The
1970’s brought about a new movement in horror films – depicting horror in the
real world. Gone were the days of
Dracula and Frankenstein. Giant
insects and flying saucers were no longer a source of fear thanks in part to
the social, political and economic changes brought about by the 60’s. Audiences were beginning to realize the
likes of Ed Gein were much more terrifying than that of the Wolfman. Man is now the antagonist and the true
horror lies in the horrible acts he is capable of. If man is the monster, then none of us are safe. This realization along with a loosening
of censorship laws brought about a need amongst filmmakers to constantly push
the envelope and strive to portray grizzly, upsetting realism in their work.
Director
Tobe Hooper was on the forefront of this movement with his 1974 film, The Texas
Chain Saw Massacre. Made on a
shoestring budget, this tale of a group of kids traveling through Texas in a
van conveys a truly bleak view of mankind that is unnerving to say the least. When the travelers offer a lift to a
strange hitchhiker, their road trip starts to go south. As it turns out, the young man they
pick up comes from a long line of slaughterhouse employees who are now out of
work. His hobbies include cutting
himself and others with a straight razor.
Needless to say, his ride doesn’t last long. They kick him out of the van, but as luck would have it,
they’re also low on gas and they soon find themselves stranded in the hot Texas
sun. It is when they seek help in
a seemingly normal farmhouse in the middle of nowhere that the true terror
starts to unfold.
The
film opens with a narrated warning stating that it is an account of “one of the most bizarre crimes in the
annals of American history”. Are
the events portrayed in this film true?
Not at all. But this
disclaimer, along with the low budget cinematography, give The Texas Chain Saw
Massacre a documentary-like feel and helped establish it as one of the most
controversial movies ever made.
The sound in Massacre also lends itself to the film’s realism. It makes use of a minimalist soundtrack
that leaves many of the most intense scenes in the movie to be scored by only
screams and the revving of a chainsaw, further leading to the feel that the
events taking place on screen actually happened and were not filmed for the
purpose of entertainment. Another
area of success for Massacre is in its creation of atmosphere. Thanks to the harsh, unforgiving
weather conditions this movie was shot in, you can watch it in the dead of
winter and still break a sweat.
Despite
its reputation, there is very little explicit blood and gore in this film. Hooper makes use of cinematography,
sound, and set design to tell a story that focuses on suspense and still
manages to be terrifying, even in today’s world of over saturated torture
porn. It is considered one of the
most controversial and influential horror films of all time and is required
viewing for fans of the genre.
Like most great horror films, this one has been remade. So make sure when you rent it, you’re
getting the right one. For a truly
haunting experience this Halloween, check out The Texas Chain Saw
Massacre. It will deliver.
-Jonah
Poster by Micah Moseby.
No comments:
Post a Comment