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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a vile piece of sick crap. It is a film with literally nothing to recommend it: nothing but a hysterically paced slapdash, imbecile concoctions of cannibalism, voodoo, astrology, sundry hippie-esque cults, and unrelenting sadistic violence as extreme and hideous as a complete lack of imagination can possibly make it".
-- Stephen Koch, Harper's, November 1976

details

  • Inspired in part by serial killer Ed Gein.
  • Directed by Tobe Hooper
  • Inspired several crappy sequels and a remake
  • Poster: Who will survive and what will be left of them?
  • Gunnar Hansen's performance as Leatherface predates pale imitations Jason, Freddy
  • The original name for the film was "Headcheese"
  • The narrator at the start of the film is John Laroquette of "Night Court" fame
  • Banned in the U.K. in 1975, 1977 and again in 1984
  • The film was bankrolled to the tune of $140,000, profits from porno movie "Deep Throat" (1972)

timeline

1 Oct 1974 Texas Chainsaw Massacre released in United States.
22 Aug 1986 Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 released.
12 Jan 1990 Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III released.
7 Oct 1994 The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre released.
17 Oct 2003 Remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre released.

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