In the pantheon of horror films, there is one that reigns supreme for its raw, almost amateur like excellence. Sure, there are a lot of independent horror movies that have become cult classics, but only a few can stand on their own as being titans of the genre. Leading the exclusive pack is “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Fifty-one years after its initial release, it’s coming back to theaters for one night only, and die-hard fans can probably guess the day and month it’s happening.
Following narration from John Larroquette, movie goers were treated to the “real” events that would, as he put it, “lead to the discovery of one of the most bizarre crimes in the annals of American history, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” That day in question was August 18th, 1973. Of course, the events weren’t ACTUALLY real, but the 1974 film was gritty enough to give audiences a gruesome American horror experience.
Fathom Events is partnering with participating theaters to bring “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” to the big screen in 4K. Coupled with the film will be a sneak peek of the documentary “Chain Reactions.” The cleverly titled project chronicles the impact of the film on other writers and creators, including Stephen King and Takashi Miike amongst others. Writer and director Tobe Hooper brought something very visceral to the world of horror and this is definitely one rip-roaring way to celebrate it.
It’s also a tribute to Hooper whom we lost back in 2017. A few months ago, we reported that his film, “Lifeforce” was getting a 4K release. It was one of those pieces of news we couldn’t have been happier about considering how underappreciated Hooper’s career was following the controversy over who actually directed “Poltergeist.” If all you’ve ever seen are the myriad sequels and remakes of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” do yourself a favor and get your tickets for August 18th. Leatherface will thank you.
