It has been almost fifty years since a relatively unknown director revolutionized the horror slasher genre! The Texas Chainsaw Massacre stunned and impressed audiences, and it established the tone for slasher films to come in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Furthermore, it ushered in the emergence of Leatherface, a legendary horror figure whose name is mentioned alongside Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, and Freddy Krueger. The film was a box office smash, and its enormous success ensured that additional sequels and reboots would follow over the years. Despite the fact that none of the sequels could match the original’s brilliance, it became a timeless horror franchise that continues to pique the interest of viewers, as evidenced by the current release of Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
You may know everything there is to know about the cannibalistic psychopaths in the original film, but there are a few details about the filmmaking process that will blow your mind. We offer you some of these stunning truths that many fans of this cult film are unaware of in this video.
What actually inspired the story?
There are plenty of views on this and the actual inspiration behind The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is quite a debated topic. It is believed by many, that this film was newbie writer-director Tobe Hooper’s attempt to create a modern, brutal version of Hansel and Gretel.
Others seem to think that most of the movie is actually based upon the real-life harrowing stories of the serial killer Ed Gein, who was termed the Butcher of Plainfield for his sickening murders. The director himself admitted that this corpse defiler was one of the inspirations behind the movie, and even the iconic skin mask of Leatherface is based on this real-life killer. However, the immediate idea for the movie came at a moment that you wouldn’t really expect!
Tobe Hooper was at a departmental store and the pre-Christmas rush meant that the stores were teeming with crowds. It was extremely frustrating for Tobe Hooper to wait patiently behind the maddening crowds, and his eyes fell on a display rack of chainsaws! As a desperate shopper, a wild thought dawned on him that this could be a tool to use to get through the crowd very quickly! He went back home and pondered over his thoughts long enough to have a proper plot.
While the idea might be a bit shocking, we certainly aren’t complaining about the end results! He also observed mental patients at the Austin Mental Hospital and studied their movements and actions to be incorporated into the movie. Later, the director also revealed that he knew a doctor who skinned a cadaver as a pre-med student and made a mask out of it for Halloween. This was a major inspiration behind Leatherface, and it was another real-life event that affected Tobe Hooper apart from the serial killer.
The curious case of Gunnar Hansen as Leatherface
The late Gunnar Hansen totally owned the role of Leatherface in the original movie, and it is a pity that he did not reappear in this role in future projects. However, although his performance has impressed both fans and critics alike, it might come across as a shock that he wasn’t really the first choice for the role. By the time Hansen learned about the opportunity in the role, someone had already been cast, and he believed that it was a lost cause.
But things changed very quickly, and the one originally hired to be the psycho killer turned out to be a raging alcoholic. Barely two weeks later, the guy was found drunk and wasted in a motel room and he refused to come out for the shooting. In his drunken state, he believed that he shouldn’t be a part of such a violent movie, and he quit abruptly.
Suddenly, Gunnar Hansen was the savior and his six-foot-four stature and well-built physique meant that he would be a perfect fit for the role. Tobe Hooper immediately approved him, and we are certainly thankful for the turn of events that got us our beloved horror icon – Leatherface!
It wasn’t a true story, only a marketing gimmick
Even today, there are many who believe that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is based on a true story. Well, it absolutely isn’t and the whole thing was a perfect marketing technique that worked wonders! Yes, the character of Leatherface is slightly based on a real-life killer, but nothing about the story or the modus operandi matches with the events of the real crimes of Ed Gein.
It was no more than a passing influence, but the makers decided to take the true story route while promoting the movie. It even had an opening narration that spoke about the tragedy that befell a group of young fellows. The posters had it written on them in bold that what happened in the movie is true!
It wasn’t the era of Twitter and social media, and the reality of the movie took some time to reach the audience. Many watched it believing that they were watching a sickening documentary based on real events, and it certainly added to the craze behind the movie. We are just here to clear the doubt once and for all that Leatherface and his deranged psychopathic family are completely a work of fiction!
A Real Chainsaw was used – and it had consequences!
Gunnar Hansen as Leatherface is best-known for the scenes where he wields a chainsaw to perfection! The things he does with this menacing tool are best left unsaid, but what truly blew our minds was to learn that the makers used a real chainsaw for the shooting of the film. They did remove the teeth for some of the scenes, but in many others, Gunnar Hansen actually continued with a working chainsaw.
This obviously resulted in some major scares and some near misses that could have been fatal. For instance, during one of the scenes, the sharp, lethal blades were only inches away from actor William Vail’s head! During the filming of the climactic moments of the movie, Tobe Hooper had to be extremely careful to keep himself away from the swaying chainsaw!
The worst accident, however, was encountered by Gunnar Hansen himself, who could have killed himself if things went wrong! There was a chase sequence through the dark forests, and while running with the chainsaw, Hansen slipped and fell. The chainsaw went flying in the air, and he had no idea where it would come down. In desperation, he covered his head and hoped that the chainsaw would land elsewhere. His prayers were answered, and it came down a few inches from where he fell. It was a horrifying experience for the cast and crew, and dealing with a real chainsaw was no child’s play!
The Mafia consumed the profits?
This is one aspect of the movie that is shrouded in mystery! It is no secret that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was a huge hit and sold tickets by the thousands. It was made on a terribly low budget of around $80000, and the box office revenue stood somewhere around $12 million. However, the profits of the distributor, Bryanston, were only about $1 million, and people couldn’t help but wonder, where all the money went!
It was alleged that the owners of Bryanston were members of a notorious crime family, hence the major discrepancies. In fact, the cast members of the movie were duped in a way, and they never got a share of the film’s success even though they had share percentages. The producers even took Bryanston to court, but by then, the distributor was way too financially wrecked to be sued! It ended with very little money for the cast, and a massive mafia controversy that never really got clarified.
The Clumsy Shoot and some crazy accidents
It is almost a given for low-budget movies that the cast and crew are in for some nasty injuries in the process of filming. This is mainly because the meager budget does not allow the luxury of hiring thorough professionals who can get things done without breaking a sweat.
For The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the filming conditions were extreme in the heart of Texas in the middle of summer. Temperatures soared to over 100 degrees, and at times, the indoor shoots had to deal with temperatures around 115 degrees. People fell sick all the time, and guess what, there weren’t even proper facilities in place to treat them!
In fact, there was a scene, where Gunnar Hansen cut Marilyn Burns’ fingers on purpose after the fake blood tube kept failing and the shoot kept getting delayed. Besides the unbearable temperatures and injuries, the budgetary constraints also meant only one set of costumes that couldn’t be changed. You can imagine the consequences of wearing a single costume for days in that insane heat!
There was only one bathroom in the sets, and over three dozen people had to use it. To make matters worse, there was a lot of meat and bones on the sets, and much of it started to rot. The heat, the stench, and the multiple injuries during filming gave the cast and crew a really tough time, and sadly, they weren’t even compensated duly for their sacrifices!
Tobe Hooper wanted a PG rating
You might be laughing at this today, but those were the 70s, and people could still get away with a lot! However, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre still proved to be a bit too much with all the violence and bloodshed. Despite being such a disturbing horror flick, Tobe Hooper was hopeful of getting a PG rating so that a wider audience could be drawn to the theaters.
Those were the days when the concept of PG-13 hadn’t come up yet, and PG was the best he could get. However, after watching the movie, the censor boards went with the X rating! It was after a lot of edits and reducing a lot of blood, that they finally toned it down to an R rating. This meant that some of the death scenes had to be off-screen, and Tobe Hooper was disappointed that his brainchild had to be tossed and changed so much for larger acceptance!
Significance of Three Different Masks worn by Leatherface
Usually, when we come across masked characters in horror flicks, they don’t show a lot of emotion. If you look at the likes of Michael Myers, you will find that the mask is actually added to highlight their hardened non-emotional state. The case of Leatherface, however, is quite different because he is seen portraying certain emotions through his movements, even through his masks.
Many people are not aware of the fact that Leatherface actually wears three marks in the movie, and the rationale behind multiple masks was to portray a way of expressing himself. He wears a plain killing mask for much of the film, but he changes into another one when he sits down for dinner. Another makeup-covered mask can be seen while he is making dinner, and it simply made the character even more terrifying! Imagine masks made of skin, simply to convey his emotions – no doubt Leatherface is a horror icon!
Remember the iconic dinner scene?
If you have watched the movie, you will surely recall the infamous climactic scene, which is one of the best moments in the film. What you probably didn’t know was that the whole extensive scene was shot in a single day! It wasn’t easy because this scene was supposed to be one of the most crucial moments in the narrative, and eventually, the cast and crew had to put in a continuous 27 hours of grueling effort to get the job done.
But, what was the hurry, you might wonder! Well, it was nothing but typical low-budget movie problems. They had run out of makeup for the grandfather, and to make matters worse, it was the last day of Jim Siedow’s contract. All this meant that time was running out for the team, and the lack of options prompted them to give it their everything in the final moments.
We have already spoken about the extreme heat and stench in the sets, and the working conditions during this 27-hour marathon were absolutely nightmarish. We are glad that their efforts turned to gold because the scene does stand out as one of the finest moments in horror film history!
The Horror House is a nice restaurant today
The film was shot in Williamson County, Texas, and the original house has been preserved very nicely. It is now called the Round Rock area, and while the actual house is not there anymore, it has been restored and recreated into a wonderful restaurant. If you are a fan of the movie, and you are traveling through the region, it might be a good idea to drop by for lunch at the Grand Central Café. It has proudly preserved the cinematic heritage, and it might be a wholesome experience to dine at a place, that served as the source of all the terrible events of the movie!
Today, it is almost unbelievable to imagine a movie shot within such a low budget! For The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to have such an impact on the horror genre, is a sheer tribute to all those who put in their best efforts for meager payment. History isn’t created by regularity or mediocrity, and the movie served neither! That explains the birth of a timeless horror franchise that still rules over the hearts of horror fans. Do let us know in the comments below about your favorite moments from the movie, and also tell us about your favorite behind-the-scenes fact from the list!