Welcome back to the newest, and at times goriest, column here at Film Inquiry: Horrific Inquiry. Twice a month, I will be tackling all things horror, bringing two films back into the spotlight to terrify and frighten once more. And occasionally looking at those that could have pushed the envelope further. Join us as we dive deep into the heart of horror, but warning, there will be spoilers.
There is a never-ending cycle of sequels for some of cinema’s greatest slashers. Scream, Halloween, Final Destination, and more find that their stories and concepts can never be laid to rest, always one more story left to tell. And while some franchises have had rocky inductions, others have flourished, passion and homage to the originals a clear inspiration. For others, however, some sequels fall so hard, they are a deterrence for a new generation to embrace what originally made them so great. In light of the epic failure of the latest sequel, it seemed the best time to relive the classic horror slasher The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Promoted as being based on an account of a tragedy, Tobe Hooper‘s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre reached into the recesses of the mind, pushing fear and audience expectations to a new level. Brutal, shocking, and unforgettable, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre would not only boast its own inspirations but inspire future filmmakers to come for decades.
Setting the Mood
There is almost a George A Romero feel to the opening of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, as a radio voiceover is heard recapping recent events for the audience. As it takes in an eerie overhead view of a cemetery, the camera pans out revealing a monument covered in skin and bone. As the radio has informed us, there has been a recent stint of grave robberies in the area, not whole bodies taken but parts. It is a gruesome concept, and while some savvy cinephiles may feel the beginning of Frankenstein in the film’s veins, things are about to get darker, and a new monster is about to emerge.
As the film moves into its opening credits, both score and imagery are unnerving. There is an almost expressionist feeling to the contrast of the red and black background, viewers anticipating anything, but nothing comes. It is unnerving and an effective horror setting transition between the film’s opening scenes and the introduction of the gang that is destined to meet a fate worse than death.
As a van pulls off the side of the road, there is a quietness that settles in, easing the unnerving nature of the film for just a moment, developing more of a mystery. As Kirk (William Vail) helps Franklin (Paul A. Partain) out of the van, there is a voyeuristic nature that settles in, almost a feeling of an outsider’s intrusion. As Franklin is peeing on the side of the road, a truck passes back swiftly, startling him and sending him down the hill. It not only further drives this idea of outsiders, but begins to create the fragility that surrounds Franklin.
Where the beginning of the film created the eeriness that reverberates through its core, the gang arriving at the local cemetery cements the foreboding nature. They are there to check on the status of their grandfather’s remains following the latest grave robberies, but it is the town’s occupants that seem to have an idea of what may truly be going on. As a man in a tire wheel drinks himself into a stupor, his words and omens fill the void of sound, cutting through the momentary reprieve.
Discovering their grandfather’s remains are intact, Sally (Marilyn Burns), Franklin and the rest depart, picking up a Hitchhiker (Edwin Neal) along the way. The mood of the film quickly degrades, the hitchhiker seemingly innocent but turning deranged, speaking of the right way to kill a cow, photographing Franklin, slicing his hand, and burning Franklin’s picture in the van – even cutting Franklin when he refuses to pay for his picture. As the gang pushes him out of the van, his blood leaves a mark, almost dooming each person inside.
Success in the Slaughter and the Craft
It does not take long for this scene to come full circle in the film with the Hitchhiker’s brutal discussion of slaughtering cows coming to life before the eyes of the audience. And that is what is so shocking about this film – the kills. Each is brutal and sharp, Leatherface (Gunner Hansen) refusing to conform to the typical frame directionality. He is unpredictable, ruthless, and unrelenting. When he first appears, he takes Kirk down in one blow of the head, his body falling to the floor and twitching like the cows are said to have done at the slaughterhouse. It’s sudden and unexpected, graphic and shocking – the door he closes as brutal and cold as the killer himself.
From Kirk, Pam (Teri McMinn) is the next to meet with Leatherface – and then a metal meat hook. In an instant, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre reduces humanity to nothing more than how we perceive the animals we send to slaughter. There is a callus nature, a lack of empathy in each moment, Pam and Kirk – and subsequently Jerry and Franklin – nothing more than meat to be processed.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a film that doesn’t just find its success in its kills and superhuman villain, but finds it in every element of creep it can muster. The setting, the props, the inclusion of generational family beliefs – it stretched the boundary of what is terrifying and eerie, presenting the imagination with the unimaginable.
One of the best scenes is when Pam stumbles into the living space of the Leatherface’s home with furniture made from bones, the floor covered in feathers, and creations of bone and skin hanging from the ceiling. The horror of this scene is in the development of the environment, of the space itself. It does not need to embrace the gore and the horror of Leatherface, the set design, and the editing between Pam’s reactions and her surroundings speaking to the horror that is sure to befall her – as it has so many before. In this moment, the camera will not look away, taking in everything she sees – and so do we.
With its stationary camera at times as well, viewers are forced to see the room in its entirety, taking in every detail (in this scene and throughout the film). So much work went into crafting this horrific environment, and the filmmakers are unafraid to let you take it all in. It also forces us to stay in the moment, giving a forced perspective, the action coming into frame or towards the camera, giving the house, the violence, and even Sally’s capture a more ominous feel.
Inspirations Abound
From the very beginning, there is a feeling that George A Romero’s Night of the Living Dead may have been an inspiration for the film. As the radio in the beginning of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre fills viewers in on the pertinent information that will shape, motivate and enhance the film, one can not help but remember the radio and TV from Night of the Living Dead. As Barbara and Ben are trapped within the house, they (and the audience) are able to gain information of what is happening through the radio and the TV. As the horror of the zombies is right outside, they have an understanding of what they are up against.
Beyond radio and TV information for the audience, there is one moment that stands out the most as a Romero inspiration and possible homage. After kicking the Hitchhiker out of the car and making their way to the local gas station, and subsequent detour of their old Grandfather’s home, Franklin is tainted – “He’s going to kill you Franklin.” While it winds Franklin up, it is also reminiscent of the beginning of Night of the Living Dead, Johnny taunting Barbara in the cemetery – “They’re coming to get you Barbara.”
But the film can also be potentially credited as an inspiration for horror films that would follow as well. hanging bone sculptures in doorways and the false claim that it is based on true events, these elements of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre seem to reverberate through The Blair Witch Project. While not an overwhelming influence, there is a feeling it was most certainly one of many.
Beyond The Blair Witch Project, the more recent Ready or Not seems to have its own potential inspiration as well. As the dramatic conclusion of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre closes out, Sally is seen in the back of a pickup truck, just narrowly escaping the teeth of Leatherface’s chainsaw. As she screams, and even smiles almost maniacally, she is one of the film’s final images – her face and body covered head to toe in blood. Ready or Not was a success in its own originality, its final shot one for horror history. As the movie closes out, we are left with Grace covered from head to toe in blood, the terror just behind her coming to an end. As she escaped her fate, so too did Sally. In the final moments, we see them basked in their own survival.
Conclusion
As long as there are new stories to tell, both good and bad, there will be a continual string of sequels for horror’s most cherished classics. And while sequels have the power to attract new generations while satisfying the palettes of long-time fans, it is the originals that truly need continued attention and admiration. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a horror classic, not only beloved by many horrific cinephiles but is a lasting inspiration for the horrific filmmakers that followed.
What is your favorite The Texas Chainsaw Massacre sequel? Let us know in the comments below!
Watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
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