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The Texas Chain saw Massacre

Rated '18' by the BBFC for strong violence and horror.

Directed by Tobe Hooper

Version Reviewed- DVD: Special Edition

Horror is a bizarre category.  You see, a film is only a true horror film if it does actually horrify you, and the point is that very few "horror" movies actually accomplish the task of terrifying you to the bone, making you want to look away, but forcing you to continue watching. 

 A Nightmare On Elm Street is classed as horror, but I spent most of the film laughing, whilst simultaneously being amazed at the amount of hype it received, and how it is supposedly a "horror classic".  Tripe.  A Nightmare on elm Street failed to even unsettle me, or anyone else I know, despite all the fuss it managed to gather over the years.  Some may argue that Fred Krueger is one of the most evil and frightening movie characters ever, but compared to old cheese head, he's nothing.

And so we get to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. I must admit, I did not really have very high hopes for this, the reason being that I found most hyped-up horrors a complete let-down; Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday 13th, and to a lesser degree, Scream.  But then I began to watch it, unaware that it would dive straight into my mind, and rip it to shreds.  The Texas Chain Saw massacre began a new breed of horror, and inspired many inferior movies like it, the appalling Scream Bloody Murder for one, which contains one or two scenes that blatantly rip-off this 1970's horror classic. 

There they were.  The two words that have been used frequently over the last thirty or forty years to describe horror films that were supposedly "classic".  Do not doubt me on this one, though, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre really is the "True Horror Classic". 

At least of the last 30 years, anyway.  If not, the greatest horror movie ever.  But why? 

Well, on first glimpse this may just seem like a simple "Man with chain saw kills everyone" movie, with a plot that could have been thought up in a lunch break.  Well, it isn't.  Granted, there are some plot-holes and the acting is on par with a GCSE media studies film, but the point is that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is one of the most horrifying and shocking films in history, for most of the reasons you would not expect.

You see, there is hardly any on-screen violence.  You don't see any chain-saw wounds throughout the whole film, and even the part where Leatherface hangs a girl on a meat-hook is shown without any blood whatsoever.  And it is this that adds  to the horror. 

"What in God's name are you on about?", I hear you ask.  Well, by not showing the killings and violence on-screen, the movie leaves the mind to piece the puzzle together itself, and the image you finally come to is somewhat less than pleasant.  Add this to the disturbing and very unsettling soundtrack, the constant screaming and the disturbing camera-work, and you have a horror movie that chills all who are brave enough to endure it. 

When I say "endure", I mean it in the mildest way possible, as some of the violence even looks silly by today's standards; it's just that those who cannot stomach some of the imagery shown and implied both on and off-screen may find themselves having to look away. 

After the deaths of everyone except Sally, the film really does begin to excel as she is chased through the dark forest, leatherface in pursuit.  And as the film progresses, it gradually becomes increasingly insane.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is one of those true horror greats, along with Evil Dead and Dawn Of the Dead.  Buy it now.

Rating/5- *****+