Would the 'Texas Chain Saw Massacre' be as popular a movie if it had came out with a different title? I think most would agree 'no'. But just how important is it? 'Leatherface' just wouldn't erm....cut it, as a title I feel!
I guess it's all about the movie being the sum of it's parts. The more I think about it the more it seems just as important as everything else to do with the film. What do others think?
Well, it's not exclusive to this movie, but all movies: Titles/posters/artwork are the biggest factors in getting someone to check out a movie. But that's just the initial response, I mean "Wicker Man" is another cult horror film from that time. The title hardly gets your attention... OOoooOOohhh a man made of wicker?! This I gotta see. In spite of the lack of shocking title, a cult following was developed. The title is a great way to get attention, but if it was a *beep* film, we wouldn't be talking about it now.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre is pretty to the point, you get a pretty solid idea what the film is about in 3 words.
I was just a kid around 12 years of age when this movie first came out, and I remember seeing it's ads in the local newspaper. There was a full page advertisement of the movie, with a big message warning box that blocked out the movie's image. The message stated something about the movie's content being so disturbing, that they felt, for the readers' well-being, to only display the title of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" in the ad, which was done in large bold letters. I was too young at the time to realize this was a ploy by the advertisers to attract curious movie viewers, and was unnerved at the violence the movie's title implied.
I was unable to see this movie due to it's "R" rating, but didn't care, as I was terrified at the thought of seeing it. It was a different time back then, and we hadn't been inundated with Jason, Michael, and Freddy yet. Yes, the title was definitely an attention getter for me, and I assume many others.
If Tobe Hooper would have based it more on Ed Gein, it would have been called The Wisconsin Chain Saw Massacre.
But since he wanted to make it about a family of murderous Hillbillies, he went with Texas because most Americans associate Hillbillies with the South and not so much with the Midwest. This film came out only two years after Deliverance. The 1970s was all about portraying Southern White people as the scary boogeymen.
Maybe, but Hooper is also from Texas, so he'd have a better understanding of the culture and landscape than he would Wisconsin's.
shareIt was also based on a serial killer from Houston.
shareThe Wisconsin Weedwhacker Massacre
shareAnyone from "flyover country" is now scary to Hollywood.
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I don't think it would have been as popular. Probably the biggest reason is the movie's promotion claiming it to be a true story. THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE is the kind of title we'd likely see in a newspaper headline, so it really adds to the realism.
http://www.freewebs.com/demonictoys/
I doubt the title "Headcheese" would have sold well.
shareBest. Title. Ever.
Only "Frankenhooker" comes close in terms of truth-in-advertising.
While all you said is true, for me it was the other way around.
The title made me not want to see the movie for the last 35 years. I just saw it yesterday, and it was better, more subtle, more artistic, and more atmospheric than the title would imply.
Great movie.
When you think about it, the term Chainsaw Massacre isn't the most accurate thing. Only Franklin is killed by a chainsaw. Nobody else is. It's hardly a Massacre, one guy. And even then, the chainsaw killing wasn't the graphic, gore-filled torture porn scene you'd imagine. It was more Leatherface waved a chainsaw whilst standing near him, cut to next scene.
I know Leatherface brandished the chainsaw later on, for the scenes with Sally being chased. I guess they can't call it A Bunch Of Cannibals Kill People In A Variety Of Different Ways, Then At The End The Guy With The Chainsaw Chases A Woman.
Only Franklin is killed by a chainsaw
A better title than the Wyoming Weedwhacker Massacre.
shareAccording to Joe Bob, the most offensive word in the title was Texas.
shareGreat post.
The title of a film is very important for the marketing, enticing cinema goers and ultimately becoming culturally relevant.
I agree. Also, the film indicates that the family killed a lot more people before the teens came around. Leatherface had his chainsaw out for Kirk so I'm assuming he's been using a chainsaw for a while.
shareYeah I'm thinking "The Search for Franklin's Granddaddies House" wouldn't have gone over as well. So wise choice on the title.
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