All in a Day's Work: Original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Review

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Review

Seeing as it's the 40th anniversary of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it seems only appropriate to review it. So how to talk about a horror film staple that has defined the genre of horror movies ever sense it was released? What can I say that hasn't been said before? Well I have a pretty simple answer to that, I thought after seeing plenty of what are considered the scariest horror films of all time I knew exactly what I was getting into the first time I saw The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, I couldn't have been more wrong.

I saw The Texas Chainsaw Massacre the first time when I was about 11. It has had a few years to work its magic on me. This is the most terrifying movie I have ever seen, Shining, Exorcist they don't make it. Now it's not hard to scare me, but it isn't easy either. I in general prefer living real things in movies to supernatural (there definitely are exceptions, its not like I am never scared by the supernatural or monsters). But ever since that first time I saw it, absolutely terrifying. There are lots of movies that I go into thinking I know exactly what is going to happen, the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre was one of them, lots of times I was right, this horror film was one of the best examples when that didn't hold up.

So what makes this movie scarier than say, The Shining? It's another simple answer, the grainy raw camera work, mixed with great costumes, and some of the best set design ever. It just looks so real that it is much scarier than most other horror films. I mean look at this shot.

That is of course only one example, there are plenty more throughout the film. And what is amazing is Tobe Hooper, the director, was able to achieve such great environment and set design with a micro budget. Seriously, IMDb predicts the budget of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre was $83,532. That would seriously buy about the first 47 seconds of a Transformer movie nowadays. I mean in movie terms that is nothing. But yet one of the greatest horror movies of all time was made on it, baffling.

Okay, so what it is about, 5 friends go on a road trip to a house that some of their grandparents used to own, and of course something goes wrong and eventually leads to the worst day of these people's lives. Sounds generic, I know, but back in 1974, that was far from generic. The movie has really stood the test of time when it comes to the story (and everything really). For whatever reason the classic movies, even if they have what is a normal story now, somehow seem to still have a unique story despite having a "generic story" in today's terms. And the original Texas Chainsaw is no exception.

Let's touch on the controversy of this movie. This movie was hailed as one of the most graphic movies ever. Honestly it's not that bad. It is scary and the set is amazing and filled with bones and stuff, but really there is basically no blood whatsoever. For in 1974 maybe this was a movie for gore fiends, but honestly it really isn't. So if you don't like gore-o-rama movies and have avoided the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, don't worry it is really blown out of proportion.

So how's the acting? Like all of the first movies in these really extended horror movie franchises, quite good. I even care for the characters in this horror movie, like how often does that happen. You generally feel bad for Sally, and Franklin. And what it is, is that when it is just not another sequel to a sequel to a prequel, to a remake, the actors actually try. When you are what I said before, they become gore fests and no one who is in them actually care, so the acting is terrible. This has solid acting all around, and especially the crazies in it. All of them, scare your pants off scary good acting.

Alright so overall, how is the classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre as a horror movie? Great, any horror movie fan who hasn't seen this, where have you been. Even if you aren't a horror movie fan, but a movie fan in general, this is a must see, at very least to see where so many modern horror movies come from. So ranking Texas Chainsaw Massacre against other horror movies where does it belong? For me at the top, and from what I have seen on many "Best Horror Movies of All Time" lists, this is one of if not the best. So now that it is October and it is the 40th anniversary of the classic, they have released a new special 40th anniversary edition. Perfect movie to buy and wait for Halloween if one must wait, but for me, I know what I am watching tonight.