25. Texas Chainsaw Massacre

(Tobe Hooper, 1974)

(essay by Robert)
Tobe Hooper’s film changed the genre. Perhaps what is most impressive about Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the myth and legend it has become and the impact it has had.  So often imitated and so commonly misunderstood (or perhaps misremembered), the film was amazingly impactful.  Everyone is moved by the film, even people who have not seen it.

A lot is written of Hooper’s motivations for the film, I will not focus these here as I would rather emphasize the on-camera aspects. These are important though (hopefully comments will be posted) and can be read about in multiple articles.   I will say that I loved reading that he seemed to have been inspired  (in part) by standing in a long line in a store and the idea that he could get the people to move if he had a chainsaw.  This is not only humorous but also a perfect precise example of why this genre is so human and should be so much more embraced.

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