
Coming in at an incredibly lean one hour and 23 minutes, the movie is also immaculately paced. The beginning of the film lingers on a slow zoom out of a horrifying grave-robbery scene, letting the viewer become entrenched in the gross-ness of the world subliminally, before immediately throwing you into the heat of the cramped, hot and sweaty van our characters are in.
“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” is also simply terrifying, if I haven’t made that clear. I’ve gotten into practice recently of really trying to envision myself in the situations that the characters I’m watching are in, and in the case of this movie, if you want to sleep well at night you might as well just turn it off.
Beyond the scares, “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” is also one of the most well-crafted horror movies ever. Every shot radiates a feeling or unease or fear that is inescapable, whether it’s the dolly shot of Pam walking up to the house from the swing set, or the entire final sequence with Leatherface and Sally. There’s always a sense of danger, in the quietest moments or the loudest. One of the key aspects of the filmmaking that creates this unease is the general lack of a score. All the most intense and emotional moments of the movie are primarily and unceremoniously soundtracked by the screams of the victims, and the grind of the chainsaw.
