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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

R | | Horror | 4 October 1974 (USA)
Two siblings and three of their friends en route to visit their grandfather's grave in Texas end up falling victim to a family of cannibalistic psychopaths.

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(screenplay by), (screenplay by) | 1 more credit »
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1 win & 1 nomination. See more awards »
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
...
...
Pam
...
...
...
...
Robert Courtin ...
Window Washer
William Creamer ...
Bearded Man
...
Storyteller
Jerry Green ...
Cowboy
Ed Guinn ...
Joe Bill Hogan ...
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Storyline

En route to visit their grandfather's grave (which has apparently been ritualistically desecrated), five teenagers drive past a slaughterhouse, pick up (and quickly drop) a sinister hitch-hiker, eat some delicious home-cured meat at a roadside gas station, before ending up at the old family home... where they're plunged into a never-ending nightmare as they meet a family of cannibals who more than make up in power tools what they lack in social skills... Written by Michael Brooke <michael@everyman.demon.co.uk>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

For them, an Idyllic summer afternoon became their worst nightmare! [Australian, Video] See more »

Genres:

Horror

Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Details

Official Sites:

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Country:

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Release Date:

4 October 1974 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Headcheese  »

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Box Office

Budget:

$300,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$30,859,000
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (new longer Version) | (Unrated Edition)

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Gunnar Hansen wore three-inch heels so that he was taller than the rest of the cast, but it meant that he had to duck to get through the doorways in the slaughterhouse. See more »

Goofs

When the van pulls up to the service station and the cook comes out, there is a red 'Open' sign on the door. Later it is gone. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Narrator: The film which you are about to see is an account of the tragedy which befell a group of five youths, in particular Sally Hardesty and her invalid brother, Franklin. It is all the more tragic in that they were young. But, had they lived very, very long lives, they could not have expected nor would they have wished to see as much of the mad and macabre as they were to see that day. For them an idyllic summer afternoon drive became a nightmare. The events of that day were to lead to ...
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Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: The film which you are about to see is an account of the tragedy which befell a group of five youths, in particular Sally Hardesty and her invalid brother, Franklin. It is all the more tragic in that they were young. But, had they lived very, very long lives, they could not have expected nor would they have wished to see as much of the mad and macabre as they were to see that day. For them an idyllic summer afternoon drive became a nightmare.

The events of that day were to lead to the discovery of one of the most bizarre crimes in the annals of American history, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

AUGUST 18, 1973 See more »

Connections

Spoofed in Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation (1992) See more »

Soundtracks

Waco
Timberline Rose
(Recorded at Hill on the Moon, Austin, Tx., Engineer: Jim Inmon)
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Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

 
A classic simply put
25 May 2003 | by See all my reviews

This movie set the stage for the onslaught of classic modern horror of the late 70's and early 80's. Tobe Hooper's vision paints a drab and disturbing picture of a family of cannibals who hunt their victims using any means necessary for survival. Caught up in this whole mess is a group of young people, unaware of what lurks down an old back road of Texas. Hunger is our most probable urge as human beings, and this family takes this idea to the extreme. Each family member is their own character with their own feelings and their own personalities. One such character, Leatherface, stands out for the fact that he was born without a face, thus using human skin to gain an identity. This is what sets him apart from other slashers such as Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees for they hid behind masks. It's safe to say he's not the only insane one in this bunch. Every one of them are one fry short of a happy meal and I am sure they like it that way. Gunnar Hansen did a great job of playing Leatherface, sculpting a faceless killer who slew not for fun but for survival. His perfect killer image was later destroyed by other actors in later sequels. Many people refuse to watch this movie in the first place because of what they've heard and because of the title. Strangely, some even walked out of the theaters on the previews for this thing. That's just how strong this movie actually is. There's really a lot less gore in this movie than most people think. It's Tobe Hooper's great directing that pelts the viewer with suspense. The last 10 minutes of this film are some of the most exciting, terrify shots ever put on film. All because of Leatherface, many people's nightmares will be dominated by the hum of a chainsaw.


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