Institutional Context - The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Hooper, 1974) - F.L

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Hooper, 1974)

Production:

·      It was produced by Vortex and released in 1974.

·      The film was produced on a budget less than $300,000.

·      The cast consisted of relatively unknown actors who were found in central Texas, where the film was shot.

·      The limited budget required Hooper to film for long hours, seven days a week, this was so he could finish quickly and reduced equipment rental costs.

·      The plot was based on serial killer Ed Gein (in 1950’s from Wisconsin).

·      The concept for the film arose in the early 1970’s whilst Hooper was working as an assistant film director and documentary cameraman at the University of Texas at Austin.

·      It was mainly shot using a Eclair NPR 16mm camera.

·      Most of the filming took place in the farmhouse, which was filled with furniture made from animal bones and latex material.

·      The special effects were limited due to the small budget. The on-screen blood was real in some cases due to difficulties with getting blood to come out of its tube.

Distribution:

·      Due to the films violent content, Hooper struggled to find a distributor.

·      Eventually, Louis Perano from Bryanston Pictures purchased the distribution rights.

·      It was distributed worldwide, and premiered in Austin, Texas.

·      It was falsely marketed as a “true story” therefore attracting a larger audience.

·      It was promoted by full-page ads.

·      The film eventually grossed more than $30 million in the US and Canada, making it the 12^th highest grossing film.

·      However, among independent films it was overtaken in by Halloween (Carpenter 1978), which grossed $47 million.

·      After it’s initial British release, it was then banned on advice of the BBFC, however in 1998 the film was granted a licence, and the following year it was passed with a certificate of an 18.