The saw is family and this family is dysfunctional, deranged and completely insane. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a classic film, with several sequels and a remake (which was actually pretty darn good) and after giving it a watch tonight, I can say it still holds up to this day as a crazy trip. Let’s cut our teeth on this review by reading on…
Short nitty-gritty plot description from IMDb is as follows: 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.
Even though The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a classic film and everyone and your grandmother knows who Leatherface is, it’s still a film that requires a certain taste. It’s loud, abrasive and completely insane. The story is thin, but simplistic and going by name only, you should know what you’re getting into to. I first watched this movie on VHS several, several years ago. The tape was way too dark (although the film is naturally dark) and I couldn’t make out a damn thing. All I got was screaming and the sound of a chainsaw. So, as you can see, my first experience was not a good one and I thought the film was not that great. After a few years and a much better copy of the film, I can truly say that I adore it.
People’s opinion on the acting is probably all over the place on whether they like it or not. I think everyone did a fantastic job. I enjoyed the entire insane Sawyer family. Everyone of them will put you on edge and make you think that Tobe Hopper (director) just turned the camera on a real cannibalistic clan and said “action!” I really think the star of the film is Marilyn Burns. She was put through hell and came out screaming/laughing and sold the terror she was being succumbed to.
I love the music in this movie. Although I don’t think it should be called music. It’s more of a bunch of different sounds pieced together to create an uneasy tension, which escalates as the movie continues. The cinematography is dirty and edgy. I think the best thing going for it, is TCM’s low budget, which helps create a feeling of realness, something which is lacking in big budget horror films nowadays.
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| Beautiful cinematography |
Conclusion time! The saw truly is family and everyone involved in this film acted like a family and made something that will last a lifetime. It’s an acquired taste for sure, but the gritty, low budget quality is endearing and something you can’t quite experience anymore. I wish I was old enough to have seen this film in theatre (like my parents), I think it would’ve been a blast to get caught up in the buzz.
Rating:
