Review #46: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)


This review was originally written in October 2017.

Horror Movie October day 18: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

I've seen a few of the more recent Texas Chainsaw movies, but never the original. I was actually kind of amazed at how slight this movie is- not necessarily in a bad way- aside from the bit with the hitchhiker near the beginning, nothing really happens until about the halfway point of the movie (at least, no violence or significant tension anyway). But rather than criticize the movie for it, I actually think it makes for an interesting juxtaposition when you then watch the second half, which is full of insanity and kind of terrifying on a base level.

I can definitely see why this movie became an instant classic- the villains (what little we see of them) are so unsettling, both in appearance and demeanor, and you really feel powerless along with the protagonist once they catch her. It's interesting to see what this series evolved into (such as with the much-higher-budget 2003 remake, as well as 2013's Texas Chainsaw 3D) considering it had such a humble start.

All in all this was a fun movie and I just might watch the sequels later this week!

Final Rating: 8/10 Arm Chairs

Question I Have to Ask: What the crap happened to the semi driver at the end?

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