The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

This might just be one of those horror film reviews that stirs shit up with fans from all over, seeing as how I'm about to go into some detail about why 1974's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" was such a huge disappointment to me. This classic slasher film has become a staple within the genre, influencing many young filmmakers and still striking to the horror fanbase as one of the most macabre delights they have ever come across. I, myself, see little reason to actually praise the film in the slightest. 

I will admit that the opening credits hooked me in pretty easily, as John Larroquette's grim voice provided a pitch perfect tone for such a downright disturbing sequence. However, after that, I see it very, very hard to find anything worth redeeming from this movie. 

The set up for the film actually bred the standard of five teenage, or young friends going on a journey together only to wind up being tortured and/or killed. So, the film has created the basic backdrop for many other horror films, such as 1978's "Halloween", or even going so far out to 2012's "Cabin in the Woods", and everything in between. And, well, the five dumbasses found within this film are relatively absent of any character whatsoever. 

As I strongly put the first time I went through this film, I can really only say that all five of the friends really only served as meatbags awaiting death at the hands of Leatherface. The only character that really does much speaking would be Paul A. Partain's Franklin, but even then his character wasn't that great at all and was pretty annoying. He probably got put in his wheelchair after someone broke his back for being such a cunt. 

And then we can go into the actual main attraction of the series, and that would be the killer, redneck family that contains the proprietor of the gas station, the hitchhiker, Grandpa, and Leatherface himself. I will admit that each of these gents did a fair job at acting as a sick, twisted, and more than likely group of inbred, psychotic killer hillbillies. 

But, when it finally comes down to it, the iconic scene where Marilyn Burns' Sally is forced to sit with the four crazed lunatics at dinner was pretty much ruined. All that could really be heard throughout the entire scene was Burns screaming her head off as much as she could, which not only destroyed any cinematic value but also gave me a fucking headache (I can still hear her screaming in my mind and I need painkillers now). And, the ending wasn't the greatest, either, giving off that horrid, ambiguous ending wherein a multitude of sequels could spawn (which they did).

However, even though I don't personally like the film, and will try to avoid watching it again at all costs, I do give my respect out to it for being a very, very controversial and first of its kind sort of film when it released. It was daring and bold, and did pave the way for many more horror films to come that I have personally enjoyed. So, for that, I do thank Tobe Hooper and all involved for the efforts that they put into this film. 

However, respect aside, I will not sit here and say that it was a good film just for the sake of appeasing any horror fanatics or for it being so influential. No, for me, the movie sucked. And I kind of regret the time I spent watching it. Perhaps I'll give the sequels/prequels/remakes a shot in the dark and see if they did any better with the franchise, but things really aren't looking that great as of now. 

4/10