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Encyclopedia > The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (film series)

Texas Chainsaw Massacre series
Release date(s) 19741994
(original)
20032006
(Remake and Prequel)
Country Flag of the United States United States
Language English

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre horror films began with The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) by Tobe Hooper. The original film spawned three sequels as well as a remake, which has so far spawned its own prequel. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... See also: 1973 in film 1974 1975 in film 1970s in film years in film film // Events February 7 - Blazing Saddles is released in USA May 1 - George Lucas creates the first draft of what would eventually become Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. ... The year 1994 in film involved some significant events. ... The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. ... // Please note that following the tradition of the English language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the United States and Canada in 2006; because they may have made most of their income in a later year, they may not be the top-grossing... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... English, a West Germanic language originating in England, is the first language for most people in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. ... “Horror Movie” redirects here. ... Tobe Hooper (born Tobias Paul Hooper on January 25, 1943) is an American television and film director best known for his work in the horror film genre, including Lifeforce, Poltergeist, Toolbox Murders and the cult classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). ...

Contents

Original Series

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was made in 1973 (released in 1974) by director Tobe Hooper. It was the most successful in the series, and has entered itself into pop culture. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a 1973 American horror film, written, directed and produced by Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel, who had writing credits. ... Tobe Hooper (born Tobias Paul Hooper on January 25, 1943) is an American television and film director best known for his work in the horror film genre, including Lifeforce, Poltergeist, Toolbox Murders and the cult classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). ... Popular culture, or pop culture, is the vernacular (peoples) culture that prevails in a modern society. ...


The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is considered the first of the 1970s slasher movies descending from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960). The movie originated a great many of the clichés seen in countless low-budget slashers of the 1970s 1980s and 1990s. The most successful film to originate after Chain Saw's success is John Carpenter's 1978 classic, Halloween. A self propelled Case Windrower. ... Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock KBE (August 13, 1899 – April 29, 1980) was an iconic and highly influential British-born film director and producer who pioneered many techniques in the suspense and thriller genres. ... Psycho is a 1960 suspense/horror film directed by auteur Alfred Hitchcock from the screenplay by Joseph Stefano about a psychotic killer. ... John Howard Carpenter (born January 16, 1948) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, film score composer and occasional actor. ... This article is about the holiday. ...


Its plot concerns a family of cannibals in rural Texas, who abduct customers from their gas station. One of the main characters — Leatherface — is one of the most well known villains in horror cinema, notable for his mask of human skin, his blood-soaked butcher's apron and the chainsaw he wields. Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Leatherface is a fictional character in the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. ...


Contrary to popular belief, the film does not depict factual events, but instead was (like the films Psycho and The Silence of the Lambs) loosely inspired by Ed Gein, who, while he did wear human skin, acted alone and did not use a chainsaw. The Silence of the Lambs is a 1991 Academy Award-winning film directed by Jonathan Demme and starring Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. ... “Gein” redirects here. ...


The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 was released in 1986, due to the original film's success. Although it managed to recoup its meager costs, the film was considered a commercial flop. Since its initial release, however, it has developed a rather sizable cult following of its own. Unlike its predecessor (which had minimal gore and a documentary-style feel), this film sports a wildly over-the-top, almost operatic sense of campy black humor, as well as an array of gore effects by makeup maestro Tom Savini. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (also known as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 & TCM 2) is a 1986 big-budget horror sequel to the 1974 horror hit The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. ... Thomas Vincent Savini (born November 3, 1946) is an American actor, stunt man, director and award-winning special effects and makeup artist. ...


The film features an appearance by novelist and raconteur Kinky Friedman as well as Joe Bob Briggs. Briggs' cameo appearance was originally cut in editing but was restored for the director's cut DVD release of the film. Kinky Friedman contemplates a question from the audience at a campaign rally in Bastrop, Texas Richard S. Kinky Friedman (born October 31, 1944) is an American singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician and former columnist for Texas Monthly. ... Joe Bob Briggs is a pseudonym and persona of John Irving Bloom (born January 27, 1953 in Dallas, Texas), a syndicated American film critic, writer and actor. ...


Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III

Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III is a 1990 follow up to the previous two films. It stars Kate Hodge, Ken Foree, and Viggo Mortensen and was directed by Jeff Burr. At the time, this was considered to be the first of several sequels in the series to be produced by New Line. However, it was not a success and the franchise was scrapped (although an additional sequel appeared later it was not made or distributed by New Line). Many horror buffs consider Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III to be the finest sequel in the series, but only in its uncut version which was finally released on DVD format in 2003. Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Kate Hodge (born January 2, 1966, in Berkeley, California) is an American actress. ... Kentotis Alvin Foree (born February 29, 1948) is an American actor. ... Viggo Peter Mortensen, Jr. ... Jeff Burr is an American film director. ...


Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (also known as Return of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre) is a 1994 sequel/remake to the original The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974). It stars Renée Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey, before either of them became stars. Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation has a poor reputation amongst some horror film buffs and critics; but also has a core group of fans. Renée Kathleen Zellweger (born April 25, 1969) is an Academy Award-winning American film actress. ... Matthew David McConaughey (born November 4, 1969) is an American actor. ...


Characters

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

The Sawyer family

  • Bubba Sawyer Jr. (Leatherface): The main villain of the film series, Leatherface has appeared in all the films to date; he wears a mask constructed out of the skin of his victims (hence his nickname) and most commonly wields a chainsaw as a weapon.
  • Drayton "Cook" Sawyer: The eldest brother of Leatherface and his siblings, Drayton appears in the first two films and could be regarded as the most "sane" of the family; he appears highly bitter and disgruntled, exclaiming in the second film "Oh the stress takin care of my younger brothers, it squished the young years out of my life like a can of cheese whip." Drayton is killed near the end of the second film, being caught in the explosion of his own hand grenade.
  • The Hitchhiker: The highly psychotic older brother of Leatherface, the hitchhiker appears in the first two films, though only as a corpse in the second, having been killed in the first after being run over by a truck. The hitchhiker is highly sadistic and seems to take great pleasure out of mocking his brothers and victims alike.
  • Grandpa: The patriarch of the family, Grandpa is innumerable years old and is largely decrepit, being virtually incapable of moving under his own power; Grandpa appears in the first three films, but dies in the second, his corpse being destroyed in the third.
  • Grandma: Grandpa's highly obese wife, she died an unspecified time before the first films events, although her corpse has been preserved by the family and was originally kept in the attic of the Sawyer ranch.
  • "Chop Top" Sawyer: The hitchhiker's twin brother and Leatherface's older one, Chop Top appears just as insane as his twin and has a metal plate, which he enjoys picking at, installed in his head due to an injury sustained in the Vietnam War; Chop-Top appears in the second film and short film All American Massacre, which centers around him.
  • Great Grandma: First mentioned by Drayton in the second film, who states "Oh Great Grandma in chainsaw heaven!"; her skeletal corpse is later seen in chainsaw heaven, which is actually a macabre shrine hidden in the amusement park what remains of the Sawyers live in the second film

Played by Jim Siedow, Drayton Sawyer is the eldest brother of the Sawyer clan which consisted of Leatherface, Chop Top and Edward Sawyer in the first two Texas Chainsaw Massacre films. ... The Hitchhiker, also known as Nubbins, is a character from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series. ... Grandpa Sawyer is a fictional character from the 1974 horror film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. ... In the Texas Chainsaw Massacre series of films, Robert Sawyer, aka Chop Top, is Leatherfaces older brother. ... All American Massacre is a film by William Hooper, son of Tobe Hooper, the director of the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre. ...

Family members from later films

After The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, in which the bulk of the Sawyer family apparently meet their demise, several other members of Leatherface's family are introduced in the next two films; though due to some continuity discrepancies, it remains vague as to whether or not Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III and Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, and the family members that appear in them, are canon to the first two films of the series.


Introduced in Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III

  • Little Girl: Leatherface's unnamed daughter, apparently conceived from the rape of one his victims; she carries around a deformed doll (possibly a dead child), called "Sally" (a possible reference to Sally Hardesty) with her. Her fate in the film is unrevealed.
  • Eddie "Tex" Sawyer: A cowboy and brother of Leatherface, Eddie completely despises his real name for unknown reasons and prefers to be called "Tex", and goes into a rage when referred to be his true name. Eddie is killed when set ablaze by survivalist Benny.
  • Tinker Sawyer: Another brother of Leatherface, he has a hook in place of a right hand and an affinity for machines and technology. Tech is apparently killed when Benny opens fire on the families' house with an automatic rifle, blasting two of Tech's fingers off, as well as an ear (though his death is never explicitly shown, so its possible he survived his injuries).
  • Mama Sawyer: Leatherface's mother, Mama is an aged, paraplegic bound to a wheelchair, she also has an electronic voice box. When Benny begins to blast the families' house with an automatic rifle, Mama dies after taking several shots to the chest and head as Tech watches on in horror.
  • Alfredo Sawyer: Another brother of Leatherface, he appears to be highly demented and has a speech impediment. Alfredo is killed near the end of the movie when attacking Michelle with a sledgehammer in his pickup truck, she grabs his shotgun lying on the truck's floor and blasts him, his last words being "What are the chances a brainless bitch like you knows how to use that thing?"

Sally Hardesty (October 15, 1950 in Garland, Texas - February 11, 1977 in Texas) is a fictional character, the heroine of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. ...

Introduced in Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation

  • Vilmer Sawyer: The proprieter of a tow truck service, Vilmer is Leatherface's seventh brother and an agent of the Illuminati; Vilmer dies after having his head hit by an airplane propeller. Vilmer possesses a highly advanced robotic leg, making him a cyborg.
  • Darla Sawyer: Vilmer's crazed and abused wife and Leatherface's sister-in-law, like her husband she works for the Illumanity to spread horror and fear for vague and unexplained reasons.
  • W.E. Sawyer: Vilmer and Leatherface's cousin, who, like his relatives, is insane and works with the Illuminati; W.E.'s fate is unknown, as his head is bashed in by Vilmer and he does not appear again for the rest of the film. In the prologue of Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3, another W.E. Sawyer is mentioned as confessing to Leatherface's crimes and for doing so, was executed; whether these two W.E.'s are the same character is unrevealed. A W.E. Sawyer is mentioned by the hitchhiker in the non-canon Jason vs. Leatherface comic mini-series, with the manner he uses the name implicating that he is referring to Drayton.
  • Grandpa: Seen only in the scene in which Vilmer, Darla and Leatherface are eating dinner with a captive, this second Grandpa is unnamed and perfectly mobile; not much is revealed about his character.

For other uses, see Illuminati (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Cyborg (disambiguation). ... W.E. Sawyer is a fictional character from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre series of films and spin-off media. ...

Other characters

  • Sally Hardesty – Sally was the survivor of the original film, but she is believed to have died in a mental hospital after her ordeal. The character returned for a cameo in the fourth film, where she is seen alive, being wheeled through a hospital on a gurney. However, the credits listed her as "Anonymous". Sally, in the original script, was also pregnant at the time of the "ordeal," but this is never mentioned in the movies.
  • Lefty Enright – male hero of the second film. He is the uncle of Sally and Franklin. He in a way was the one who was responsible for the death of Drayton. After he shoved a Chainsaw through Leatherface's abdomen, Leatherface accidentally hit Drayton who was holding a primed Grenade.
  • Vanita Brocks – The main character in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. She escapes the Sawyer family in time for their hide out to explode (thanks to Drayton) which supposely kills the family. Chop Top follows her and is horribly attacked by him, using a straight razor until she grabs a chainsaw and attacks him with it, knocking him over an edge and falling down into the abandoned theme park (where the family lived). In Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, Vanita makes a cameo appearance as a news reporter, her identity being confirmed in DVD commentary.
  • Michelle – The main female protagonist of Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III, Michelle, while en route to California with her companion Ryan to return a car to her father, encounters Leatherface and his deranged family. With help from Benny, Michelle escapes from the family's swamp home.
  • Benny – An ex-Marine and survivalist, Benny appears Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III; after his car crashes into Michelle and Ryan's, who were fleeing from Leatherface's family, Benny aids the two in trying to escape, successfully killing several members of the family. In the rated edition of the film, Benny, along with Michelle, survives and escapes, though in the unrated edition and Leatherface comics, he is killed by Leatherface.
  • Jenny – The main female protagonist of Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation, Jenny, after fleeing from a high school prom after witnessing her boyfriend cheating on her, encounters Leatherface and his family after ending up in a car accident. Spending the bulk of the film trying to escape from the family, Jenny is eventually saved by the enigmatic Agent Rothman. The unrated edition DVD of the film reveals somewhat more on Jenny, showing that she is routinely abused by her step-father.
  • Rothman – A member (or possibly the leader) of a government organization or cult, Rothman appears in Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation as the boss of the Sawyer family. After discovering that Leatherface and his family are "breaking the rules" he has set for them, Rothman decides to shut them down, ordering Vilmer to be assasinated and rescuing Jenny from him. In a brief scene of the film, Rothman is depicted as having a large amount of scar tissue and wounds covering the bulk of his upper body.

Sally Hardesty (October 15, 1950 in Garland, Texas - February 11, 1977 in Texas) is a fictional character, the heroine of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre. ... For other uses, see Chainsaw (disambiguation). ... Grenade may refer to: The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ...

Remake series

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

Directed by Marcus Nispel, produced by Michael Bay and distributed by New Line Cinema, this film was loosely based on the events of the first film, yet for the most part followed a different storyline. For example, instead of picking up Leatherface's psychotic brother, the doomed teenagers instead come upon a traumatized survivor who shoots herself in their van. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2003 film, a re-imagining of the 1974 film The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. ... Marcus Nispel is a film director, who was born in Frankfurt, Germany in 1964. ... Michael Benjamin Bay (born February 17, 1965) is an American film director and producer. ... New Line Cinema, founded in 1967, is one of the major American film studios. ...


The film also gave a backstory to Leatherface's character, giving him a real name (Thomas Brown Hewitt) and a possible reason for wearing his skinmask, a skin disease that caused his nose to rot off.


The film had a mixed reaction from fans of the originals and critics, but it was financially successful enough to warrant a prequel.


Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

A prequel to the remake was released in 2006, and explored the roots of Leatherface's family and delved into their past. Leatherface's first mask is featured, as well as his first chainsaw murder. A variation of the infamous dinner scene, omitted from the remake, was included here. This film, as of January 4, 2007 has made $49 million worldwide.[1]


A third film featuring the remake's continuity was rumored to have been planned, but producer Brad Fuller has recently said that they have absolutely no plans in the future to continue the franchise and for them it's finished.[2]


Characters

The Hewitts.
The Hewitts.
  • Leatherface (Real name Thomas Brown Hewitt in the remake series) – The only character to appear in the original series as well as the remake series thus far.
  • Sheriff Hoyt – Sheriff Hoyt was a character from the 2003 remake of the original and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. He is Leatherface's brother/surrogate uncle and Luda May's son. He has been referred to as "Junior". His real name is Charlie Hewitt, but he took on the identity of the town's local sheriff after murdering him. He is portrayed by R. Lee Ermey.
  • Luda May – A character from the 2003 remake of the original and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. She is Leatherface's adoptive mother, discovering the baby abandoned in a dumpster after his real mother died giving birth. While she is not as psychotic as the rest of her family, she has a fierce love for her son and the cruelty that he faced as a child from his peers serves as her hatred of the teenagers.
  • Old Monty – Old Monty was a character from the 2003 remake of the original and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. He is the uncle of Leatherface and Sheriff Hoyt. His exact role is unknown, with various people working on the film speculating that he is either Luda May's brother or husband. He is portrayed by Terrence Evans.
  • Henrietta Hewitt – Henrietta is a character from the 2003 remake of the original and sister of Leatherface. She lives in a trailer not far from the Hewitt house and takes care of the babies taken from the slaughtered families. She was not present in the prequel.
  • Jedidah Hewitt – Jedidah is a character from the 2003 remake of the original. He is a deformed child that, despite his rather abnormal appearance, does not share the sadistic tendencies of his family. He tried to help Erin and her friends escape Leatherface. Leatherface supposedly killed him after this, but the scene was deemed too intense and scrapped. Luda May is referred to as his grandmother, but the writers of the film hint on the DVD commentary that he is one of the children from the victims' families that was raised by the Hewitts. He was not present in the prequel. In the novelization of the film, Jedidah is killed by Leatherface and it is referred to that he was the younger brother of the girl who committed suicide prior to being 'adopted' by the Hewitts.
  • The Tea Lady – Her real name unknown, this morbidly obese woman doesn't live with the Hewitts but rather with Henrietta in a small trailer home outside the house. Its unclear if she has engaged in any acts of the Hewitts' sadism and cannibalism, although she and Henrietta have lovingly referred to Leatherface as a "poor, sweet boy". It is not known if she is related to the Hewitts.
  • Erin Hardesty – Erin was the survivor of the remake. She's responsible for chopping off Leatherface's arm and killing Sheriff Hoyt by running him over with his car. The novelization states that her last name is 'Hardesty', a reference to the heroine of the 1974 original.
  • Chrissie – Chrissie is the main character of the prequel to the remake. She manages to escape from the Hewitts only to get murdered by Leatherface in the backseat of a car.

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 249 × 292 pixelsFull resolution (249 × 292 pixel, file size: 137 KB, MIME type: image/png) The Hewitt Family from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 249 × 292 pixelsFull resolution (249 × 292 pixel, file size: 137 KB, MIME type: image/png) The Hewitt Family from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake. ... Leatherface is a fictional character in the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. ... Sheriff Hoyt was a character from the 2003 remake of the 1974 classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. ... Ronald Lee Ermey (born March 24, 1944) is a former U.S. Marine Corps drill instructor and later Golden Globe-nominated actor, often playing the roles of authority figures, such as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, Mayor Tilman in the Alan Parker film Mississippi Burning and Sheriff Hoyt... Luda May Hewitt was a character from the 2003 remake of the 1974 classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. ... Old Monty was a character from the 2003 remake of the 1974 classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. ... Leatherface is a fictional character in the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. ... Sheriff Hoyt was a character from the 2003 remake of the 1974 classic The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and its prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. ... Terrence Evans is an actor who has appeared in a number of television and movie roles since 1977. ...

The Comics

There have been numerous comics adaptations and tie-ins to Texas Chainsaw Massacre series. Among them are an adaption for the third movie and a crossover with the Friday the 13th series, with Leatherface fighting Jason Voorhees. The popularity of the The Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series and its main character, Leatherface led to several comic books based on the franchise. ... DVD cover for Friday the 13th (1980) Friday the 13th is a popular series of American slasher films. ... Jason Voorhees is a fictional character from the Friday the 13th series of slasher films. ...


Both Avatar comics and Wildstorm Comics have published comics based on the remake's continuity. Whereas Avatar featured comics that took place during some unidentifed time prior to the first film and added little to the film's mythos, the Wildstorm comics take place a year after the remake's end and has Leatherface and his family on the run from the police. Avatar Press company logo. ... Wildstorm Wildstorm Productions, or simply WildStorm, is an American publisher of comic books. ...


Video Games

In 1983 Wizard Video Games released The Texas Chainsaw Massacre as a video game for the Atari 2600, although upon its release was very hard to get, as most shopkeepers and retailers refused to stock it. Those that did kept it hidden out of reach of children. The game was based on the ending, and the player acted as Leatherface, on a mission to hack down as many teens as possible before their chainsaw fuel ran out. Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a video game, based on the film of the same name, released in 1983 by Wizard Video[1] for the Atari 2600. ...


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