The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: Happy (belated) Birthday to an Icon!
Happy birthday, Leatherface! Released in 1974, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024, spawning a franchise and paving the way for future slasher films. Co-created by director Tobe Hooper and screenwriter Kim Henkel, Leatherface himself has become a horror icon, appearing across a variety of media and being the only character to appear in every film of his franchise.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre tells the story of five teenagers (Marilyn Burns as Sally Hardesty, Paul A. Partain as Franklin Hardesty, Allen Danziger as Jerry, William Vail as Kirk, and Teri McMinn as Pam) on a road trip to visit Sally and Franklin’s grandfather’s grave and former home. Along the way, they stumble across Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen) and his family (Edwin Neal as the hitchhiker, Jim Siedow as the Cook). Rather than invite the teens in for refreshing beverages, Leatherface and his family are cannibals, using the bones as furniture parts. As guessed, the film is inspired by the crimes of Ed Gein.
Leatherface, as mentioned, has become a horror icon since his introduction, and several aspects of his character have gone on to influence future slasher villains: a mask, stalking and killing teenagers until one remains, and use of a household tool as weapon of choice. There is one characteristic Leatherface has when compared to other slasher killers. Unlike Michael Myers, who has a simple taste for murder, or Jason Vorhees, for whom even death cannot assuage his craving for murder, Leatherface kills out of self-defense. When Kirk and Pam arrive at his home, Leatherface attacks them, but he seems sincerely shocked that there are other people there. At one point, he even goes to the window, silently asking, “No thank you! We don’t want any more visitors, well-wishers or distant relations!” Yes, I’m sure Leatherface was a fan of Tolkien and The Hobbit.
The film makes it clear that Leatherface is pressured into killing by the other members of his family. An example of this is the infamous dinner scene. To this day, this scene is, perhaps, the most disturbing scene I’ve ever seen in any movie, horror or otherwise. During an escape attempt, Sally is re-captured by the Cook, brought back to the house, and is to be killed by the supercentenarian Grandpa (John Dugan, in some super creepy makeup). The shot of Grandpa sucking on Sally’s bleeding finger makes my skin crawl every time, even now as I write this.
What is noteworthy, and consequently makes the film even more fascinating, is the lack of violence. Yes, multiple people are killed, but their gruesome fates aren’t explicitly shown. Pam, for example, is caught by Leatherface and impaled on a meat hook. Today’s horror films would’ve shown every possible angle of her impalement, but Hooper-evidently vying for a PG-13 rating- kept the impalement simple and effective, leaving the sight of Pam’s back up to our imagination, which can be terrifying in and of itself.
Despite acting as an early example of the final girl trope, Sally Hardesty isn’t one that stands out above the rest, especially when comparing her to later final girls, like Terrifier 2’s (2022) Sienna Shaw. Nevertheless, when she finally escapes in the back of the pickup, we can’t help but celebrate along with her.
Leatherface and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre have both earned their spots on the Mount Rushmore of Slasher Villains and Films, respectively. It’s a gut-wrenching film in what it wants to show us, but it’s sure to be the one I’ll be talking about at my next family barbecue.
Cast
Marilyn Burns as Sally Hardesty
Gunnar Hanssen as Leatherface
Edwin Neal as the hitchhiker
Jim Siedow as the Cook
