The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

Director:

Jonathan Liebesman

Writers (WGA):

Sheldon Turner (screenplay)
Sheldon Turner (story) ...

Release Date:

6 October 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Witness The Birth Of Fear

Plot:

On one last road trip before they're sent to serve in Vietnam, two brothers and their girlfriends get into an accident that calls their local sheriff to the scene. Thus begins a terrifying experience where the teens are taken to a secluded house of horrors, where a young, would-be killer is being nurtured.

Plot Keywords:

Leatherface | Car Accident | Psychopath | Slaughterhouse | Chainsaw

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Jordana Brewster	...	Chrissie
Taylor Handley	...	Dean
Diora Baird	...	Bailey
Matthew Bomer	...	Eric (as Matt Bomer)
R. Lee Ermey	...	Sheriff Hoyt
Andrew Bryniarski	...	Thomas Hewitt / Leatherface
Lee Tergesen	...	Holden
Terrence Evans	...	Monty
Kathy Lamkin	...	Tea Lady
Marietta Marich	...	Luda Mae
L.A. Calkins	...	Sloane (as Leslie Calkins)
Tim De Zarn	...	Supervisor (as Tim deZarn)
Allison Marich	...	Young Luda Mae
Marcus H. Nelson	...	Lackey (as Marcus Nelson)
Lew Temple	...	Sheriff Winston

Also Known As:

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Origin (USA) (working title)
Untitled Texas Chainsaw Massacre Prequel (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong horror violence/gore, language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

91 min | USA:96 min (unrated version) | Germany:83 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-18 | Australia:R | Iceland:18 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #42851) | Canada:18A (Alberta) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Singapore:R21 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | Netherlands:16 | Hong Kong:III | Japan:R-15 | USA:Unrated (DVD rating) | Italy:VM14 | Germany:18 (cut) (nf) (theatrical version) | France:-16 | Portugal:M/18 | Mexico:C | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Malaysia:(Banned) | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 (uncut version) | South Korea:18 | Germany:18 (SPIO/JK) (DVD rating) (cut) | Italy:VM14 (re-rating on appeal) | Italy:VM18 (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Austin Studios - 1901 E. 51st Street, Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Taylor Handley impressed the director and producers so much when auditioning for the film, that they cast him immediately after the audition.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The pistol Holden (the biker) uses is a Smith and Wesson model 586 , 357 mag. That wasn't introduced until the early 1980s. The film is set in 1969.

Quotes:

Sheriff Hoyt: People may not remember what we say here tonight, but by God they'll remember what we did.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in 2007 MTV Movie Awards (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

A Church At The Foot Of The Hill

Unpleasant and disturbing...as it should be

Prequel to the 2003 "Texas Chainsaw..." giving us the origin of Leatherface and his twisted family. That's all done within the first 20 minutes...then it's just a virtual redo on the original with four likable 20-somethings being captured and tortured by Leatherface and his family. Considering it's basically a remake of the 2003 film, it works remarkably well.

It takes place in 1969 and has two brothers (Taylor Handley and Matthew Bomer) going to enlist (after being drafted). Along are their two girlfriends (Jordana Brewster and Diora Baird). But they're stopped by crazy Sheriff Hoyt (R. Lee Ermey) who is Leatherface's uncle...and the "fun" begins.

Very grim and graphic with no humor and shot in muted color...just as the 2003 one. The gore is strong and disgusting (this got trimmed to get an R rating) and I can't say I liked it...but it did it's job. It scared me. I was cringing in my seat a few times and jumped more than once.

Another plus is ALL the acting is good. Brewster, Handley, Baird and Bomer are all good-looking and likable--when the violence starts you really are horrified at seeing such great characters being tortured. Ermey is on hand giving another terrifying performance as Hoyt. His character is so twisted, violent and sick that when he got a taste of his own medicine my quiet audience broke out in applause. Also there's good old Leatherface and his chainsaw chasing everybody.

In some ways I applaud a grim, graphic R rated horror film that pulls no punches--I HATE the watered down PG-13 crap we usually get. But unlike some (like "Scream") this is pretty unrelenting and wears you down. But it scared me and that's exactly what it's supposed to do. An 8.