The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Loving Leatherface

Tobe Hooper’s original remains quite simply one of the most influential horror films ever made. Shot on a shoestring budget, it relies on relentless tension, documentary-style camerawork, continuing discomfort and an unforgettable soundscape rather than fountains of gore. Indeed, despite its notorious reputation, there is remarkably little actual blood on screen. What stays with you is the feeling, the hammering metal, the whine of the chainsaw, Leatherface suddenly appearing from nowhere and Gunnar Hansen’s terrifying physical performance. It all feels dirty, dangerous and horribly real. Hooper somehow turned an old farmhouse, a slaughterhouse and a stretch of rural Texas into one of cinema’s most frightening landscapes.

Twelve years later, Hooper returned with a sequel that deliberately went in almost the exact opposite direction. Gone was much of the grim realism of the original. What this is is a black comedy, grotesque satire and filled with Tom Savini’s magnificent practical effects. Dennis Hopper battling Leatherface with dual chainsaws, Bill Moseley’s gloriously deranged Chop Top and the entire Sawyer family descending into glorious madness make this one of horror’s great oddball sequels. It is also a film I had to grow into. I hated it the first time because I was too young to understand the joke. Subsequent viewings completely changed my opinion. Now? Marvellous.

New Line Cinema attempted to drag the franchise back towards a more conventional slasher territory, but studio interference and savage MPAA cuts stripped away much of the film’s potential. There are flashes of atmosphere and some suitably nasty moments, but the film never quite generates the same sense of madness as its predecessors.

Of course, its biggest claim to fame these days is the presence of a young Viggo Mortensen, years before The Lord of the Rings made him a household name. However, it’s just slow, boring and… blue.

Also released as The Next Generation, this is where the franchise takes a spectacular detour into lunacy. Matthew McConaughey and Renée Zellweger headline a film that veers between slasher movie, dark comedy, conspiracy thriller and complete bloody nonsense. McConaughey is clearly having the time of his life going completely unhinged, while Zellweger makes for a surprisingly effective final girl. The film is uneven, bizarre and often downright stupid, but its sheer weirdness gives it a certain charm.

Marcus Nispel’s slick and brutal reworking of Hooper’s classic manages to stand on its own while retaining the oppressive atmosphere of the original. Andrew Bryniarski makes for a physically imposing Leatherface. The film’s sweaty cinematography, nasty violence and the relentless pace give it a suitably unpleasant atmosphere. It doesn’t replace Hooper’s original, and it does not try to, but it demonstrates how a remake can take the basic ingredients and cook up something worthwhile.

This is proof that a remake can actually be done well. For me, it is easily the best Texas Chainsaw film since the original.

A direct prequel to the 2003 remake, The Beginning takes us further into the origins of the Hewitt family and Leatherface’s transformation into the killer we know. It is considerably grimmer than its predecessor and doesn’t exactly make you feel optimistic about anybody’s chances of making it out alive. When it gets going it delivers some memorably nasty sequences and a suitably bleak atmosphere. The result is a fairly grizzly follow-up with some very memorable moments. A strong entry.

Texas Chainsaw 3D threw continuity out of the window and followed directly from the events of the 1974 original, introducing a new generation of characters and a much older Leatherface. It received plenty of criticism for its convoluted timeline and some truly questionable logic, but I’ve always had a soft spot for it. It is energetic, ridiculous fun and doesn’t take itself nearly as seriously as some fans seem to suggest. Alexandra Daddario is an engaging lead, Dan Yeager makes for an imposing Leatherface and Scott Eastwood is an interesting addition to the cast.

I see a lot of hate for this one, but I had a good time with it. I never got to see the 3D version, mind you, so perhaps I missed half the fun!

This prequel takes a rather different approach to the mythology, attempting to explore the young man who would eventually become Leatherface. Directed by French horror filmmakers Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, it initially feels more like a violent road movie before eventually connecting itself to the familiar Texas Chainsaw mythology. It certainly isn’t short on blood or unpleasantness, but whether it successfully adds anything meaningful to Leatherface’s story is another matter.

Netflix’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre once again pressed the reset button, following directly from the 1974 original while ignoring practically everything that came afterwards. It also brought back Sally Hardesty, now played by Olwen Fouéré, for a final confrontation with Leatherface. There is plenty of potential here, and when the film cuts loose it can be brutal. The infamous bus massacre is a particularly memorable example of modern slasher carnage. Unfortunately, the film struggles to maintain that momentum, with thin characters and increasingly questionable decisions dragging it down. I posted my full review here.