The Screaming and Cannibalism of 1974’s ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ [Horror Queers Podcast]

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Slaughterhouse Rules.

Back in mid-September, we began a themed collection of episodes featuring Gay Icons and Anniversaries. Trace and I kicked off the series with a revisit of  Jennifer’s Body (listen) before delving into Jonathan Glazer’s controversial Birth (listen), and David Fincher’s Gone Girl (listen) for its 10th anniversary.

Now it’s time to tackle the 50th anniversary of Tobe Hooper‘s classic text, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. It’s a film that hardly needs an introduction, but in case folks have never seen it, the film follows a van full of teenagers travelling through Texas to ensure the resting site of a relative hasn’t been disturbed by a recent wave of grave robberies. 

Of course what they do is run afoul of a family of men who have resorted to murder and cannibalism following the closure of the slaughterhouse. With masked killer Leatherface doing most of the heavy lifting, the teens are quickly and brutally dispatched until only Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns) is left to scream and run until dawn.

Who will survive and what will be left of them indeed!

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Episode 303: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) feat. Rachel Reeves

Rev that chainsaw and break a window (or two) because we are celebrating Tobe Hooper’s classic film, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974).

Hitching a ride in the van is The Losers’ Club and Halloweenies co-host Rachel Reeves, who offers invaluable insight into the sound design of the film.

Plus: defending Franklin, iconic shots, treating people as meat, Leatherface as matriarch, and a lot of screaming.

Oh, and if you want more Ed Gein backstory, check out Joe’s other podcast: Murder Made Fiction!

Cross out The Texas Chain Saw Massacre!

Coming up on Wednesday: The 50th anniversary juggernauts continue as we celebrate the holidays early with Bob Clark’s Black Christmas (1974).

P.S. Subscribe to our Patreon for over 338 hours of Patreon content including this month’s new episodes on Hannibal Season 1 Episode 10, Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby, It’s What’s Inside, Apartment 7A, Salem’s Lot (2024) and, finally, our brand new audio commentary on Wes Craven’s New Nightmare for its 30th anniversary.