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From Amazon.co.uk
This sensational, extremely influential, 1974 low-budget horror movie directed by Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist, Lifeforce, Salem's Lot), may be notorious for its title, but it's also a damn fine piece of moviemaking. And it's blood-curdling scary, too. Loosely based on the true crimes of Ed Gein (also a partial inspiration for Psycho), the original Jeffrey Dahmer, Texas Chainsaw Massacre follows a group of teenagers who pick up a hitchhiker and wind up in a backwoods horror chamber where they're held captive, tortured, chopped up, and impaled on meat hooks by a demented cannibalistic family, including a character known as Leatherface who maniacally wields one helluva chainsaw. The movie's powerful sense of dread is heightened by its grainy, semi-documentary style--but it also has a wicked sense of humour (and not that camp, self-referential variety that became so tiresome in subsequent horror films of the 70s, 80s and 90s). OK, in case you couldn't tell, it's "not for everyone", but as a landmark in the development of the horror/slasher genre, it ranks with Psycho, Halloween, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. --Jim Emerson
Amazon.com Essential Video
This sensational, extremely influential, 1974 low-budget horror movie directed by Tobe Hooper (Poltergeist, Lifeforce, Salem's Lot), may be notorious for its title, but it's also a damn fine piece of moviemaking. And it's blood-curdling scary, too. Loosely based on the true crimes of Ed Gein (also a partial inspiration for Psycho), the original Jeffrey Dahmer, Texas Chainsaw Massacre follows a group of teenagers who pick up a hitchhiker and wind up in a backwoods horror chamber where they're held captive, tortured, chopped up, and impaled on meat hooks by a demented cannibalistic family, including a character known as Leatherface who maniacally wields one helluva chainsaw. The movie's powerful sense of dread is heightened by its grainy, semi-documentary style--but it also has a wicked sense of humor (and not that camp, self-referential variety that became so tiresome in subsequent horror films of the '70s, '80s, and '90s). OK, in case you couldn't tell, it's "not for everyone." But as a landmark in the development of the horror/slasher genre, it ranks with Psycho, Halloween, and A Nightmare on Elm Street. --Jim Emerson
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
WHO SAYS EATING HUMAN FLESH ISN'T COOL?,
By Benny Blanco (Toronto, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Widescreen) (DVD)
An extraordinarily dark and realistic horror film. It takes some of our most cherished concepts (family--home) and turns them upside down. And who amongst us can honestly say they have never considered giving canibalism a try? You must purchase this DVD and cherish it.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly disturbing cult horror!,
This review is from: Texas Chainsaw Massacre (VHS Tape)
This astonishing film is the ancestor of all the "slasher" films of the late 1970's and early 80's, but remains unmatched by any of its successors. Very loosely based on the infamous necrophilic activities of Ed Gein, TCM uses this real-life horror merely as a jumping off point. TCM employs certain standard elements that have become cliches of the genre - a gaggle of vapid teens who get picked off one by one, crazed country bumpkins and a maniac wielding a weapon that cuts, slices and dices - but these customary Gothic devices supply the backbone of a truly original and terrifying film. Gore and special effects fans will be disappointed, as there is very little actual bloodletting to be seen, but this is director Tobe Hooper's ... most striking achievement. .... Amazingly, Hooper achieves a state of utter terror without any explicit blood or guts - every horrific sequence is suggested rather than shown. The design of the farmhouse - all squalor and strange bits of furniture constructed out of human bones - is the perfect setting for a nightmare. Energetic performances from the leads add to the effect, and the usual sexual angle is totally absent. The atmosphere of the film is sweltering and claustrophobic, and the final chase sequences elemental in their impact. A brilliant work of art which manages to terrify solely through the power of suggestion, this film will loge itself in your imagination. It is amazing how this movie has gained a reputation for being almost unendurable in spite of the relative restraint of the effects. Perhaps this is TCM's greatest success - a film without explicit gore that retains all the qualities of a riveting, pell-mell nightmare. See it if you dare!
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A stunning feat of film making....,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Special Edition) (DVD)
If you were to ask me what the greatest horror movie was, 3 years ago, i would have undoubtabley told you it was John Carpenter's "Halloween". I had seen almost every horror film worth watching, all of the greats. (Night of the living dead, Friday the 13th, A nightmare on elm street, etc.) But none had had the power to strike me so mercilessly as that one did, until october, 2001. On the 31st i settled down with a group of friends to watch Tobe Hooper's contoversial "Texas Chainsaw Massacre". To be honest, knowing its reputation for being a pointless display of blood and carnage, I was not expecting much, just another run of the mill, cheesey slasher flick. Within the first ten minutes of the film i had a completely different point of view. This film is unstoppabley terrifying. And i can hear you saying, "its a horror movie stupid its supposed to be!" but bare with me. When you actually look at most horror films, even the well-made ones, it is not often that you come away feeling the utmost sense of fear. The kind of fear that makes you think twice about turning off your bedroom lights, or even opening the door to your dark kitchen to get a glass of water in the middle of the night. That is the power of this film. Its plots and characters will remain in your head for weeks and weeks. I have watched it many times since then in an attempt to figure it out. The amazing and frightening thing about this film is its appatrent simplisity. Most horror films to date try to develop complex story lines that often get them tangled and easily overcome by the viewer. This film is 100% shock and horror from start to finish with no escapes at daytime or in the presence of the "hero". Another thing i noticed is that despite its bloody reputation, the amount of blood in this film is signifinately minute, especially when compared to other horror films: yet again, a display of its brilliance. This film doesn't need vast amounts of blood to drive fear into the hearts of the viewers. Its psychological storyline and other visual images are much more powerful than any amounts of blood and gore. Since i saw this film "Halloween" has been bumped of the number 1 spot in my list, and is now settled comfortabley at number 2, followed by "The Silence of the lambs". Even two unforgetable films like these are not a patch on "chainsaw massacre". To round of this review i will say quite simply, that "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is the greates horror movie ever made, a stunning feat of filmaking, and not be missed by any fan of this genre.
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