- [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 the discovery of one of the most bizarre crimes in the annals of American history, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
- Old Man: I just can't take no pleasure in killing. There's just some things you gotta do. Don't mean you have to like it.
- Franklin: [Sarcastically] Come on, Franklin! It's gonna be a fun trip! If I have any more fun today, I don't think I'm gonna be able to take it!
- Hitchhiker: You could have dinner with us! You like head cheese? My... my brother makes it real good. You'll like it.
- [to the captive Sally in his truck]
- Old Man: Sorry to keep you waiting, young lady. I had to lock up the shop and turn the lights off. The cost of electricity these days is enough to drive a man like me out of business.
- Franklin: Hey man, you ever go in that slaughter room or whatever they call it? The place where they shoot cattle in the head with that big air gun?
- Hitchhiker: Oh, that gun's no good.
- Franklin: I was in there once with my uncle.
- Hitchhiker: The old way... with a sledge! You see, that way's better. They die better that way.
- Franklin: Well, how come? I thought the gun was better.
- Hitchhiker: Oh, no. With the new way... people were put out of jobs.
- Franklin: Did you do that?
- Hitchhiker: [digs through pouch for a few pictures] Look!
- [hands them to Franklin]
- Hitchhiker: I was the killer!
- Franklin: [looking at the pictures] Damn...
- Jerry: Hi, Mister. Would you fill 'er up, please?
- Old Man: I got no gas.
- Franklin: What? You're all out of gas?
- Old Man: My tank's empty! Transport woun't be here until late this afternoon. Maybe not even 'til tomorrow morning.
- Franklin: Hey, do you know where the old Franklin place is?
- Old Man: The old Franklin place?
- Franklin: Yeah, it's an old two-story rock house that sitting up on a hill. I thought it might be back on that road someplace, but I'm not really sure.
- Old Man: Uh... yeah, maybe I've seen something like that up that way. Well now look, you boys don't want to go messin' around some old house. Those things is dangerous. You're liable to get hurt.
- Kirk: We'll be careful.
- Old Man: No, seriously. You don't want to go fooling around other folks' property. If some folks don't like it... they don't mind showing you.
- Old Man: [to Sally] Why, old Grandpa was the best killer there ever was. Why, it never took more than one lick, they say. Why, he did sixty in five minutes once. They say he could've done more if the hook and pull gang could've gotten the beeves out of the way faster.
- Radio news reader: [voice-over] Graverobbing in Texas is this hour's top news story. An informant led officers of the Muerto County Sheriff's Department to a cemetery just outside the small rural Texas community of Newt early this morning. Officers there discovered what appeared to be a grisly work of art: the remains of a badly decomposed corpse wired to a large monument. A second body was found in a ditch near the perimeter of the cemetery. Subsequent investigation has revealed at least a dozen empty crypts, and it's feared more will turn up as the probe continues. Deputies report that in some instances only parts of a corpse have been removed, the head or in some cases the extremities removed, the remainder of the corpse left intact. Evidence indicates the robberies have occurred over a period of time. Sheriff Jesus Maldonado refused to give details in the ghoulish case, and said only that he did have evidence linking the crime to elements outside the state. Area residents have reportedly been converging on the cemetery, fearing the remains of relatives have been removed. No suspects are in custody as the investigation at the scene continues.
- Pam: Hey, listen to Franklin's horoscope.
- [reading from the astrology book]
- Pam: "Travel in the country, long-range plans, and upsetting persons around you, could make this a disturbing and unpredictiable day. The events in the world are not doing much either to cheer one up."
- Jerry: That's just perfect. And now read Sally's. She's a Capricorn.
- Pam: Oh, no. Capricorn's ruled by Saturn.
- [reading from the astrology book]
- Pam: "There are moments when we cannot believe that what is happening is really true. Pinch yourself and you may find out that it is."
- Hitchhiker: You just shut up and remember you're just the cook and me and him'll handle this!
- Old Man: Shut your mouth!
- Drunk: [laughs] Things happen here about, they don't tell about. I see things. You see, they say that it's just an old man talking. You laugh at an old man. There's them that laughs and knows better.
- [laughs again]
- Kirk: So, where you heading, man?
- Hitchhiker: South.
- Franklin: You work at that place? The slaughterhouse?
- Hitchhiker: Uh... no.
- Sally: How'd you get stuck way out here?
- Hitchhiker: I was at the slaughterhouse.
- Franklin: I got an uncle who works in a slaughterhouse.
- Hitchhiker: I used to work there. My brother did too. My grandfather too. My family's always been in meat!
- Franklin: [quietly to Sally] A whole family of Draculas!
- Franklin: [referring to the Hitchhiker] You don't think that guy tried to follow us, do you? Well, I mean there's no way that he could follow us. He's probably afraid Kirk will kill him.
- Franklin: Hey, I bet that's some of that guy's blood. Look at that. Look at that. You think that's blood?
- Kirk: Yeah, I guess so.
- Franklin: Oh, that's blood, all right. And that guy cut the hell out of himself. You think you could do that to yourself?
- Kirk: [laughs] I'm not crazy.
- Franklin: Yeah, but. It takes something, though, I mean, just to do that to yourself like he did. God! Hey, you think I said something made him mad?
- Kirk: [laughs]
- Franklin: Well, what?
- Kirk: Franklin, you're crazier than he was.
- [laughs]
- Franklin: Oh man, it's hot in here.
- Sally: Hitchhiker!
- Jerry: Should we pick him up?
- Kirk: Oh yeah, man! Pick him up; he'll asphyxiate out there!
- Pam: What does he look like?
- Franklin: Well, the son of a bitch is gonna smell just like the slaughterhouse!
- Sally: Oh, give the guy a break. He can sit by Franklin.
- Jerry: What do you want to do?
- Pam: Oh, he's weird-looking. No!
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