The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Exclusive Series) (Hulu/Amazon Prime via Showtime subscription)

Initial release date: October 11, 1974

Studio: Bryanston Distributing Co.

Plot: When Sally hears that her grandfather’s grave may have been vandalized, she and her paraplegic brother, Franklin, set out with their friends to investigate. After a detour to their family’s old farmhouse, they discover a group of crazed, murderous outcasts living next door. As the group is attacked one by one by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface, who wears a mask of human skin, the survivors must do everything they can to escape.

Cast

Marilyn Burns - Sally

Allen Danzinger - Jerry

Paul A. Pertain - Franklin

William Vail - Kirk

Teri McMinn - Pam

Gunnar Hansen - Leatherface

Edwin Neal - Hitchhiker

Jim Siedow - Old Man

Writer(s): Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper

Director: Tobe Hooper (The Mangler; Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2)

Rated R (83 minutes)

The infamous ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ franchise has surely had its ups and downs over the last few decades. Over the years, the franchise has been remade and it seems like the only latest installment that was actually sort of entertaining was the film’s 2003 remake. But, none of the entries can be as scary and intense as the original 1974 ‘Chainsaw.’

The original ‘Chainsaw Massacre’ wasn’t as gory as I thought it would be. This was the first time I watched the movie. This entry did have some blood. But, just like the first ‘Halloween,’ the 1974 movie really relied mainly on tense moments and good scares - and it works!

The hitchhiker scene and the infamous diner scene definitely stand out and the opening few minutes are truly eye-opening. ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ will always be a horror classic and started the “slasher” sub-genre. And, it’s hard to believe that the first movie will be FIVE DECADES old in a few years!

You can stream 1974s ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ on Hulu and Amazon Prime through the Showtime subscription. It can also be streamed on the Tubi app for free. Or you can also rent it through YouTube, Google Play, VuduFandango and Apple TV.

FYI - ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ is 47 years old!!

And here are quite a few interesting tidbits about 1974s ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’:

• According to actor John Larroquette, his payment for doing the opening narration was a joint.

• Marilyn Burns, whose character was chased by Leatherface through the undergrowth, actually cut herself on the branches quite badly, so a lot of the blood on her body and clothes is real.

• Tobe Hooper allowed Gunner Hansen to develop Leatherface as he saw fit, under his supervision. Hansen decided that Leatherface was mentally handicapped and never learned to talk properly, so he went to a school for the mentally handicapped and watched how they moved and listened to them talk to get a feel for the character. He also tried his best to make his portrayal as non-offensive as he could. Many fans, including those who are mentally handicapped, say he succeeded.

• When it was first released, the film was so horrifying that people actually walked out on sneak previews for it.

• Surprisingly, the film is one of the least bloody horror films of all time. This is because Hooper intended to make the movie for a PG rating (remember there was no PG-13 at the time), by keeping violence moderate, language mild, and having most of the horror implied off-screen rather than shown in great detail onscreen. However, this plan had actually backfired, and made the film even more horrifying. Because despite cutting and repeated submissions, the Ratings Board insisted on an “X” rating, and it wasn’t until the film received the R rating when Hooper gave up and released it. Hooper had a similar ratings problem with the first sequel.

• Hooper claims to have gotten the idea for the film while standing in the hardware section of a crowded store while Christmas shopping. While thinking of a way to get through the crowd, he spotted the chainsaws.

• The film’s original distributor was Bryanston Distribution Company, which turned out to be a Mafia front operated by Louis Peraino, aka Butchie.

• The film’s original budget was $60,000. During the editing process, the filmmakers incurred an additional $80,000 in costs, requiring that they sell off portions of their ownership in the film’s royalties.

• Entertainment Weekly voted this the second scariest film ever made, behind ‘The Exorcist.’

• Some urban legends say that the “real” ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ took place near Poth (a small town about 36 miles southeast of San Antonio). This is false. The film is fictional and based loosely on the life of Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein (as is the classic ‘Psycho’, as well as Buffalo Bill in the movie ‘Silence of the Lambs’).

• It was the highest grossing independent film until ‘Halloween’ four years later.

• Larroquette stated in a 2008 interview that he’s never seen the film.

https://youtu.be/HgJQvyngAeM