If you're reading this review because you have never seen this film, stop now, navigate back to the product information page, and click "order". Created in summer of 1973 by Tobe Hooper, TCM has become one of the most recognized and influential horror films of all time. Achieving super cult status, spawning sequels, action figures, Atari games, it's safe to say that this one is a force to be reckoned with.

"The film which you are about to see, is an account of a tragedy that 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, they could not have expected, nor would they have wished to see as much of the mad and macabre as they were to see that day. For them, an idyllic summer afternoon drive became a nightmare. The events of that day would lead to the discovery of one of the most bizarre crimes in the annals of American history, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."

The infamous monologue that is forever etched in the minds of horror lovers everywhere begins the tale of five youths who embark on a roadtrip across rural Texas to visit a relative's burial site. However, the trip becomes a nightmare as they one-by-one fall victim to a family of cannibalistic savages in the Texas backwoods.

Reviewing a horror classic as revered as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is hardly necessary as there is certainly nothing I can say about it that hasn't already been said. However when I see an overall rating of four stars for a movie like this, I am forced to throw my two cents in. TCM is a horror classic and will remain viewed as such for many generations to come.

This is a concept that today remains disturbing. Purely the concept and characters are the sole reason to watch this movie. Shot on some of the worst equipment ever created and with virtually no special effects, this movie still is able to be extremely entertaining. The family of Leatherface is entertainingly dysfunctional, and is part of the thoroughly creepy concept. An amazing film for the lack of budget, and is truly a good way to expose the world to the demented.

I own the remake, I'd never seen the original before until recently. If your looking for a gore and blood fest in this movie, its not there. This is more of a darker type of movie. If your a fan of the remake that was released a few years ago, I'd say you'd like the 1974 original. I highly recommend buying this 2 disc edition the case and bonus disc are pretty sweet.

The first time I saw "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" was at about two o'clock in the morning, by myself, in total darkness. And by the end of this movie, my shocked eyes were about the size of the TV screen. Oddly enough, "TCM" is the only movie to date where I bought the DVD while I still had the rental copy. That's how quickly I needed to own this movie.
Now, despite the title "Texas Chainsaw Massacre", this movie is NOT a gorefest. It is a progressive, low-budget and very realistic movie that builds up with time.
There's just something about this movie that puts it in a category of its own. The atmospheric, backwoods setting, the raw camera and the un-movie feel of it. It doesn't entirely feel like a movie, more like a documentary or one of those experimental films on Youtube...that is, if Youtube were around 30 plus years ago.
Although three of the murders occur within the first, fifty minutes, it's the last half-hour of the movie that will make you hide beneath your couch pillows. The final attack and that extended chase scene is nothing short of outstandingly jawdropping. Between the six-foot, 250-pound Leatherface chasing the Texas girl through the forest, Leatherface's psychotic family with their corpse-like grandpa, (who's great at clubbin' their dinner!), and the sheer paranoia, this movie ends up as an edge-of-your-seat atmospheric nightmare that will leave you speechless!
In addition to having such a great movie on disc, the DVD comes loaded with extra features, which makes it all a very fun experience! After you're done chilling your bones with the movie, be sure to check out the special features. This DVD is definitely worth your money for lovers of horror.
So if you like atmospheric horror, slasher films, and/or something scary and cool that will keep your eyes glued to the television, this will be your Movie of the Week! I haven't checked out the recent remake of this movie, but this mid-70's spine-chilling classic is good enough for me! Thanks for the time, and peace.

For me, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the perfect horror movie. It completely captures the "American Nightmare" of the early 1970s with the post-'60s dread, economic crises such as the gas/oil crisis, returning scarred Vietnam vets, etc. It's also a commentary on the beast within--not only the violence inherent in America's rural frontier pioneer back history but also the violence inherent within man, in general (while also connecting this to key '60s hippie topics regarding nature and the environment, such as astrology and veganism). Apart from all of the thematic subtext, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is, formally, in a class of its own, whether it is the grainy, documentary style and the authentically deranged performances or the arty and avant-garde cinematography and nightmare industrial "music" score. Nothing has ever matched its sense of atmosphere, whether it is the hellish, apocalyptic mood of the scorched summertime Texas landscape or the textured cinematography which accents how nature can engulf humanity, such as in the opening shots of solar flares and sunspots (which studies show are linked to outbreaks of insanity), the moon, and the darkness of night and the wilderness. It is the grittiest and grimiest horror film ever made.

I recently picked up this 2-disc set after watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre on IFC a couple of months ago. That was my first time seeing this classic. I must say that I was blown away by the sheer rawness of this film. I had heard of this movie as a child in the 80s, but never tried to watch it, for a fear of it being too gory. This is not a gorefest movie, which makes it scarier in my opinion. Literally, my jaw was on the floor when it was over...I was very impressed, shocked, and literally terrified of how real and raw this movie is. I've now seen it 4 times, and cannot wait to experience it again. For those who haven't seen it, do yourself a favor and watch it. I recommend the 2-disc ultimate edition, as you get the classic movie packaged in a nice metal tin. Disc 2 includes 2 wonderful documentaries, "TCM: The Shocking Truth" and "Flesh Wounds". There are also outtakes and blooper reels which are pretty cool. Anyways, I just had to add my 2 cents here to praise this classic horror gem. Long live the saw!

It all starts with some kids driving threw a small town in Texas kinda sight seeing.
They would soon find out they didn't like the sights they were seeing.
They just happened to stumble upon a cannibalistic family that prayed
on people driving threw town lost.
The most notorious of the group is Leather-face who cuts the skin off people's faces and makes a mask out of them.
They basically butcher these people like animals, put them on meat hooks.
As always out of the whole group of people that got killed there was one lone warrior that survived the brutality of this sick family and got free of them.
This movie was based on the true story of ED GEIN.
I rate this movie a 9 from 1to10!!

"The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2-Disc Ultimate Edition" is absolutely fantastic! The video and audio have all been remastered and it looks and sounds the best it has ever been! The special features are great, including 2 documentaries with the cast, stills, deleted/extended scenes, trailers, tour of the house and more! Excluding the documentaries, the special features are very similar if not the same as the special edition dvd, but just the clarity of the film is worth it!

This movie is a great add to a movie collection and this is coming from a 16 year old girl.

This film is perhaps one of the most loved films of all time, I myself have loved this one for many years. I really don't think horror would be where it is today without this film. The story is breathtaking and memorable, This should be in every horror fans top 10 favorite films.

The classic story.

On August 16th 1973, five young college students are traveling through Texas until they meet up with a strange hitchiker. This stranger seemed kind of nice at first but he ended up to be a skull picking looney that likes to play with razors, after that awful experience with the hitcher the students run out of gas. They go out searching for a house with a phone, until they stumble to a bizarre farm inhabited by a bizarre redneck family of cannibals lead by a homicidal chainsaw weilding maniac nicknamed Leatherface. Soon the students will face their ultimate nightmare especially their ability to survive the night. "Who Will Survive, And What Will Be Left Of Them?" is the classic poster title for this film.

This movie was and still is one of the most original horror films of all time. Leatherface has become a legend and horror icon. Some actually believe that this is based on fact, But this is not so. It is actually loosley based on the notorious Ed Gein. Probably the most famous serial killer in history. Largley because of the time that the murders happened, People were not prepared for the horror. Leatherface's mask is inspired by Ed Gein's act of skinning victims.

A must see for all horror fans. If you haven't already seen it.

i love the comments about how there's no plot, or the film is boring or not gory enough, blah blah blah....
i have a feeling most reviews in that perspective are coming from people who probably think the retarded remake was better. faster paced editing, some nasty gore scenes. basicaly untrue to the nature of the original, just udated and remarketed for young blood. tcm is low on gore, yes. gore is disgusting, not scary though. this movie is scary. the beginning sets up the mood well. we enjoy a bus ride with a happy go luck hippie type gang through texas. but suddenly things go all to hell. that is the plot. this is a horror film, not the 400 blows. the atmospere we witness and the overall grim descent toward hell that the characters go through is almost unbearable. this film is realy perfection. a larger budget wouldnt have made it better. nothing could really make it better. the use of ambient sound and jarring noises make the most effective sound track instead of a bunch of rock songs or whatever we tend to hear now days. i only wish i was around back when this was in theaters! damn.
so here is another release of tcm. i notice alot of low reviews because the release doesnt offer new features when actually it does. hold up the pioneer version along side with the dark sky version and use your eyeballs to see features listed on dark sky exclusively. they are similar but not identical. dark sky is an excellent label. great catalog and highly reputable.
speaking of, this packaging is pretty sweet. the reflective tin case is much better than the dark pioneer case that tends to show every finger print that touches it. the clear inside of the dark sky dvd is a perfect location for signing, as mine is by gunnar hansen aka leatherface himself. guess one good thing comes form living in maine. gunnar is about 40 min away. sleep tight. haha

First of all, I love this movie. I won't review it in full, but if you're into classic horror and you've never seen it (an unlikely combination), you'll probably like it.

I'll assume most people are reading this review not for an opinion of the movie, but for information on the quality of the version presented on this DVD along with the special features.

For the most part, the movie is well preserved and translated well onto DVD. I love the sound and the video is also quite good. There are a few weird color changes and fadings throughout the film, but not enough to distract.

The special features are extensive and cover just about everything there is to be covered concerning the making and release of the film. There are two nice commentary tracks, tv spots and trailers, photos, "making of", and many other various featurettes. The tin collectors box it comes in is also pretty cool.

This is a great 2-disc set for anyone who loves this movie or wants to love it :)

This is one of may fav horror movies of all time its just a classic. This new high definition transfer from the 16mm orginals is awsome so crisp and clear compaired to the old pioneer release.The soundtrack is remastered in 5.1 you also get a remastered mono soundtrack as well. You get a new commmentary from actors: marilyn burns,(sally)paul a partain(franklyn) allen danziger( jerry) and art director bob burns.. as well as the old commentary with tobe hoooper ect.. A couple of news extras: The texas chainsaw shocking truth this is awsome everything you wanted to know about the film, Flesh wounds documentry with cinematographer daniel pearl, and a tour of the actual house with leatherface himself gunner hanson. I really do recomend this dvd ultimate edition to any horror fan you cant get much better than this...

When I first heard about this Dark Sky release, and its 'new restoration', I just assumed it was the regular restored version which has been out for some time, and wasnt to keen on buying it. After upgrading to a 32" LCD, a lot of the older films on DVD dont look to great, and I eventually ordered this release.

Im glad I did, compared to my other two releases of Texas Chainsaw Massacre, it makes them look like an old heavily-rented VHS. Sure, its no 'Departed' picture quality, but for its age, budget and style, it looks so good that I cant imagine it getting any better. If you've had doubts about ording this, dont wait any longer, get it today and you wont regret it.

The original 1974 release of "The Texas chainsaw massacre", an independant film shooted on a very low budget, with a debutant director and amateur crew, young actors from the University of Texas, staged on existing locations like an almost documentary-film, became infamous under the unfear reputation of being considered a B-Horror flick gorefest, thanks to the inferior more "hollywood" sequels, and the now celebrity horror character, one of the most famous slashers in horror films history, Leatherface. Fact is, and this matter dissapointed more than one, there's almost no gore in here.

I say this, because i believe this original Cult classic is more, way more than a Leatherface-for scenario in slashing and torturing teenagers for the fun, as one may think after viewing so many versions, sequels and re-makes of the TCM, this is more than a portrait of this Chainsaw wielding human horror show. This is major important film for many reasons. I can only think of two:

One, this was not a supernatural or science fiction horror movie, the two most popular sub-genres in horror film industry at the time. This film was based in the career of Ed Gein, the real-life serial killer of Wisconsin, a character in wich Alfred Hitchcock based his influential masterpiece "Psycho". I could mention many previous important slasher films in the early 70's, like Italian filmaker Mario Bava's "Bay of Blood", but this film was something nobody ever imagined could be possible. From the initial narration, cemetery digging scene to the final excrutiating climax, this film is pure fear, fear that reflects on ourselves and gets under our skin. Forever. A monster is not necesearly a mutant or an alien anymore, no more.

Two, the macabre, tense, disturbing, gruesome, atmospheric, menacing scenarios and situations, the creepy suspense, the fear... This movie is an actual surrealistic nightmare. Some scenes are unbearable, because of the atmosphere director Tobe Hooper created, product of the almost accidental mix of the low budget and improvisation in the amateurish performances of the drama student actors. Because of that important factor, the low budget, Tobe Hopper had to descent and describe the lowest levels in human psychology and madness, the most cheap but difficult work to show on film, and succeded in a way never sawn before, by leaving most of the gruesome action to our imagination. Even the original haunting music score is an important achievement for this film, turning the atmosphere unbreathable. So here, what we have is the story of five teenagers in a van trip, that ended up being victims by a family of homicidal slaughterhouse cannibal workers. Happy endings? No victim can be saved, even if they survive.

Because this was the movie that teached me that the most bizarre and cruel behaviors are whithin human kind. I used to think as a kid that horror lies in vampires or werewolfs, mutants and aliens, but it was surrounding me all along, in real life. And that scared me, knowing that the most creepy and disturbing situations one can possibly imagine are recorded on Police Files, not in the "Nostromos" or other fantastic scenarios. That, i think, was the most important contribution of this film in my now-insecure frightful person. Not because of the slasher concept, long done and studied before, but the way to turn a simple every-day situation into the most realistic, horrific atmosphere i have ever witness on film.

Ok, now this DVD edition for this masterful piece of work, a brief description and conclusion for you guys:

- High definition transfer from the 16 mm camera originals.
- English 5.1 english, 2.0 stereo, and original remastered mono soundtracks, with commentaries by the director, and cast and crew.
- Theatrical trailes, tv and radio spots.
- TCM: "The Shocking truth" documentary.
- "Flesh wounds" documentary.
- A tour to the TCM house by Gunnar Hansen.
- Deleted scenes and outtakes.
- Outtakes of the documentaries.
- Blooper reels.
- Still Gallery.
- Subtitles: English, Spanish.

The trailers included are: TCM (braiston), TCM (newline cinema), Eaten alive, The Manson family, Henry: portrait of a serial killer 1 and 2.

First, a warning: This looks almost exactly like the previous DVD release by newline back in 2003, so if you already own that one, don't bother go after this one, unless you are a die-hard collector.

The diference is that the presentation is very "original" in this new colorful box, but not very comfortable, with one disc mounted on top of the other. The quality of the DVD is good enough to enjoy the movie in full, in both video (some scenes in the forrest at night are pitchblack, so thanks)and audio(miss marilyn burns, know what i mean?).

Ok, i would like to extend an invitation to the new generation of young horror fans hungry for shocking experiences, the ones that can't seem to be shocked by anything by now, to see this "oldie". There's little gore actually, but this is more than a history lesson. This is an experience every horror film fan should go throught. This is THE iniciation, so come, come, come... to the hell within ourselves!

Enjoy my friends, This is the best TCM edition so far, in my opinion.

Suggestion: watch it alone, at night, and find out the real size of your guts!

The Film: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Year Made: 1974

The package: The ultimate edition comes in a very nice packaging. I can't help but to give this packaging 5 stars. A tin case that is very nice to just look at and behold the beauty of horror that you hold in your hands. I'm going to buy a extra copy just so I can have one unopened this is so cool. Inside you will find 2 discs, one with the main movie and a few extras on it. The second disc is full of extra features that are sure to please! I found the discs a bit hard to take out of the case compaired to other packaging, but all and all that is no big deal when compaired to how nice this is. You will be proud to add this to your collection.

Spook Meter. 5 Stars!
I have seen many horror films over the years. Their are a lot of scary films out there, however this film takes scary to a whole new level. Sometimes you might watch a movie and say to yourself, this movie was scary. When I watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre I felt truly scared! heart raced, and I just felt truly spooked. It's all in how this film captures your emotions. The way it was shot, the amazing acting leads one who watches this gem of a film to ask yourself. Does Leatherface really have this person captured for real? Yes, this film is that intense that it really makes you question at times, ummm what am I watching. What this captures so well is that raw human emotion, the fear! Many horror films never quite capture that and this one does for sure. It does such a great job with the intense screems and the raw emotions, it sets this films apart from all others. You feel that fear from the supurb acting and the result is your brought into the film and you feel the fear as well. The lack of a lot of music in the backround, really helps and makes it more creepy. The sounds that are used, fit the film perfectly and really add to rawness of it all. I can't even put into words what I truly want to say, this is truly that scary!

Gore Meter: 2 Stars. If your into tons of blood and gore, you won't find it here. Ahhh but don't fret, this film is so well done in terms of raw fear that you will not miss that extra blood. Yes there is some blood, but very little. This film proves that you can make a truly scary horror film and not pour on the blood.I found the amount of blood to be fine considering just how well done this is. I admit I can be a bit into gore and like a lot of gore in other films, but take it from me a gore hound. You will truly be scared stiff watching this and you won't miss the blood. YES this is truly that good!

Profanity Meter: 1 Strike. There is a few words, but overall this films has very little profanity which I did not miss at all.

Sexual Meter: 1 Strike. There are no women running around with no tops on. There are no makeout scenes, no kissing, no nothing. HAHAHAHA leave that to other movies, Leatherface has work to do!

Final thoughts. I give this film overall 5 stars for the way it just freaked me out! All these years later and this film does not have a dated feel to it. Now thats what I call amazing! The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre is in my opinion the greatest and most scary horror film ever made that I have seen. It simply does not get better then this. You don't need excessive blood or a high budget to make a film that will scare the hell out of you. It just takes supurb acting, the right people to play the rolls, and some amazing directing!

I'm going to step up here and say once again. This original Texas Chain Saw Massacre IS the greatest horror film EVER made!!

This two disk edition is excellent anyway you look at it. You don't just get possibly one of the greatest slasher horror films of all time. Also a second disk with some great extras. 2 documentries plus deleted scenes. I truly do believe this movie redefined horror and sheer terror.

From the very moment you see exactly what this movie is all about starting with the roadkill. It does begin kind of slow at first. But I think it was a great beginning when you see whats in store later. What I find so frightening about this movie is how down to earth it is. From the moment they pick up the hitchhiker, all the way to the encounters with Leather Face.

The death scenes aren't very gory but they don't really need to be. The movie captures the sheer terror. I mean a young girl gets jabbed on a hook and is forced to watch her boyfriend beheaded with a chainsaw. Another girl is chased, and I mean chased! By a madman with a chainsaw through a woodline she doesn't know. Another guy is beat to death with a hammer. The whole dysfunctional family thing was just sick to watch. And the ending was just something else.

The 2nd disk with the extras was a treat to me. There is 2 documentaries about 90 minutes long I guess. The first one was the best. The creators along with the actors speak on very deep detail, the makings of the TCM movies. They speak about their money issues, the grueling heat, how many hours a day they actually put into the film. The impact other horror movies made to include this one. They also explain Leatherface's character in the movie. I really did enjoy the first documentary. The second was alright.

Bottomline. I don't care what anybody says. This is easily one of the best slasher horror flicks ever. It captures terror in its true form to me. If you think this is garbage but love all the chucky movies for example. Then you just don't know what good horror is and nobody can help your a**.

This is one of the most important horror films ever made. What is most surprising is that this film leaves so much to the imagination. You never really see anything. You certainly hear the chainsaw but the results are left for you to imagine, which is far more effective.

What you do see is quite disturbing. Leatherface is a hideous nightmare in a human face mask. His first appearance is truly shocking, and there are number of scenes which feature him that have become iconic. Especially the last scene in the film, which is marvellously shot. Even more surprising is that in the last 20 minutes of the film, in amongst all the terror, an element of black comedy creeps into the film.

It may not be the best ever horror film, but its viseral power is not to be underestimated 33 years later. You have been warned....

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, clearly what is to be the slasher film that started them all, is definitely one the scariest movies in all horror/serial killer slasher films ever to be made, and went on to set the grounds for future slasher films that were eventually to come (i.e. HALLOWEEN, FRIDAY THE 13TH, A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET, etc.)

Bickering siblings, SALLY HARDESTY (played by Marilyn Burns) and wheelchair-bound FRANKLIN HARDESTY (played by Paul A. Partain), visit their grandfather's in a cemetery in rural Texas with their companions JERRY (played byAllen Danziger), KIRK (played by William Vail) and PAM (played by Teri McMinn) after hearing that the graveyard has been vandalized and corpses have been constructed into figures. While driving to the Hardesty's now deserted former house, they encounter a heat-struck, possibly crazy hitchhiker. However, after he torments them and threatens Franklin with violence, they kick him out of the van.

Running low on gas, the group pulls over at a gas station/barbaque, where the owner says that they won't have any fuel until the next morning. Upon learning where the teens are going, the owner advises them against going there. The group finally arrives at the Hardesty farm. Following Franklin's directions to a childhood swimming hole, Kirk and Pam set off to find it while the others stay at the old house. Finding the swimming hole dried up, Kirk and Pam hear the sound of a gas-powered generator which attracts them to a farmhouse nearby. While there they encounter a junkyard of vehicles and finally discover the house. Kirk investigates and is eventually attacked by LEATHERFACE (played by Gunnar Hansen) with a sledgehammer while Pam is outside. Pam then enters searching for Kirk, but also falls prey to Leatherface, and is hung onto a meathook.

As night approaches, Sally, Franklin and Jerry become restless waiting, so Jerry searches for Pam and Kirk. He also becomes one of Leatherface's victims. As night falls, Leatherface searches for more prey while Sally and Franklin search for the house. Their cries attract Leatherface, who bursts upon them and instantly attacks Franklin with a chainsaw, repeatedly driving it through his body. Sally flees through a forest, cutting herself graphically on branches before finding the house. She enters it, but leaves upon discovering that it belongs to Leatherface. With the maniac relentlessly pursuing her, Sally runs all the way back to the gas station. On arrival, Leatherface apparently disappears while she appeals to the gas station owner for help. Instead, he attacks her with a broom, throws a burlap sack over her and bundles her into his truck. This character, known only as the "Old Man," is now revealed to be Leatherface's father. He takes her straight back to the farmhouse, reaching the driveway at the same time as the hitchhiker, who is also apparently part of the family.

Sally is taken into the house and tied to a chair. When they remove the sack, she and the hitchhiker recognise each other, and he immediately taunts her. He and Leatherface then bring down the withered figure of "GRANDPA" (played by John Dugan) from the upstairs bedroom, slicing open Sally's finger so he can suck the blood from it, where she then passes out.

Dawn approaches, Sally flees the house, after a gruesome cannabalistic dinner with the three crazed men, and attempts to escape onto the highway. The knife-wielding hitchhiker and the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface give chase. Just as the hitchhiker reaches her and begins slashing at Sally, an eighteen wheeler truck suddenly appears and accidentally runs him down. The truck driver stops and gets out, only to be confronted by Sally being chased at close quarters by Leatherface. As the woman and the driver climb into the truck, the killer attacks the vehicle with the saw. Escaping through the other side of the cab, the driver throws a large wrench at Leatherface which catches him in the head, knocking him down and causing him to cut his right leg. The truck driver flees down the road. As Leatherface rises to his feet and limps after Sally despite his injury, a pickup truck arrives on the scene. Sally finds time to enter the back of the truck, leaving the film to finish with a shot of Leatherface in the middle of the road, wielding the saw above his head in frustration.

I've seen plenty of horrifying slasher films in my day, but none of them will ever be as horrifying and morbid as THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. This 2-disc Special Edition will not only give this outstanding film, but a bonus disc with "KILLER" special features to go along with it.

I know everyone says thay the exorcist is the greatest horror flick of all time, but this one is better. While maybe overall the exorcist was a better movie, nothing truly defines horror like this movie. The simple ease with which leatherface kills is simple and without emotion. Like a butcher cutting fat. The slow progress to constant horrific experiences is brutal. The near twenty minutes of a woman screaming and constantly brutalized is too much to take. I don't know if I can say I like this movie, or that I can recomend it. But I can say it is the best at being horror.

so i put two stars because if you are talking to horror fans about horror, you need to have seen this, it somehow "redefined horror", so i guess it has a sort of cachet as far as that goes. but honestly i can say the only reason you should watch this movie is so you can say you have seen it. there were parts i found intriguing, the hitchhiker scene, the opening with the "corpse-art" (genuinely horrifying), and a few things besides. but the acting is TERRIBLE!!!
it's one saving grace i felt was Marilyn Burns as Sally Hardesty - - the last part, as the truck drives away, and the way she is crazily laughing and crying, covered in blood, i thought was gorgeous and flawlessly done on her part. but the rest seemed to me to be middle-school-drama-class level acting, and the way the whole thing deteriorates toward the end leaves me to imagine tobe hooper and all the crew stoned out of their gourds and doing their damndest to finish filming with little regard to the movie they started out with.
i hate to say it, because the remake isn't that great, but the remake is better...
so to sum up: one star because this film did spawn a mess of sequels and pretty much the slasher genre, so i guess that makes it culturally important, and another star for marilyn burns.
but honestly, if you are going to buy it, buy the cheapest copy they have on here.
ps. no matter what they do, you can't make a worse movie than TCM2. i'd smear dog poo on my tv and watch it before i watched that piece of trash again. so maybe it gets a half a star for not being TCM2. but half a star isn't an option so i guess i'll stick with two.

Surprised I'm reviewing this? I'm not one to watch horror flicks. This was pure horror, not porror. This movie is indeed very suspenseful. It is about a twisted cannibalistic family that has nothing better to do than make barbeques out of human remains. The story begins when Sally, her wheelchair-bound brother (Franklin), and friends, Curt, Pam and Jerry set out to a cemetery to see if their grandpa's grave is still intact. It seems someone is graverobbing and taking corpses out of their cripts in this small Texas town. Grandpa's grave was okay, so the five young people went to see Sally and Franklin's dad's abandon house. You can almost guess the horror about to happen. We are introduced to an array of characters. There is a hitchiker that put new meaning to the word weird. Leatherface and his chainsaw getting the bodies ready for barbecuing. The cook slapping his sons into shape. I was never bored! This movie kept me in suspense and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Was I scared? NO! There were parts that even made me laugh---When demented family brought grandpa down to let him have a "little fun". This film definitely had me entertained. I actually enjoyed this film! I don't call myself a horror buff, but this flick is a definite buy for any movie goer.

You know how some people say the original is always better than the remake? I personally find the opposite to be true. No matter what movie genre, I find that most older movies lack the intensity and rawness of a lot of movies in the 21st century. So after I saw the remake version of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (and having the life scared out of me), I decided to watch the original just to see what the big fuss was about. To my surprise, I ended up really liking it.

So what's this movie about? Basically, a group of kids are on a roadtrip when they come across a town of creepy people. Worse yet, these "creepy" people are murderers. Weapon of choice? Chainsaws.

Let's talk about the positives first. Although some may be sick of the whole "group of college kids on a roadtrip get chased by some psycho killer" storyline, I personally find it to be thrilling. You know something bad is going to happen, you just don't know when or how. I was on the edge of my seat during the entire last half of the movie. Second, as I said above, I generally find that older movies aren't all that great. I actually thought that this movie seemed more real than the remake. While the remake contained a lot of unlikeable characters (and I'm talking about the kids who were being chased by the killer), I had a lot of sympathy for the characters in the original. Some may find the chasing scene (I hope I'm not giving too much away) to be repetitive and too long but I felt like I was in the character's shoes and I truly felt fearful for her. There are quite a few scenes in this movie that had me shocked and disgusted with the knowledge that unlike a lot of other scary movies, the things that happened in this film could actually happen.

And now for the negatives. There's really only one thing that I didn't like about this movie. A good portion of the beginning of the movie had me yawning a bit. I was very close to turning off my TV and writing off this movie as being bad but thankfully I stuck around to watch the rest.

Overall, I give this movie 4 stars. If I could, I probably would have given it 4.5 stars but I don't think it's worthy of 5 stars simply because of the sort of dull first half of the film. However, I definitely recommend this movie to all.

Tobe Hooper's classic masterpiece known as "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", aka "TCM" (the original version) is quite simply one of the greatest horror movies ever made. Made in 1974, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" continues to frighten and horrify viewers, who are brave enough to watch and endure its horror, to this very day!! Interestingly enough, the simplicity of the story of "TCM" is astonishing when considering its lasting effect on horror movie audiences and the horror genre itself. The story of "TCM" is horrifying enough to the viewer, but the way that the story is presented to the audience accentuates the horror and dread that the audience experiences to the utmost degree. Tobe Hooper presents "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" to the audience with a sense of horror with a brilliant style as well as a truly terrifying subject matter, both which create a truly horrifying experience for the audience. Hence, this is the essence of a pure horror movie, to scare and frighten and not just to shock and disturb.

"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is a movie about a group of young adults (in their early to mid 20s) who take a summer's day drive during the heat of the August sun in the heart of the slaughterhouse region in Texas. The movie starts out with our young adults which include the invalid Franklin, his sister Sally, Jerry, Curt, and Pam on their way to Sally's and Franklin's father's unoccupied house out in the middle of nowhere to have a fun summer's day. What ensues from this point forward is a horrifying ordeal that goes beyond the imaginations of ordinary people like Sally and Franklin.

Perhaps what is so amazing about "TCM" is its simplicity and realism. In fact, it wouldn't be that farfetched in today's world to find people just like the villains in "TCM". Clearly, this is one aspect of "TCM" that absolutely terrifies the viewer, the idea that this could happen to you if you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time and around the wrong people. Just like the cook in "TCM" said, "you don't want to go foolin' around other folk's property, some folks don't like it, and they don't mind showin' you!". Of course, those of us that have seen "TCM" know that the horror of "TCM" goes much deeper than that. It seems that Leatherface and his friends have a taste for beef, and they are not that discriminatory about how they get it if you know what I mean and I think you do (to borrow the great Joe Bob Briggs' patented phrase)!

The horror of "TCM" is so intense when it hits you that it's not uncommon for some folks to get sick in the stomach before they finish this film. I remember when I first watched it I was waiting for my Mom's favorite country style steak dish to be cooked, but after I watched "TCM", I wasn't that hungry if you know what I mean. Indeed, "TCM" is gross folks, and it could sicken you to your stomach, and it's not gore we're talking about here; it's the kind of disgusting and horrifying people that our young unsuspecting adults unfortunately run into. They are disgusting individuals, and the sad and scary thing about it is that there are really people like this out there, maybe not just like (although I would not be surprised if there were people just like this in today's world) Leatherface, the Cook, the Hitchiker and Grandpa, but of the same malignant nature and ill mind. Clearly, the sadistic, malignant, and evil nature of the villains in the original "TCM" transcend just about anything you will ever see in a horror movie and I've just about seen them all, and I say that because of the joy these guys took in terrorizing, torturing and murdering their victims. Just watch the way these monsters act with Sally and see what I mean...ghastly!!!

The realism of the way "TCM" is executed is a superb horror movie device as the viewer will notice that much of the killing occurs in broad daylight dispelling some of the horror movie cliches that the seasoned horror movie viewer is so accustomed to. "TCM" truly catches the viewer off guard with the way in which the movie unfolds. The audience becomes shocked at the brutality, savagery, and yet horrifying way in which the killings occur. However, aside from the brutality and savagery involved, "TCM" is also a scary movie as it produces a terrifying atmosphere conducive to cinematic horror and a sense of dread, fear and suspense about what is going to happen next which is essential to a horror movie's effectiveness.

The setting of "TCM" is truly outstanding. The detail in "TCM" is amazing considering its low budget and simplicity. The houses look scary, everything is placed in the perfect location like the tooth on the porch, the bones, the cans in the trees, the chicken in the cage, etc. etc. "TCM" isn't effective just because a crazy person saws people up with a chainsaw (if you want to see that, just watch the comical "Pieces"), but "TCM" is a work of art, a virtuouso that paints a horrifying picture and plays a terrifying tune of horror, a piece of art that is pure terror at its finest that captures the audience and drives the horror home to the viewer with its sense of evil, malignancy, brutality, and realism. The acting in "TCM" is second to none. The actors who play the hitchhiker, the cook, Leatherface, Franklin and the cemetery drunk are absolutely perfect in every conceivable way!! Also, the story of "TCM" itself provides the audience with a realistic portrayal of horrifying events that strike at the very heart of the viewer's consciousness. Moreover, the music in "TCM" is also quite effective in producing the appropriate mood, motifs, and themes at the precise moment so that the movie is able to produce the maximum fear effect in the audience out of each horrifying scene. "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" garners HorrorMan's highest recommendation, and this movie is a classic and must-own piece of horror cinema that helps create the crux of any true horror movie collection.

In "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", Tobe Hooper creates one of the most horrifying movie experiences ever made, and one of the greatest and scariest horror movies of all-time in the original "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". Truly, there have been many pale imitations, but there has never been anything quite like the original "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and there won't be either. In fact, I don't think it is an overstatement to say that the original "TCM" paved the way for many subsequent horror movies as well.

As a side note, I have seen the remake of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", and while I did honestly find it to be entertaining (and rather amusing at times as well), it is absolutely NOTHING compared to the original. As a final note, I should point out that the original "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is VERY LOOSELY based or perhaps I should say that the idea for this movie is derivative from the twisted and sadistic life of Ed Gein, a disgusting killer from the State of Wisconsin from many years ago.

If you have not seen the original "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", then you are missing something my friend. Go buy the original right now, sit down (without any food whatsoever) and watch one of the most horrifying movies ever made, but just don't blame me if you get sick with horror after seeing it, and I say that with all of HorrorMan's sincerest affections of course. :)

The Original 1974 Texas Chainsaw Massacre remains one of the most frightening Horror/Suspense film to date. The low budget 1970's feeling that it has may never be replaced by remakes, though every film in the series are good even the remakes... Nothing will ever beat Tobe Hoopers Original. Leatherface is so frightening, creepy and simple not needing all the Visual Effects that he needs in the modern films. Check out another great movie by Director Tobe Hooper called: The Funhouse !

This DVD edition Rocks, best yet, next up SAW in High Def, What the hell are the powers that be waiting for.....Stinking format war....The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Two-Disc Ultimate Edition)

Fans of this cult favorite can relax - no, they didn't gloss up the film stock with digital sheen to make it look as though it were filmed yesterday. To be certain, TCM was cleaned up: the colors are brighter and more vibrant, and the film's nocturnal sequences aren't quite as murky as they were in the VHS edition. But this minor buffing hasn't betrayed the film's gritty, low-budget, high-grain 16mm (as transferred to 35mm stock) aesthetic. The '70s zeitgeist isn't even remotely diminished, but the attractive wide shots (mostly rural Texan landscapes) are as eye-catching as ever. The only way to get a better look at this film is to obtain the original theatrical reels, cigarette burns and all!

This DVD offers quite a few features for fans of TCM, Tobe Hooper and Gunnar Hansen. Prominent among these are the soundtrack selections. For standard viewing, the film's soundtrack can be heard as a crisp stereo surround track that's a bit bright, and as the film's original mono recording, which is blunt, a bit messy and preferable for anyone who wants a more authentic listening experience. The third option is a conversational audio commentary voiced by Hooper, Hansen and cinematographer Daniel Pearl. For fans and film students alike, I couldn't recommend this feature more; it's informative and very funny. Unlike certain audio commentary tracks, which are very dry as a result of the participants being recorded independently, this one benefits from the interaction between director, actor and cinematographer, especially when the three are comparing memories and discussing related experiences of a film that they collaborated on decades prior to this recording.

The disc's deleted scenes and alternate footage aren't quite so essential, but they are of mild interest. All of them consist of raw, untreated footage. The clips that haven't any sound are supplemented with textual script extracts. I think that audio commentary tracks would have been preferable to the textual summaries provided for each clip. Yes, the infamous makeup scene is included.

One of the more interesting features is "A Study In Filming," which consists of every unedited shot that was used to film the twenty-second scene in which Leatherface commits his first onscreen murder. Even though this is essentially filler, it is somewhat engrossing, as it illustrates how much footage is required for a heavily edited (albeit short) scene.

This disc would be far from complete without the theatrical and televised trailers for the 1974 Bryanston release and New Line Cinema's 1980 re-release. Both sets of trailers are adequate and stylistically representative of their respective periods of release. Although it was hardly necessary to include the ludicrous trailers of TCM's two awful sequels and the incomparably terrible remake, they do make for compulsive viewing. Be forewarned: these may induce squirms in a state of embarrassed discomfort.

The blooper reel is short, but rather amusing. Although it's nice to know that the making of this film was sometimes as jocular as it was maddening, the finished product is much more hilarious.

Silent footage of the Family's house is included. This provides a more detailed perspective of the macabre interior art design that featured quite a few chicken and human bones. I needn't mention that this is strictly intended for fans.

The provided film and production stills are competently shot, but not terribly interesting. They're included for the sake of completeness.

On the other hand, the scanned lobby cards and posters are definitely worth a look. The cards are typical (and probably worth quite a lot on eBay), but the art design of the theatrical posters are especially interesting. The Italian, German and Japanese posters are especially attractive and evocative, and some of them implement a few photos and paintings that I've never seen before.

For hardcore fans of "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," this is an essential purchase if they don't already have it. For the more casual fan of horror and '70s B-films, this is definitely worth a rental.

This is as terrifying as you've heard. Whether you saw it on an old, faded VHS copy, or you saw it in the theater when it came out, or on a later, remasted edition, it is so relentless and claustrophobic that it is impossible to shed from your mind. The thing about this film that despite its reputation, it has hardly any gore in it. It is not a gorehound film, not even close. It runs along the lines of Night of the Living Dead, an independent horror film that is truly scary and disturbing. It's not a film in which you get a few scares and then some comic relief. It's a plain nightmare of a film, and even in the end when one of the captives escape, you're still scared like hell. It burns into your subconscious like only a handful of films do (Cannibal Holocaust, Night of the Living Dead, and Salo for example). It's a testament to the filmmaker, Tobe Hooper, for making such a great film that still can scare people today. Forget the sequels or the remakes: this is the only one you need to see.

This movie feels so wrong and yet so right at the same time. It tortures your mind and brings out your fear but I still love it anyway. I'm glad I waited until I was 24 to watch this movie as it is that unsettling. I've never been so relieved that a movie was over not because I didn't like it but because I was so glad that the terror I was experiencing was finally over. I was exhausted when I got through with this film. It is my top 3 for scariest movies of all time. One of the best things about this movie is that there is very little blood. NOT recommend for kids as they WILL have nightmares.

I was in high school the first time I saw this movie...I watched it one day at 2 am thinking that it was gonna be just a gory lame kinda horror movie...When it was over, I was too scared to even want to turn off all the lights in the house and go up to bed...It scared the hell out of me...What I really loved about the movie was that since it was such a low budget film it looked too real(Unlike the crappy horror movies that come out now)...If you have never seen any of the TCM movies, this is the one to watch(the remake was ok)...

This is worth owning if you are a fan of horror films. Its very disturbing.

Saw the movie when I was 13, scared me then and still did. The original is always better then the remake.

I say that with true conviction. Why? Because of the music, the eerie camera angles, the real feel it gives, the chainsaw, the family unit, the cook, the hitch-hiker, Grandpa, Leatherface, the guy in the wheel-chair, the way the cook fools the audience at first, his facial expressions, the hitch-hiker cutting his own hand, the hitch-hiker spitting at the van, the half-dead drueling cow in the slaughterhouse, Franklin in the wheel-chair talking to himself in the "old Franklin Home", all the cars under the net, the generator, the tooth, the first time you see Leatherface(maybe the coolest/creepiest scene in movie history, the music and everything is on cue)the steel door and it slamming shut, the hammer, the caged chickens, Pam's fear, the bone couch, the hook, the freezer, the broomstick, the yelling at the dinner table, the chasing scenes, the truck driver, well, basically everything about this flick is scary and I'll be the first to say it, but this to me is the best horror movie in the history of horror and the only movie to ever really scare me.

Now as far as the DVD package, it's great. That is not a bias comment either. It has tons of extra features. The extras show the house now, the actors in their most recent form, with the exception of Terri McMinn(Pam) The thing so ironic is how soft-spoken and seemingly gentle Gunnar Hansen is, the guy who actually played Leatherface. I highly highly recommend this for any fan of horror especially this one, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The original and the best.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre will be reinterpreted by critics, fans and theorists for decades to come. This movie is Tobe Hooper's brilliant debut, a brutal, uncompromised horror about a perverse Texas cannibal clan (inspired by the story of Ed Gein) and the teenagers that wander into their home (decorated in furniture constructed from human bones) and their meathooks. It's unrelenting and unforgettable and its raw gore remains its strongest element.

The cinematography is exceptional. Watching the Special Edition, you'd never know that this was shot on 16mm in poor light.

The new edition has been newly remastered in high definition and features newly remixed soundtracks in addition to the restored original mono soundtrack.

The best of the worst Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a low budget blood soaked movie from 1974. It was creepy in 1974 but now its not so creepy i'm a kid but i may be 12 but i have the knowledge.Tobe Hooper did great directing this movie i think that he did his best.Marylin Burns who plays Sally Hardesty screamed alot but it made it all the more exciting.


So i conclude my review saying that Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the best of the worst of 1973.

this movie is awesome. i first saw this when i was little. this is my faviorite horror movie of all time. its horrifying, very eerie, very well made. definately a big achievement. if u love real horror movies you'll love this. i highly reccomend it.