The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
It should be said that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has little to no gore. Its scariest elements are reliant entirely on other factors, which is one of the highest praises I can give the movie. There is little to no musical score throughout the film, which really adds to some of the more unsettling moments. One scene that comes to mind for me is one near the beginning of the film where our group of victims pick up a hitchhiker, leading to something very uncomfortable to watch. The moment involving the tourist is amplified by ten when it comes to the last few minutes with the Sawyer family, in particular the infamous dinner scene. The movie has a gritty look to it that adds to the movie as a whole. This is the movie that made Tobe Hooper a master of horror, and for good reason. There’s a very distinct almost home movie documentary look and feel to it. The acting in the movie is pretty good, especially by slasher flick standards. The late Marilyn Burns as Sally Hardesty, in particular, is very good in the movie, as she carries most of it. The other actor who I feel deserves strong praise is Gunnar Hansan as Leatherface. This is one of those movies I feel genuinely uncomfortable and unclean as I watched it, and that actually is a positive towards the movie for me, as I do think that is largely what the filmmakers were aiming for with this movie, and I’m truly disappointed in myself that I didn’t see it sooner.
10 / 10
Great review! Glad you enjoyed it and I'm really glad you are enjoying going through the list of 101 Horror Films. :)
ReplyDeleteHave you ever watched Planet Terror? That was another one that made me feel like I needed to shower and gargle afterward. I mean that as a compliment, as well. :)