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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 2)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) -- 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.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) -- CineMagia.ro - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   30,850 votes
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Down 8% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Kim Henkel (story) and
Tobe Hooper (story)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 October 1974 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
The idyllic summer's day that became a nightmare of fear and blood... [UK Video] more
Plot:
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. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
1 win more
User Reviews:
A classic simply put more (709 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)
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Directed by
Tobe Hooper 
 
Writing credits
Kim Henkel (story and screenplay) and
Tobe Hooper (story and screenplay)

Produced by
Kim Henkel .... associate producer
Tobe Hooper .... producer
Jay Parsley .... executive producer
Richard Saenz .... associate producer
Louis Peraino .... producer (uncredited)
 
Original Music by
Wayne Bell (music score)
Tobe Hooper (music score)
 
Cinematography by
Daniel Pearl 
 
Film Editing by
J. Larry Carroll  (as Larry Carroll)
Sallye Richardson 
 
Production Design by
Robert A. Burns (uncredited)
 
Art Direction by
Robert A. Burns 
 
Makeup Department
W.E. Barnes .... makeup artist: grandfather
Dorothy J. Pearl .... makeup artist (as Dorothy Pearl)
 
Production Management
Ronald M. Bozman .... production manager (as Ronald Bozman)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sallye Richardson .... assistant director
 
Sound Department
Wayne Bell .... boom operator
Wayne Bell .... post-production sound
Jay M. Harding .... dubbing mixer (as Jay Harding)
Paul Harrison .... sound re-recordist
Robert Knudson .... dubbing mixer (as Buzz Knudson)
Ted Nicolaou .... location sound recordist
Patrick Yacono .... sound re-recording mixer (restorated version) (uncredited)
 
Special Effects by
Dean W. Miller .... special effects
 
Stunts
Mary Church .... stunts
Perry Lorenz .... stunt driver
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Tobe Hooper .... additional photographer
Lynn Lockwood .... lighting (as Lynn Lochwood)
J. Michael McClary .... camera assistant (as J. Michael Mcclary)
Lou Perryman .... assistant camera
Rod Ponton .... grip
Lynn Scherwitz .... key grip (as Linn Scherwitz)
 
Other crew
George Baetz .... production assistant
Jerry Bellnoski .... production assistant
Mary Church .... script girl
Jim Crow .... production assistant
Paula Eaton .... production assistant
Tom Foote .... production assistant
Paulette Gochnour .... production assistant
Charlie Loving .... production assistant
Sally Nicolau .... production assistant
N.C. Parsley .... production assistant
Robert Pustejowski .... production assistant (as Robert Pustejovski)
David Spaw .... production assistant
Ray Spaw .... production assistant
 
Crew verified as complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Headcheese (USA) (working title)
Leatherface (USA) (working title)
Stalking Leatherface (USA) (alternative title)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (USA) (alternative spelling)
more
Runtime:
83 min | Germany:75 min (new longer Version)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
West Germany:(Banned) | New Zealand:R18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (re-rating: 2004) | Sweden:15 (re-rating: 1994) (cut) (re-rating: 2001) (uncut) | Sweden:15 (re-rating) (2001) (uncut) | UK:18 (re-rating: 1999) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (original rating: 1974) | UK:R (original rating: 1975) | Finland:(Banned) (1984) | Finland:K-18 (1996) | UK:(Banned) (original rating) | Italy:VM14 (re-rating) (2003) | Italy:VM18 (original rating) | Brazil:18 (1998) | Brazil:(Banned) | Australia:(Banned) (original rating) | Belgium:16 (video rating) | West Germany:18 (cut) | New Zealand:R16 (re-rating) (2007) (uncut) | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Italy:VM18 (DVD rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Canada:R | Chile:(Banned) (re-rating) (1978) | Chile:18 (original rating) | Denmark:15 (video rating) | France:-16 (re-rating) | France:X (original rating) | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:(Banned) (original rating) | Iceland:16 (re-rating) | Ireland:(Banned) (original rating) | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:(Banned) (video rating) | Norway:18 (re-rating) (1997) (uncut) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:(Banned) (1984) | USA:R | Singapore:(Banned) | Germany:BPjM Restricted
Filming Locations:
Company:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The van the kids drive was owned by location sound recordist Ted Nicolaou. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When the group of teenagers pick up the hitch-hiker, he goes crazy and cuts Franklin's arm, so they throw him out. As they throw him out the van-door windows are shut. In the following inside shots they're open. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Narrator: The film which you are about to see is an account of the tragedy which befell a group of five youths, in particular Sally Hardesty and her invalid brother, Franklin. It is all the more tragic in that they were young. But, had they lived very, very long lives...
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Doomed (2007) (V) more
Soundtrack:
POCO A POCO NO more

FAQ

What is the best copy to buy on DVD?
What injuries occurred on the set? How many were there?
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49 out of 61 people found the following review useful.
A classic simply put, 25 May 2003
10/10
Author: MetalCasket

This movie set the stage for the onslaught of classic modern horror of the late 70's and early 80's. Tobe Hooper's vision paints a drab and disturbing picture of a family of cannibals who hunt their victims using any means necessary for survival. Caught up in this whole mess is a group of young people, unaware of what lurks down an old back road of Texas. Hunger is our most probable urge as human beings, and this family takes this idea to the extreme. Each family member is their own character with their own feelings and their own personalities. One such character, Leatherface, stands out for the fact that he was born without a face, thus using human skin to gain an identity. This is what sets him apart from other slashers such as Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees for they hid behind masks. It's safe to say he's not the only insane one in this bunch. Every one of them are one fry short of a happy meal and I am sure they like it that way. Gunnar Hansen did a great job of playing Leatherface, sculpting a faceless killer who slew not for fun but for survival. His perfect killer image was later destroyed by other actors in later sequels. Many people refuse to watch this movie in the first place because of what they've heard and because of the title. Strangely, some even walked out of the theaters on the previews for this thing. That's just how strong this movie actually is. There's really a lot less gore in this movie than most people think. It's Tobe Hooper's great directing that pelts the viewer with suspense. The last 10 minutes of this film are some of the most exciting, terrify shots ever put on film. All because of Leatherface, many people's nightmares will be dominated by the hum of a chainsaw.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Less is More Link1977
I don't think the new generation could handle this in theatres Badlands1
I don't understand it... piper3893
Your top ten favourite horror films... mayjachance
Other 'Grainy' Classics fregiato
Texas Chainsaw Massacre : the next day AnthonyObrn
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