Run Up To Halloween- Day 4
I think it’s time for a proper classic scary movie on my list.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was banned in Britain until 1998 when it was finally released with an 18 certificate. I remember when it was broadcast for the first time on TV around 1999 because I stayed up and watched it. We had family over at the time so I was sleeping on the sofa in the living room, this worked out well for me because I was never allowed a TV in my room so I had it all to myself. It was on pretty late and it had a cool introduction from the Doctor of Horror himself, Mark Kermode. I’d be lying if I said this was the first time I watched the film in full. I could not watch it all, I was around 14 at the time and although I did have a thing for horror films, this one felt too extreme for me then so there was a LOT of flipping over to something a bit less…MANIC. It had an impact though, the first portion of the film with the hitcher really weirded me out but of course, it was the first time we see Leatherface that really got me. You know that he’s coming, but at the same time you’re not expecting it. He just appears, does his thing and is gone. Where the frick is he going? And what the hell is he doing? Although I barely stuck around much after that initial taster, this film stayed with me. It was a few months later that I mustered up the courage to watch it all, luckily we taped it for my brother so i gave it another chance.
If you are unfamiliar with the story (and I find it hard to believe you are) a group of friends are on their way to visit their granddad’s old house, but on the way they are terrorised by a chainsaw wielding maniac with a mask made of skin and his cannibalistic family. Not the day out they had planned.
The film was portrayed as a true story which makes it all the more effective having this at the opening of the film:
The film which you are about to see is an account of the tragedy which befell a group of five youths, in particular Sally Hardesty and her invalid brother, Franklin. It is all the more tragic in that they were young …
But the character of Leatherface was based on serial killer Ed Gein, a bit information that is always in the back of your mind. This in a way, did happen. Ergh.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre stays with you for ages after you watch it, and personally makes me feel just dirty and gross, though amazingly, there is very little gore to it. To craft that yucky feeling for without doing all the blood and guts is why this film stands out among a lot of others.
I like how there’s more to it than just bunch of teens getting killed, we don’t get any major back story to Leatherface but we go on a little journey with him. He starts out as this masked maniac that we are scared of, but then we see him troubled and scared; he is afraid of the kids that keep coming to his house and kills to get them to leave him alone. Later still, we see him ridiculed by his family wearing a dress and makeup. I personally think this is a chance at some humour rather than a chance of real sympathy for Leatherface…which would be hard to achieve.
Apparently during filming the house got up to 100 degrees and with a house that was furnished with bones and meat you can imagine how intolerable the stench was. Cast and crew had to leave to be sick. You get a sense of that when watching the film. Perfect house for these crazies.
This is a perfect film for Halloween because it is classically terrifying, it’s scares are in the noises and screams you hear and not what you see. It is relentless. Damn it I’ve made myself want to watch it right now…
