The original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) was directed and co-written by Tobe Hooper , who also co-wrote the screenplay with Kim Henkel. Hooper directed the film and was instrumental in its production, drawing inspiration from real-life murderers like Ed Gein and the cultural climate of the 1970s. Henkel and Hooper developed the story together, with Henkel contributing key narrative elements and moral themes to the characters.
Creation and Development
The idea for the film originated in the early 1970s when Hooper was working as a documentary cameraman and assistant film director at the University of Texas at Austin. He and Henkel formed a production company called Vortex, Inc. to develop the project. The film was produced independently on a modest budget of around $140,000, with funding secured through investors including Bill Parsley and Warren Skaaren, who also helped finalize the film’s title.
Production and Legacy
Filmed in rural Texas with mostly unknown actors, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre became a landmark in horror cinema due to its raw intensity, innovative use of sound and cinematography, and its portrayal of a masked, chainsaw-wielding killer, Leatherface. Despite initial mixed critical reception, it grossed over $30 million domestically and is now recognized as one of the most influential horror films ever made. In 2024, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant
