The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

Director:

Marcus Nispel

Writers (WGA):

Kim Henkel (1974 screenplay) and
Tobe Hooper (1974 screenplay) ...

Release Date:

17 October 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Inspired by a True Story

Plot:

A group of friends passing through are stalked and hunted down by a deformed killer with a chainsaw in order to sustain his poor family who can only afford to eat what they kill.

Plot Keywords:

Extreme Gore | Death | Extreme | Hung By Hook | Brutal Violence

Awards:

4 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Jessica Biel	...	Erin
Jonathan Tucker	...	Morgan
Erica Leerhsen	...	Pepper
Mike Vogel	...	Andy
Eric Balfour	...	Kemper
Andrew Bryniarski	...	Thomas Hewitt (Leatherface)
R. Lee Ermey	...	Sheriff Hoyt
David Dorfman	...	Jedidiah
Lauren German	...	Teenage Girl
Terrence Evans	...	Old Monty
Marietta Marich	...	Luda May
Heather Kafka	...	Henrietta
Kathy Lamkin	...	Tea Lady in Trailer
Brad Leland	...	Big Rig Bob
Mamie Meek	...	Clerk

MPAA:

Rated R for strong horror violence/gore, language and drug content.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Taiwan:R-18 | Mexico:C | Iceland:16 | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Portugal:M/18 | Australia:MA | Brazil:18 | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | Germany:18 (nf) | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #39964) | Argentina:16 | Chile:14

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

A deleted subplot detailed Erin being pregnant, which was why, when they went to Mexico, she didn't "drink the water" or "smoke the weed", as they talked about in the final cut.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the beginning of the movie, when the kids are driving in the van and they hit a bump, the body of the dead girl falls over onto the floor of the van, yet when they stop at the mill, the body is seen sitting up in the back of the van.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Narrator: The film which you are about to see is an account of the tragedy which befell a group of 5 youths. It is all the more tragic in that they were young. But had they lived very, very long lives, they could not have expected, nor would they have wished to see as much of the mad and macabre as they were to see that day...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fear of Clowns (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

A Part of Me

An almost equal remake of the greatest horror film of all time

When I first read in Fangoria magazine that there was going to be a remake of my favorite horror film, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", I was more than a little upset. I was downright p***ed. Then I saw the trailer, and it actually looked scary... damn scary. But I didn't keep my expectations too high because this was a Hollywood remake of an independent horror classic.

Man, was I surprised!!! This movie kicked ass! But in totally different - and yet some of the same - ways that the original did. For example; in the original there was practically no gore (with the exception of Leatherface accidentally slicing some meat off his own leg), but the scares came more from the suspense and psychological horror and torture the victims were subjected to. Whereas the remake supplies plenty of gore (not an exploitative amount though) that is used to disturb and scare us. Also there was always an overwhelming sense of dread for what was to become of the victims in the original masterpiece. And the remake keeps that same sense throughout the whole film.

The acting in the first "Chainsaw" was pretty good for an independent horror film in the 70's, but this one's got it beat. Jessica Biel is superb as a scream queen. The supporting cast is very effective also.

All in all, this is a perfect horror film. And while it may not replace the original as my favorite... it definitely places in my top ten of horror. I only hope the "Dawn of the Dead" remake fairs as well (although, with running and jumping zombies instead of slow and lumbering, I have my doubts).

1) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

2) The Evil Dead

3) Dawn of the Dead (1978)

4) Re-Animator

5) Return of the Living Dead

6) Day of the Dead

7) The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

8) Zombie

9) Cannibal Holocaust

10) From Dusk till Dawn