MovieChat Forums > The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) Discussion > What was the deal with "Grandpa?"

What was the deal with "Grandpa?"

posted 3 months ago by AdamSephens (83)
8 replies | jump to latest

was he a zombie?

a vampire?

actually dead but being manipulated/moved around by the others?

[–] [deleted] 3 months ago

You know as much as anyone else does.

I take it he's just a decrepit old cannibal. This movie has no supernatural aspects so I don't think he's a 'zombie' or 'vampire', and he's not dead because he moves himself, he's just a really old man with one foot in grave.

[–] hurricane (1960) 3 months ago

The first film tends to go with little explanation of the villains, thus making them more mysterious and unknown. Often this is seen as scarier in horror movies.

They weren't going for back story in the original. It wasn't until the sequels that we even got to know the real names of the villains.

Consequently, Grandpa got no real explanation other than just being there. I probably prefer it that way. Adds to the sense of confusion and panic in this film.

[–] millsey72 (10283) 3 months ago

Not me. I prefer getting a full back story on each character. I don't like to use my imagination when watching a movie and want everything spoon fed to me.

[–] DoctorThirteen (13995) 3 months ago

'I take it he's just a decrepit old cannibal. This movie has no supernatural aspects so I don't think he's a 'zombie' or 'vampire', and he's not dead because he moves himself, he's just a really old man with one foot in grave.'

That's how I take it.

[–] tb1976 (128) 3 months ago

Well, it's implied in the earlier parts of the film that the family were into some kind of (maybe voodoo, backwoods) witchcraft with them robbing graves and the sign the hitchiker made on the side of the van with his own blood, and the bones hanging from the celing in the Hardesy farm house. There also seemed to be bones arranged as cryptic symbols in the actual family's home as well. So while there is no real supernatural backstory there, perhaps there could be some low key 'magic' that influenced the longivity of their lives, maybe?

[–] DoctorThirteen (13995) 3 months ago

Interesting point.

[–] Legend (49) 3 months ago

He's a scary old man. But possibly exaggerated.

I remember reading in a book about horror movies, they said that the film has a "touch of the supernatural." So by this do they mean that Grandpa is possibly supernatural in some way?

[–] tb1976 (128) 3 months ago

I always did think that perhaps there was some very controlled magic at play here; not enough for this film to take place in the real world -- bones arranged in cryptic ways, the old laughing man in the cemetery saying "I see things". Also, there is the astronomy that Pam seemed to be into.