Where am I starting? What I currently assume to be the beginning: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Number of Travelers: Five teens.
Destination: A cemetery that has been recently desecrated. Two of the teens have a grandfather who had been buried there, and they arrive to insure his remains were unharmed. Afterwards, the group travel to the abandoned homestead of said grandfather and chill. The other three are all just along for the ride.
Tragic Flaw to be Punished: The idea of sex and drugs equaling death had not yet been set up. While the kids are not portrayed as paradigms of integrity, nothing they do in the movie can be directly linked to the storm that follows. Each character is equally unlikeable.
Nature of Evil: A family of cannibals. One of whom wears a mask of skin and wields a chain saw. They live in isolation with only a single gas station as a beacon of civilization. Unfortunately, the station is run by the head of said family. This family in turn inspired the films of Rob Zombie, who romanticized his villains a bit much for my taste.
Dashed Hopes and Dreams: None of the teens express any interest in the future.
Final Survivors: One final girl.
Fate of Evil: As far as the story is concerned, the family lives on to terrify again. The final scene involves Leatherface swinging his chain saw wildly in the middle of the road.
Iconic moment: When I watched this in a theater last weekend, the audience clapped when Leatherface made his entrance – clubbing the first victim on the head and slapping his metal door shut. But for me, I love the slow tracking shots that follow characters as they roam about the area – often following at ass-level.
Ironic Understatement: "If I have any more fun today, I don't think I can take it."
What stands out: It was the first (as far as I can tell). It was a visceral, unrelenting attack on innocent people who were just minding their own business. The evil seemed to enjoy their tormenting so much. And the violence was/is so graphic.
Its Weakness: The characters are paper-thin and barely stand out from each other. Only the poor shlub in the wheelchair has any real personality.
Final Verdict: This movie is a visceral, disturbing romp through an endless sweaty afternoon and a terrifying night. Clearly, that’s the appeal. There is little more terrifying than watching someone being chased through the night by a lunatic with a chain saw. Perhaps there was also something in the fact that the killers are generally older than the victims. And the murderous activities were being passed down from generation to generation. A creepy observation by the filmmakers.
Part of my exploration will be an attempt to find their literary precedent. Surely, this type of story was not born out of seventies exploitation. I am beginning with ancient Greek mythc – particularly any journeys to the Underworld (i.e. Orpheus). However, the major difference with using ancient myths as the precedent is the fact that those embarking on the journey always know what they are in for as they set out. They are never surprised to find something evil on their mission. They also set-out with the set purpose to face said evil. In addition to that, the hero usually defeats the evil and survives – only to encounter a terrible fate later.
This genre really did seem to come out of nowhere. No rhyme or reason to the death. No lessons to be learned. The only warning the audience receives is the title (and those opening shots of the corpses). Texas Chain Saw Massacre emphasized the randomness of death.
What stands out: It was the first (as far as I can tell). It was a visceral, unrelenting attack on innocent people who were just minding their own business. The evil seemed to enjoy their tormenting so much. And the violence was/is so graphic.
Its Weakness: The characters are paper-thin and barely stand out from each other. Only the poor shlub in the wheelchair has any real personality.
Final Verdict: This movie is a visceral, disturbing romp through an endless sweaty afternoon and a terrifying night. Clearly, that’s the appeal. There is little more terrifying than watching someone being chased through the night by a lunatic with a chain saw. Perhaps there was also something in the fact that the killers are generally older than the victims. And the murderous activities were being passed down from generation to generation. A creepy observation by the filmmakers.
Part of my exploration will be an attempt to find their literary precedent. Surely, this type of story was not born out of seventies exploitation. I am beginning with ancient Greek mythc – particularly any journeys to the Underworld (i.e. Orpheus). However, the major difference with using ancient myths as the precedent is the fact that those embarking on the journey always know what they are in for as they set out. They are never surprised to find something evil on their mission. They also set-out with the set purpose to face said evil. In addition to that, the hero usually defeats the evil and survives – only to encounter a terrible fate later.
This genre really did seem to come out of nowhere. No rhyme or reason to the death. No lessons to be learned. The only warning the audience receives is the title (and those opening shots of the corpses). Texas Chain Saw Massacre emphasized the randomness of death.
No comments:
Post a Comment