The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Director:

Tobe Hooper

Writers:

Kim Henkel (story) and
Tobe Hooper (story)

Release Date:

1 October 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

The idyllic summer's day that became a nightmare of fear and blood... [UK Video]

Plot:

Five friends visiting their grandpa's old house are hunted down and terrorized by a chainsaw wielding killer and his family of grave-robbing cannibals.

Plot Keywords:

Grandfather | Cannibal | Leatherface | Chainsaw | Hitchhiker

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Marilyn Burns	...	Sally Hardesty
Allen Danziger	...	Jerry
Paul A. Partain	...	Franklin Hardesty
William Vail	...	Kirk
Teri McMinn	...	Pam (as Teri Mcminn)
Edwin Neal	...	Hitchhiker
Jim Siedow	...	Old Man
Gunnar Hansen	...	Leatherface
John Dugan	...	Grandfather
Robert Courtin	...	Window Washer
William Creamer	...	Bearded Man
John Henry Faulk	...	Storyteller
Jerry Green	...	Cowboy
Ed Guinn	...	Cattle Truck Driver
Joe Bill Hogan	...	Drunk
Perry Lorenz	...	Pick Up Driver
John Larroquette	...	Narrator (voice)

Directed by
Tobe Hooper

Writing credits
Kim Henkel		(story and screenplay) and
Tobe Hooper		(story and screenplay)

Produced by
Kim Henkel	....	associate producer
Tobe Hooper	....	producer
Jay Parsley	....	executive producer
Richard Saenz	....	associate producer
Louis Peraino	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Wayne Bell		(music score)
Tobe Hooper		(music score)

Cinematography by
Daniel Pearl

Film Editing by
J. Larry Carroll		(as Larry Carroll)
Sallye Richardson

Production Design by
Robert A. Burns		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Robert A. Burns

Makeup Department
W.E. Barnes	....	makeup artist: grandfather
Dorothy J. Pearl	....	makeup artist (as Dorothy Pearl)

Production Management
Ronald M. Bozman	....	production manager (as Ronald Bozman)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sallye Richardson	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Wayne Bell	....	boom operator
Wayne Bell	....	post-production sound
Jay M. Harding	....	dubbing mixer (as Jay Harding)
Paul Harrison	....	sound re-recordist
Robert Knudson	....	dubbing mixer (as Buzz Knudson)
Ted Nicolaou	....	location sound recordist
Patrick Yacono	....	sound re-recording mixer (restorated version) (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dean W. Miller	....	special effects

Stunts
Mary Church	....	stunts
Perry Lorenz	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Tobe Hooper	....	additional photographer
Lynn Lockwood	....	lighting (as Lynn Lochwood)
J. Michael McClary	....	camera assistant (as J. Michael Mcclary)
Lou Perryman	....	assistant camera
Rod Ponton	....	grip
Lynn Scherwitz	....	key grip (as Linn Scherwitz)

Other crew
George Baetz	....	production assistant
Jerry Bellnoski	....	production assistant
Mary Church	....	script girl
Jim Crow	....	production assistant
Paula Eaton	....	production assistant
Tom Foote	....	production assistant
Paulette Gochnour	....	production assistant
Charlie Loving	....	production assistant
Sally Nicolau	....	production assistant
N.C. Parsley	....	production assistant
Robert Pustejowski	....	production assistant (as Robert Pustejovski)
David Spaw	....	production assistant
Ray Spaw	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Vortex

Distributors

• Bryanston Distributing (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• New Line Cinema (1980) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Astral Films (1980) (Canada) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Astral Films (????) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Cinema Mondo (1996) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Jugendfilm-Verleih (1978) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• René Chateau Productions (1982) (France) (theatrical)
• Succéfilm AB (????) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Astral Video (????) (Canada) (VHS)
• Bac Films (France) (re-release)
• Blue Dolphin Film Distribution (1999) (UK) (VHS)
• CMV Laservision (1999) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Converse Video (1985) (Belgium) (VHS)
• Dark Sky Films (2006) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Dark Sky Films (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Dex Entertainment (2007) (Japan) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Elite Entertainment (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Future Film (2001) (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Future Film (2001) (Finland) (VHS)
• Media Home Entertainment (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• New Line Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1990) (Finland) (VHS)
• Pioneer Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Pioneer Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Raven Pictures International
• Reserva Especial (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Rosebud Communications Releasing
• Stormovie (2006) (Italy) (DVD)
• Universal Home Entertainment (????) (UK) (VHS)
• Video Treasures (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Wizard Video (1982) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  titles: opticals & prints (as CFI)
• Screen Time Images  film restoration
• Todd-AO Studios  sound mix (as Todd/AO)

Also Known As:

Headcheese (USA) (working title)
Leatherface (USA) (working title)
Stalking Leatherface (USA) (alternative title)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

83 min | Germany:75 min (new longer Version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:(Banned) | New Zealand:R18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (re-rating: 2004) | Sweden:15 (re-rating: 1994) (cut) (re-rating: 2001) (uncut) | Sweden:15 (re-rating) (2001) (uncut) | UK:18 (re-rating: 1999) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (original rating: 1974) | UK:R (original rating: 1975) | Finland:(Banned) (1984) | Finland:K-18 (1996) | UK:(Banned) (original rating) | Italy:VM14 (re-rating) (2003) | Italy:VM18 (original rating) | Brazil:18 (1998) | Brazil:(Banned) | Australia:(Banned) (original rating) | Belgium:16 (video rating) | West Germany:18 (cut) | New Zealand:R16 (re-rating) (2007) (uncut) | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Italy:VM18 (DVD rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Canada:R | Chile:(Banned) (re-rating) (1978) | Chile:18 (original rating) | Denmark:15 (video rating) | France:-16 (re-rating) | France:X (original rating) | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:(Banned) (original rating) | Iceland:16 (re-rating) | Ireland:(Banned) (original rating) | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:(Banned) (video rating) | Norway:18 (re-rating) (1997) (uncut) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:(Banned) (1984) | USA:R | Singapore:(Banned) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Vortex

Trivia:

Gunnar Hansen hit his head on doorways and other objects several times during the shoot because the Leatherface mask severely limited his peripheral vision and the three-inch heels he wore made his 6'4" frame too high to clear all obstacles.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Sally has run back to the service station for refuge from Leatherface, there is a broom by the door, which changes position a couple of times during the scene.

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...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Future-Kill (1985)

Soundtrack:

FERIA DE LAS FLORES

The one... the only... The Texas Chainsaw Massacre!

Let me begin by saying that there are precious few movies that can actually scare the crap out of you, and this is one of them. The tension that this movie generates is overwhelming at times, and if you watch it with someone who's never seen it before, be sure to keep your eye on them. You'll probably notice a look of disbelief on their unsuspecting face.

Anyone who doesn't like being scared will end up being unable to finish this movie. People who have a taste for the brutally bizarre will probably hit play again after the credits roll. In light of all this, I must also say that in some respects, TCM's bark is much worse than it's bite. Being banned in so many countries for so long, and having a title that includes the phrase 'Chainsaw Massacre', has seemingly led many people to believe that there is an undue amount of gore in it. However, there simply isn't. Gore is not where the scares are in this one. The scares come from the absolutely brutal and bizarre scenarios that befall poor Sally Hardesty.

In closing, I'd also like to go out on a limb and make the following grandiose statement: TCM is the greatest horror film of all time! Not bad for Tobe Hoopers' first effort.