'Allo! I'm not contributing to Ciao for the time being but if you are bored / desperate / weird enou...
'Allo! I'm not contributing to Ciao for the time being but if you are bored / desperate / weird enough to wish to continue to read my ramblings, you can find me on Dooyoo under the user name plipplop. See you around! :P
Member since:15.07.2000
Reviews:694
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Horror films went through a bit of a fever pitch in the 1970s. In 1973, The Exorcist was released upon an unwitting public - one year later in 1974, a very different type of horror film was released - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Since 1974, the film has courted much controversy and like The Exorcist was unable to obtain a certification for video release until many years later.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre crafts a simple - and yet rather unpleasant story. What makes the film even more unpalatable is that the events portrayed are a (loose) account of the exploits of real-life serial killer Ed Gein. Five youths are travelling back to the place where they grew up in Texas. The town has recently suffered a spate of grave-robbings and the group wish to make sure that their relatives' graves have not been disturbed. As the group travel along the scorching roads they pick up- and quickly eject - a hitchhiker with an unhealthy obsession with self-mutilation. Finally locating an old family property the group rest - although two of the group go for a stroll - and decide to have
a look at the next door neighbours' house. They are - of course - unprepared for what they find.
The film was directed by Tobe Hooper and is a startling different piece of cinema compared to his later efforts such as Salem's Lot. The film was obviously filmed on a considerably small budget and feels more like a documentary than a film - visually, the film is very stark, with few colours on show. This all adds to the claustrophobic feel around the film and it is easy to imagine the heat and smells encountered by the cast. In one scene, one of the teenagers bursts into a room which is almost completely full of bones and skeletons - even some of the furniture is partly constructed from animal remains.
There is no doubt that the film is horrific - certainly towards the end of the film there are some scenes which many viewers would find quite revolting. Nonetheless, despite the film's infamy there is actually very little violence shown - much of the violence is actually inferred rather than shown explicitly. Sometimes, just the knowledge of what is probably happening off-screen is enough to make the viewer feel uncomfortable. The killings are fast - and brutal. One of the characters - Pam - is picked up, kicking and screaming, and deposited mid-air on a large meat hook - the scene is not as graphic as it perhaps sounds, but is very hard-hitting.
The film has essentially found its place in horror film history by introducing one of the most revered horror characters of all time. The main killer in the film is the son of a family of cannibals, who later went on to become known as Leatherface. Wearing a facemask crafted from human skin, dressed in a butcher's apron, and brandishing a chainsaw, Leatherface is a terrifying character - and certainly captured the imagination of a receptive audience. Indeed, Leatherface's popularity was such that the film spawned three sequels. The character also went on to inspire countless stalk and slash movie killers in successful films such as Friday the 13th and Hallowe'en. The actor who played Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen) had a relatively easy job though - running around brandishing a chainsaw with no dialogue could hardly merit an Oscar nomination.
Where this film primarily fails is in 2001. After 27 years of hype and fever pitch speculation, few modern-day viewers would be suitably impressed by this film. Compared to modern-day films, this film makes Prisoner Cell Block H look big budget, and despite the storyline, I was surprised how un-frightening this film was. The teenage characters are consistently irritating - I defy any viewer not to cheer when Franklin Hardesty - a wheelchair-bound, whining imbecile - finally gets the appointment with the chainsaw. Many of the scenes were actually comical - in one sequence Sally is running away from Leatherface and disappears off-screen left. All is quiet for three seconds before she comes screaming across the screen to disappear off right again - all the time with Leatherface storming along behind her. It sounds farcical -and it was - the cinema erupted in laughter totally out of keeping with the film.
Whilst I admire the overall feel of the film, and some of the tools employed by the director, I'm afraid the finished product was really over-shadowed by the hype. Whereas the Exorcist remains truly scary to this day, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has simply aged, and the whole genre has turned sour after countless copycat films. Fans of horror films will probably be disappointed with this movie - I certainly was.
Nonetheless, the film does provide some useful tips on what not to do if you are being chased by a 6ft killer brandishing a chainsaw…….
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 1980 - Horror - Director: Stanley Kubrick - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Danny Lloyd
This film has certainly lost some of its original shock impact with time, and certainly I find it boring now. Great review.
Howiemon 25.03.2001 19:10
Hmm, should we be worried about you Phil? Are you a bit of a weirdo? All these horror films are unhealthy you know! But seeing as your reviews are so cool, how about one of The Omen? Now THERE'S a classy frightener, that one gets me every time.
StollyDolly 22.03.2001 12:09
Beginning to think there is a gruesome side to you with all these fantastic horror reviews, thank you.
This sensational, extremely influential, 1974 low-budget horror movie directed by Tobe ... more
Hooper (Poltergeist,Lifeforce,Salem's Lot), may be notorious for its title, but it's also a damn fine piece of moviemaking. And it's blood-curdling scary, too. Loose...
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![The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [DVD] [1999]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/75115440.jpg "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [DVD] [1999]")
Mar 19th, 2001
very helpful by (100%):
