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Texas Chainsaw Massacre Movies, Ranked

Oct 11, 2024

Texas Chainsaw Massacre Movies, Ranked

As a cinephile hailing from the Lone Star State, I’ve had my fair share of Texas-based horror flicks, but none have left me as spellbound and disturbed as the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Having grown up not too far from where this film was set, it felt like a chilling reminder of the eerie, sun-blistered lands that could hide unspeakable horrors.

1974 saw the unveiling of Tobe Hooper’s “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” on October 11th. Over the past five decades, this film has been both criticized as violent junk and celebrated as a grindhouse classic, a cornerstone of slasher movies, and a significant contribution to American cinema. The tale of Leatherface, his gruesome home, and his family, have left an indelible mark on our collective consciousness. Similar to many impactful horror films, it has been reimagined, remade, and rebooted numerous times, transforming into a successful cult film series that remains a staple in the horror genre.

It’s worth noting that not every interpretation of the iconic cannibal character from popular culture is equally compelling. Some choose to play it safe with a (often misunderstood) nostalgic feel, while others take bold risks that can be both exhilarating and leave us scratching our heads (wondering what’s happening and why). Leatherface has been portrayed as a strange anti-hero, a satirical character, a massive man-beast, and a downtrodden redneck. This variety has led to one of the most unpredictable long-running series in horror. Yet, even in its weakest films, this instability keeps it intriguing.

9.
Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=rGDHR_rveJc&list=PLZbXA4lyCtqpqcgfRLM22DwKiaPZBZinC&index=8

Despite being a follow-up to the original movie, Texas Chainsaw 3D primarily offers superficial homage instead of truly embodying its predecessor’s spirit. The actress who portrayed Sally, the last girl standing from the first film, is now cast as Verna, a senior woman suspected of harboring Leatherface in her basement. Bill Moseley, known for his role as Chop-Top in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2, takes over the role previously held by the late Jim Siedow as the original’s Cook. Even Gunnar Hansen, the original Leatherface himself, makes a brief appearance as Boss Sawyer. However, these nods to the past don’t add up to much more than fleeting references in a film that could be one of the most off-target interpretations of Leatherface within the series.

In “Texas Chainsaw 3D,” Alexandra Daddario’s character, Heather, initially appears as the lone survivor among a group of forgettable victims. However, she later discovers that Leatherface is her cousin, to which she responds with, “Go ahead, cuz” (a line from the movie). This unexpected revelation transforms Leatherface into an unconventional hero, eliminating the cruel individuals who harass his kin… or so it seems. The film, unfortunately, lacks the depth necessary to present the Sawyer family as merely misunderstood mass murderers, leaving the final scene, where Heather treats Leatherface like a pet, more puzzling than satisfying, provoking a reaction of “Huh?“.

8.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

Although it doesn’t go so far as to turn him into the heroine’s human-skin mask-wearing sidekick, the latest film in the series does toy with the idea of Leatherface as a kind of tragic, geriatric monster. Here, the octogenarian killer is the last resident of an orphanage in a ghost town; when a group of millennials sets upon it to turn it into a trendy hot spot, the orphanage’s owner dies and Leatherface goes bananas. Luckily, this is as cuddly as it gets, and as soon as Leatherface snips his old friend’s face off and begins wearing it, we return to the hulking brute we know and love.

Occasionally, “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” doesn’t hold back on the grisly violence, even when it seems excessive. Watching Leatherface hack through a bus full of today’s cancel-culture influencers is gruesomely entertaining due to its over-the-top gore, but it feels like a stark contrast to the chilling madness of the original film. It becomes even more detached when it attempts to mimic the success of the latest “Halloween” trilogy by introducing Sally (reprised by Irish actress Olwen Fouéré, replacing the late Burns) to take on Leatherface in a final showdown similar to Jamie Lee Curtis’ iconic role. By the end of the film, Leatherface may return home, but the franchise certainly doesn’t.

7.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

Given that Leatherface ended up with only one arm in the 2003 remake, it’s logical to assume that the sequel from 2006 would be a prequel. This wasn’t an unusual approach when trying to explain the origins of a well-known horror character, even if it seemed unnecessary. In fact, the following year, Rob Zombie added a contentious origin story to his version of Halloween. However, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning primarily used its explanation of any remaining questions (such as how did the old man lose his legs, where did Leatherface get his first mask, and who provided him with his chainsaw) as a pretext for more violent chaos.

To put it another way, “The Beginning” aimed at sparking a brutal and intense arms race in filmmaking. Following the release of the movie in 2003, which falls under the category now known as “torture porn,” such as “Saw,” “Hostel,” and remakes like “House of Wax” and “The Hills Have Eyes,” “Darkness Falls” director Jonathan Liebesman was a suitable fit for these scenes. He skillfully incorporated some of the intensity and disorientation that made the original so groundbreaking into “Chainsaw.” However, it’s worth noting that “The Beginning” doesn’t provide a compelling reason to be fascinated by Leatherface’s origins (the poster promises “Witness the birth of fear,” but this has been a topic open to debate in the past). Still, it manages to keep pace with the unyielding intensity found in similar films on screen.

6.
The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1995)

Despite frequent criticism for its unconventional portrayal of Leatherface’s family as henchmen of a secret society resembling the Illuminati, and for depicting Leatherface as a screeching cross-dresser, The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, directed by Kim Henkel, the co-writer of the original, has not received widespread critical acclaim. However, it is the final film in the series that comes closest to recapturing the unsettling energy of the first film. Its unique blend of chaotic insanity and self-parody sets it apart from the later installments’ focus on questionable nostalgia.

During its journey towards release (later known as “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation”), the movie faced numerous legal hurdles, particularly concerning its limited distribution and potential impact on the fledgling careers of actors Matthew McConaughey and Renée Zellweger. However, “The Return of Texas Chainsaw Massacre” stands as a snapshot of filmmaking history and a type of sequel in a franchise that may never reappear again. Despite the noise and excitement, it seems to have some important messages about the “Chainsaw” series, Leatherface, and the genre they popularized in Hollywood. Regrettably, many people are yet to heed its message.

5.
Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)

In a somewhat casual and understandable rephrase: Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, though not as strong as the initial two installments but surpassing expectations, serves both as a fresh start for the series (if not explicitly a direct sequel, the continuity in the Chainsaw franchise is somewhat casual) and the third sequel. This movie was directed by Jeff Burr, a director known for elevating sequels beyond their potential, having also worked on Stepfather II and Pumpkinhead II. Interestingly, it was the only Chainsaw film produced solely by New Line Cinema, a production company that was enjoying success with its Nightmare on Elm Street series at the time, thus providing the Chainsaw franchise with a more polished look for the first time.

Despite facing production troubles and undergoing extensive edits to tone down its intense aspects before its premiere, the cinematic version of “Leatherface ” offers a surprisingly tamer experience. Nevertheless, it manages to remain engaging due to an assortment of enjoyable performances, such as Viggo Mortensen’s grotesque portrayal and Ken Foree, who is well-known from “Dawn of the Dead“. Adding to this are one of the most memorable movie trailers ever created. In essence, a California production endeavors to embody the turmoil of Texas through its chaotic depiction. A notable scene involves Leatherface attempting and failing to use a Speak & Spell device, only managing to type “FOOD” when presented with an image of a human.

4.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

In the early 2000s, when Michael Bay helped establish Platinum Dunes, their objective was straightforward: revamp well-known horror franchises with a blockbuster appeal. Their initial project, a reboot of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” proved to be a massive hit and paved the way for decent productions like “Friday the 13th” and a disastrous “Nightmare on Elm Street.” From the start, it’s clear why viewers were drawn to it: The opening, which is the most impactful part of the film, portrays Leatherface’s crimes in a way that mimics a documentary, stretching the truth promise from the original poster to its limits.

While many aspects fall short when compared to the original, it still managed to attract the original’s cinematographer, Daniel Pearl, who brought a chaotic visual style. This version also features Leatherface’s demented family members, with R. Lee Ermey, known for his powerful and detestable roles in films like “Full Metal Jacket,” delivering an exceptional performance. However, the majority of the film is filled with unsavory characters. For those new to the series or accustomed to more subdued slasher flicks such as “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” this 2003 remake offers a thrilling and intense viewing experience.

3.
Leatherface (2017)

For the last 20 years, most Chainsaw movies have either remade the original or wrapped up with a nostalgic ending. However, one film deviates from this pattern by attempting to expand the storyline rather than strictly adhere to tradition. The movie Leatherface delves into the killer’s origin story as a mystery, focusing on several individuals who escaped from a mental hospital. As viewers try to decipher whether the future Leatherface is Bud, Ike, or Jackson, it offers an intriguing alternative to the usual answer of “I don’t know – he was big and sad and hungry.” This approach makes for an engaging experiment in storytelling.

Directed by Julien Maury and Alexandre Bustillo, known for their gruesome work on the French slasher film “Inside“, this production is titled “Leatherface“. It revisits familiar themes, providing a grisly account of Leatherface’s origins, and his family members are quite the cackling bunch. However, the movie’s structure primarily revolves around an extended chase between the fugitives and a relentless Texas Ranger, which keeps the narrative moving, even during moments when the film pauses to acknowledge its role as a prequel in the “Chainsaw” series. In essence, it is the only modern “Chainsaw” movie that retains the daring spirit of innovation characteristic of its predecessors.

2.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 (1986)

If the initial Texas Chainsaw Massacre embodied the economic and societal apprehension prevalent in the closing years of the Nixon era, then its sequel represents the lavish, materialistic ethos of the Reagan administration. Obsessed with consumption to such an extent that we ultimately consume one another, Part 2 builds upon the dark humor from the first movie, distorting it into a grotesque, satirical commentary. Though intermittently terrifying, director Tobe Hooper primarily focuses on transforming Leatherface’s family (now known as the Sawyers) into a maniacal emblem of insatiable capitalism.

The oddness permeates the entire storyline. Dennis Hopper, seemingly from another world, portrays a police lieutenant with a grudge against power tools, specifically a chainsaw. Simultaneously, Bill Moseley joins the series as Chop-Top, a fresh family member who, according to the first film’s timeline, was in Vietnam and came back with a metal plate in his head and a fondness for cruelty. A pair of murdered business professionals, a chili competition, a radio host forced to wear her superior’s face, a sex education lesson with Leatherface, and a chainsaw battle later, you have a movie that doesn’t aim to replicate the original but instead uses it as a platform for an explosive sequel.

1.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=QxRigGcXrrI

The movie titled “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” wasn’t merely debuted; it was unleashed upon cinemas, and for the past fifty years, no other film has managed to closely replicate its intensity. It transformed America’s seemingly ordinary heartland into a potentially bottomless abyss, teeming with evil that is almost cosmic in nature. Unlike its slasher counterparts confined to suburban arenas, “Chainsaw” presents a desolate landscape scorched by the sun, inhabited by deranged characters and filled with corpses within a house. This setting serves as a twisted Wonderland, where each of the five hapless youths takes on the role of Alice, navigating through this macabre world.

Under Hooper’s direction, as he was then a burgeoning force in Texas cinema, the movie Chainsaw lingers in your memory. Numerous scenes from it have become staples of American horror: Leatherface and his hammer at the sliding metal door, Pam screaming on the meat hook, the group of brothers lewdly eyeing their restrained victim at the dinner table before attempting to persuade their nearly unconscious grandfather into murdering her. However, it’s in the intricate construction of these scenes and the film’s reluctance to provide answers to the audience’s pressing questions that makes it so captivating.

The mystery surrounding “Chainsaw” could be its most powerful feature – unlike other slasher icons such as Norman Bates, Michael Myers, or Fred Krueger, whose backstories are well-known, the origins of this character remain shrouded in enigma. Any hints about his identity are sparse and found among the remnants, leaving viewers in a state similar to Sally Hardesty, laughing uncontrollably as they flee. As for Leatherface, he dances a macabre waltz with his chainsaw, saying goodbye not as you elude capture but rather as he spits you out from the depths of hell.

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2024-10-11 23:59