#massive commercial success‚ leading to distributors taking greater risks on genre fare throughout the decade that followed). this has all | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

mariocki · 8 months ago

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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

"Things happen here about... they don't tell about. I see things. You see, they say it's just an old man talking. You laugh at an old man. There's them that laughs and knows better."

#the texas chain saw massacre #horror imagery #tobe hooper #1974 #american cinema #kim henkel #marilyn burns #allen danziger #paul a. partain #william vail #teri mcminn #edwin neal #jim siedow #gunnar hansen #john dugan #john henry faulk #robert courtin #wayne bell #joe bill hogan #video nasty #horror film #one of the essential texts of cinema‚ and not just horror cinema. it's difficult to over state just what an impact this had both on the #genre (the use of power tools as weapons; the way Leatherface influenced and continues to influence the characteristics of the slasher #villain; the way Hooper sows in a feeling of dread almost subliminally with the snatches of horrific radio reports that play over the #opening etc etc etc) and on indie cinema in a larger sense (Hooper shot near constantly with his cast largely on site throughout and #demanded 7 day work weeks to cut down on the rental cost of the equipment; he also proved that 'extreme' content could translate into #massive commercial success‚ leading to distributors taking greater risks on genre fare throughout the decade that followed). this has all #been discussed ad nauseum by actual academics and i haven't much to add except that revisiting nearly 20 yrs since the 1st and last time i #saw this (!) i find it still an incredibly strong work from an immensely talented (and much missed) auteur. it may not be to everyone's #tastes but it's TCM baby‚ it's part of the zeitgeist and there's just no getting around that. kino!

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