The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Directed by: Tobe Hooper
Friday, October 25 - Saturday, October 26, 2013
High-definition digital projection
“CHAINSAW starts with a creepy narration (provided by a then-unknown John Larroquette) to give the impression that it’s a true story, then shows five young Texans heading to a desecrated cemetery. Siblings Sally (Marilyn Burns) and invalid Franklin (Paul A. Partain) are most concerned because their grandfather is buried there. Leaving, they decide to visit their grandfather’s old farmhouse off in the woods. Unbeknownst to them, the neighboring house is home to a family of demented cannibals, which includes the chainsaw–wielding Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen). From there, the massacre begins.
“By the Seventies, moviegoers had seen their share of monsters and even a few Norman Bates-type characters. But nothing could prepare them for Tobe Hooper’s twisted foray into the heart of the Lone Star State. Here, what was perceived as the most stable of institutions, the American family, is the beast. With that, it’s no coincidence that the scariest scene in the film takes place at a dinner table. Hooper’s vision is horrid yet engrossing. His subtle touches (background radio bulletins repeating gory crimes throughout the state) and grotesque characterizations make rural Texas seem like a hellish place where only the strong survive. But the worst part about this vision is that despite its sensational aspects, it never seems too far from what could be the truth.” – Austin ChronicleR, 83 Minutes