Dir. Tobe Hooper
“See!! I told you some crazy shit would happen if you went down there. Why’d you even knock??!! Dumbass!!”
A 50th anniversary of a classic horror film cannot pass without acknowledgement. I wasn't even conceived when this movie was first released. I finally watched The Texas Chainsaw Massacre around age ten, under my blankets, fucking terrified on a Sunday afternoon while my Southern Baptist parents were distracted. Sneaking into their bedroom to watch the weekend horror fests with Elvira on KTLA5. My true entry into my current horror fandom was based solely on these opportunities each Sunday afternoon... Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Child's Play, Jaws. Even Children of the Corn left an impression enough that I named my son Malachi.
Most of my childhood was spent fearing some Boogeyman was coming to get me. Some big fucking “scary” in a dark corner in a humongous & unfamiliar house. Having these movies to watch actually felt so vindicating, like the struggle was real. Movies like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre paved the road to many “Yeah, I’ve already seen how this ended” moments in my life. Watching TCM now makes me absolutely cringe on so many levels. I found myself bored watching this horribly scripted and plotless classic, just appalled at the human capacity for epic levels of stupidity. It took forever to reach the last 30 seconds with Gunnar Hansen wielding his chainsaw angrily as TCM’s final girl escapes. My hair stood on end and I felt like that 10-year-old little girl again. Absolutely terrifying.
That said, I feel awful saying that I hated TCM this time around. The characters made me groan. I spent most of the time talking to each character, explaining how incredibly stupid everything they were doing was. Do not get me started on Franklin... just why!? I completely understand how a little girl raised up in religious fear of everything “other” was terrorized by TCM, ridiculous as the story is. I am incredibly thankful for TCM and its place amongst my core ‘horror movie must see movies.’
For 50 years, TCM has connected horror lovers. I had to take a moment to truly appreciate how the horror genre has evolved from no plot slash fests to mainstream horror box office hits like Ti West’s X. Horror as a genre to be celebrated is such an awesome place to find my journey today. No matter how I feel about TCM today, this movie helped me find a path to celebrating the dark side of myself through fear of that Boogeyman that might just be real, or not... However, I am not alone. This is what makes The Texas Chainsaw Massacre a classic to be celebrated.
