Product: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Original Uncut) [Region 2] (1974)
Rating: 3.0
Daring, Original, but Lacking (spoiler)
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" was disappointing. A friend of mine recommended it, saying it was the best horror film ever, so I watched it, expecting greatness. I was struck by the grainy look and bold, no-apologies-made filmmaking. Hooper almost gives the audience the camera and shows them just "what happened" (this never happened, but the movie is scarier if you pretend it did) without commenting too much. There is also no soundtrack, and this helps the movie so much. If Hooper can achieve such a sense of dread with no "jumpy" music, you know you've got a good feel and pace for the film.One problem arises in that there is no sympathy for any of the characters. Hm, an empty house with a generator outside, no one around, and strange sounds coming from the kitchen? Well, since I'm feeling spry and full of life, I think I'll go investigate. There could certainly be no overweight villian with a sledgehammer waiting to bash in my head...So, everyone dies except this last girl (I forgot her name)who just keeps screaming. Then, a few "unspeakable acts" are performed by the cannabilistic family on the screaming, tied-up female who I started to wish would just give in and die. This part of the film is its most disturbing, with her finger being cut (her finger was actually cut)to feed the grandfather of the family, and the perverse hitchiker laughing at her as the family has dinner. Then, the annoying girl escapes, still screaming and giving away her position. Eventually, she leaves in a truck, but the family goes on (except the hitchiker, who dies)."Texas Chainsaw Massacre" serves its purpose as a film that oozes dread, but if there were more sympathy for the characters I might care when they get impaled on meathooks. Still, it's better than most horror movies, so it comes with my recommendation. Sort of.