The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Plot.
Where to Watch.
Currently The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is available for streaming online, rent, buy or watch for free on: Shudder, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, Tubi TV, Plex, Screambox Amazon Channel, Vudu, The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Peacock, Peacock Premium, Freevee, Plex Player, Plex Channel
Streaming in:🇺🇸 United States
Cast & Crew.
Marilyn Burns
Sally Hardesty
Allen Danziger
Jerry Huberman
Paul A. Partain
Franklin Hardesty
William Vail
Kirk Waisanen
Teri McMinn
Pam Willard
Edwin Neal
The Hitchhiker
Jim Siedow
The Cook
Gunnar Hansen
Leatherface
John Dugan
Grandpa
Robert Courtin
Window Washer
William Creamer
Bearded Man
John Henry Faulk
Storyteller
Jerry Green
Cowboy
Ed Guinn
Cattle Truck Driver
Joe Bill Hogan
Drunk
Perry Lorenz
Pick Up Driver
John Larroquette
Narrator (voice)
Tobe Hooper
Director / Screenplay / Music / Producer
Kim Henkel
Screenplay / Associate Producer / Story
Wayne Bell
Sound Designer / Music
J. Larry Carroll
Editor
Sallye Richardson
Editor / Assistant Director
Robert A. Burns
Art Direction
Daniel Pearl
Director of Photography
Dorothy J. Pearl
Makeup Artist
Ronald M. Bozman
Production Manager
W.E. Barnes
Makeup Artist
Jay Parsley
Executive Producer
Richard Saenz
Associate Producer
Dean W. Miller
Special Effects
Media.
Details.
Release DateOctober 11, 1974
StatusReleased
Running Time1h 23m
Content RatingR
Budget$140,000
Box Office$30,900,000
Genres
Wiki.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1974 American horror film produced, co-composed, and directed by Tobe Hooper, who co-wrote it with Kim Henkel. The film stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen. The plot follows a group of friends who fall victim to a family of cannibals while on their way to visit an old homestead. The film was marketed as being based on true events to attract a wider audience and to act as a subtle commentary on the era's political climate. Although the character of Leatherface and minor story details were inspired by the crimes of murderer Ed Gein, its plot is largely fictional.
Hooper produced the film for less than $140,000 ($800,000 adjusted for inflation) and used a cast of relatively unknown actors drawn mainly from central Texas, where the film was shot. The limited budget forced Hooper to film for long hours seven days a week, so that he could finish as quickly as possible and reduce equipment rental costs. Due to the film's violent content, Hooper struggled to find a distributor, but it was eventually acquired by the Bryanston Distributing Company. Hooper limited the quantity of onscreen gore in hopes of securing a PG rating, but the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rated it R. The film faced similar difficulties internationally, being banned in several countries, and numerous theaters stopped showing the film in response to complaints about its violence.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was released in the United States on October 11, 1974. While the film initially received mixed reception from critics, it was highly profitable, grossing over $30 million at the domestic box office, equivalent with roughly over $150.8 million as of 2019, selling over 16.5 million tickets in 1974. It has since gained a reputation as one of the best and most influential horror films. It is credited with originating several elements common in the slasher genre, including the use of power tools as murder weapons, the characterization of the killer as a large, hulking, masked figure, and the killing of victims. It led to a franchise that continued the story of Leatherface and his family through sequels, prequels, a remake, comic books, and video games.