One of the horror genre’s most notorious films is returning to theaters this October to celebrate its 50th anniversary. First released in 1974, Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre traumatized a generation of moviegoers with its tale about a group of young adults who find themselves at the mercy of a family of cannibals, including the infamous Leatherface (portrayed by the late Gunnar Hansen), who has become an iconic figure in the world of the macabre.
Per Bloody Disgusting, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will return to theaters next month courtesy of Dark Sky Films with a 4K restoration that was lorded over by Hooper before his death in 2017. To go along with the re-release, a new synopsis touting the movie’s storied history has also been unveiled, as well as a brand-new trailer created by the incomparable Mark Woollen, the same person behind the trailers for such hits as Rebel Ridge, The Substance, and Poor Things. Check them out below.
“50 years ago, five youths on a weekend getaway in the Texas countryside fell prey to a butcher in a mask made of human skin and his cannibalistic family, and horror cinema would never be the same. Violent, confrontational, and shockingly realistic, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre terrified audiences in a way never thought possible when it was unleashed on a politically and socially tumultuous America in 1974. Facing a storm of controversy, censorship, and outcry throughout its troubled release, this masterpiece of horror has stood the test of time to become a landmark motion picture and cultural milestone.”
The Cultural Impact of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
Released to little fanfare in the mid-70s, Tobe Hooper’s gruesome look into the decline of the nuclear family thanks to what has since been called the third industrial revolution, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has gone on to become known as one of the most inspirational and important horror films ever made, and spawned an entire franchise of movies. Produced on a reported budget of around $140,000, over the years it’s managed to gross about $30 million dollars in North America, with nearly half of its revenue generated by rentals in the 1980s.
Banned for years in countries such as France, Norway, Brazil, and even in the UK for a brief period, it’s widely regarded as setting the standard for slasher films going forward, and for being the precursor to movies such as Halloween and Friday the 13th, with echoes of its lumbering villain easily seen in Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees. Loosely based on serial killer Ed Gein, Leatherface is now a revered pop culture icon in his own right, and can be found on store shelves everywhere in the form of collectible figures and plush dolls.
In addition to its theatrical re-release, the film will also receive a physical upgrade by way of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: 50th Anniversary Chainsaw Edition, which includes a 4K UHD version, a Blu-ray copy, a Blu-ray bonus disc, and an exclusive VHS copy featuring the original artwork that’s all neatly packaged in a replica chainsaw that makes the iconic “vroom” sound when you open it. Or is it “brrrr?” Either way, it’s pretty damn cool, but comes with a hefty price tag of $299.99.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
will be released in select theaters this October, and you can check your local listing to see if it’s playing near you.