Product: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Original Uncut) [Region 2] (1974)
Rating: 5.0
Low-budget meams absolute realism for this Texan jem.
Many horror films today miss the true point of how to scare an audience. Inexperienced directors call on more sophisticated FX effect, drowning you in blood and gore. I never see any new horror films for this reason, yet I am a big fan of all (or most) of the old horror and sci-fi films as far back as silent era movie making. With the Texas Chainsaw you get a picture that is real. Not some Melrose Place Hollywood High actors. Texas C.M., actors seem like the real thing. Real kids with pretty good Texas accents and as sickly Americana goes these players are as American as Apple Pie. The scene that comes to mind for me is the start of the movie. Without spoiling it for anyone, the kids are taking a van ride and pick up a deranged hitchiker. This hitchiker reminded me of so many crazies I have encountered in Arizona and Texas. Wow. WOW! About the special effects. There are none. This does not mean that there is no meat (Literally!) It is just that on a low budget, you do not have the money to show elaborate scenes of carnage and FX blood. So how do they manage to shock? You guessed it ! IMAGINATION. Your brain does the work. Especially in the scene when the sadistic man in the pickup truck is poking and prodding the poor heroine of our lovely story. The camera is mostly on his face. Man, what a face! This guy should go down in the hall of fame for the most sadistic face in cinematic history. Give him an award (if he is still living, if not ring his siblings and bestow the honours on them. As a footnote I laughed all through this scene which is another accolade to combine to the many I have given so far: This film has humour. Take Grandpa for instance. The most lovable granfather in Hollywood History (even if this film was not made in H-wood.) "Hit her over the head Grandpa" will live on as a truly memorable line. I know it does not sound like much on your PC screen. You have to see the movie to appreciate it! I laughed till I cried at the soft and tender way this loving family did not want to leave Grandpa out of the fun. The way they show respect for their elders is touching. I know this sounds a bit oohy-goohy but I mean it. I like people who love and take their work seriously. As you can see I could go on raving all day and night about this movie. I am American and let me tell you that I had to go many years of waiting to see Texas C.M., at the cinema (big screen ) because it was banned in London the whole 14 years I lived there between 1984-1998 (now unbanned playing through-out the U.K., on big screen movie houses) You could rent it on video since the 80s (the Brits are not totally stupid when it comes to making a pound or two) and if you have seen any British movies you may be surprised by this ban. Consider some of the sick and violent sadistic scenes in Hammer Horror films (which I again recommend highly for there originality, 60s humour, and extremely low budgets and quality Classical acting as only the English can accomplish in the theatre. A friend of mine comes to mind ie, the great Christofer Lee,(a Hammer Films veteran) whom I have had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with. He would be perfectly cast in Texas Chainsaw and I bet he would pull off a pretty good Texas Accent too. Which brings me to my final summation. The acting style of our hero in the leather mask. Call me insane but I have lived in Sweden, touring with my band for several years and even if he does not say a word, he works his butt off with an enthusiasm of a true Nordic Viking. May I add that I saw a like-wise performance by another Swede in the amazing and brilliant film Road Warrior 2 His name: Hurmongus (sic) with Mel Gibson and that ultra-cool kid (hope my son is like him) So, may I please make a final suggestion for your culinary delight as you watch this film? Some prefer popcorn while movie watching, some nacho chips, some like peanuts or chocolate covered raisens Some eat 500 Oreos. My I entreat upon you to exclude and delete all of the above or whatever else you planned on chewing on and ask you to please go and purchase lots and lots of big juicy pork sausages (Jimmy Dean variety will surfice and why he did not back this movie with hard bucks is anyone's guess) Happy viewing. PS. Does anyone know if our herione of the film has had a succesful Hollywood voice transplant since filming TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE???? Love, ABDUL FEZ