Grade: B+
Synopsis: In Texas, a group of teenagers stumble upon a family of cannibals.
Despite its title, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre isn’t really that gory. Much of the violence is implied rather than shown, and the film’s reputation as an ultra-violent slasher-film is actually a product of director Tobe Hooper’s use of long takes and claustrophobic sets.
The cast performs well, with Paul A. Partain and Edwin Neal particular standouts. Partain, as the disabled brother of lead Marilyn Burns, delivers a believable and nuanced performances, especially in his initial scenes with Neal, where Partain’s character’s own subtle psychoses begin to emerge. It’s moments like these that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre really shines.
Equally impressive is the abrupt way Hooper dispatches much of his cast. Characters are snuffed out in an instant, with little to no warning whatsoever. That’s not to say Hooper goes for the “Boo!” scare, but rather that he wastes little time in building tension the traditional way by showing the audience the approaching killer. Instead, he creates an almost palpable sense of dread by conditioning the audience to believe that sudden death lurks around every corner.
If The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has a flaw, it’s that Hooper seems to run out of steam in the film’s final minutes. While the ending itself is both believable and original, Hooper seems unsure of himself, and pads the closing minutes with a few needless shots.
Bottom Line: While its reputation as a gore-fest may be unfounded, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is still a first-rate horror film.
