#1 - The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
(dir. Tobe Hooper)
After the recent death of horror legend Tobe Hooper, I thought it would be appropriate to kick off this year's blog with a few of his films, and what better place to start than with his first and greatest? This is widely considered to be one of the best horror films ever made, and I absolutely agree - 43 years later, it is still shocking, disturbing, and most importantly, terrifying.
Despite it's reputation, this is not really a gory film (certainly not by today's standards, anyway). What makes it scary is the brutality and inhumanity of the killers, and the way they torment Sally and her friends. The scene at the dinner table is probably the best example of this, and it is no less disturbing today than it was in 1974. Rob Zombie's House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects owe a lot to this scene, and to this film (and its sequel) in general.
Also worth mentioning is the fantastic set design. The various sculptures and pieces of furniture made from human and animal bones are creepy as hell, and still look fantastic today. Really the whole movie looks great - other than the very 70's-looking clothes on some of the characters, nothing else looks particularly dated. The only thing about this film that I don't really care for is the character of Franklin - I'm pretty sure the audience is supposed to sympathize with him, but I find him just super whiny and obnoxious. Maybe that's on purpose, and Hooper is trying to say something about how we treat the disabled? Or maybe the actor is just bad? I dunno.
Anyway, this is essential viewing for anyone remotely interested in horror films, and it cemented Hooper as a master of the genre. He made plenty of good films after this one, but this is definitely his masterpiece. Currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video!
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