The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the perfect horror movie. The movie has the perfect title. What is not to like about that title? Growing up in southeast-south central Arkansas, I can relate with the nature of the beast. The environment of the movie was a rural nightmare. The heat, humidity, the grime, and the pure hellish mood of the film made it feel like you were right in the thick of it. This horror classic is so realistic! I could actually believe something like this happening. The TCM series has continued under different vices. Part 2 was an over the top sequel filled with black humor and gore with Leatherface falling head over heels in love or just became super horny. The third one had the feel of it being filmed in California but with a damn terrifying Leatherface who seemed to be going through some teenage angst. The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre (The Next Generation) had the feel of a good old cheap drive-inn movie with Leatherface discovering his feminine side. The remake in 2003 has Leatherface getting revenge against the outside world with his family egging him on to further their agenda. I will just skip “The Beginning!” Texas Chainsaw Massacre (74) made the peaceful rural countryside into an unsafe place in 1974 and it still has that affect today. I have made countless friends watch the classic. Now they are scared to death to go down an old country gravel road. How awesome is that? Plus it protects all of my fishing spots.
Moving along to Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D, I am looking forward to it. At first, I thought “My Cousin Leatherface” might not be so interesting and made fun of the premise of the movie. When more and more info came out about the project I started to change my tune. It seems like a “saw” (There is only one “Saw” and it’s not that damn movie about that wussy Jigsaw but a movie called Texas Chainsaw Massacre!) movie I have been waiting for years to see. From the first time I watched the movies when I was a kid in the early 80’s, I wanted a story that took place right after the last scene and moved along to the current times. After praying to the drive-inn gods, this has come true. The only concern I have is about the director since I have not liked any of his other movies but I am rooting for the guy. Dan Yeager is a great choice for Leatherface. He has been very friendly to all the fans on Facebook by answering questions and even being nice to fans asking questions that they know Dan can’t answer. Some people have complained that Leatherface will be too old in the new movie. Nonsense! We don’t know the age of Leatherface in 1974. He could have been a really chubby 15 year-old cannibal trying to protect his home. Hell, I was already 6ft 4 at that age. 37 plus 15 for example would make him a mean lean (Have you seen a picture of Dan? Great shape and he plays an older man) 52 year-old Leatherface. 50‘s is the new 40’s. I hope to see many more movies from the series.
In a weird way I could always relate to Ol’ Leatherface. I was raised in the rural south with a messed up family. I lived with my grandparents (my grandfather was nice) and my uncle. To make things worse I ended up having a weird birthmark on my face and later after surgery, a huge scare replaced the birthmark. My grandmother came from a weird family from Drew, County Arkansas. The family was very abusive and not kind to anybody with a twisted idea of Christianity. Weird thing was that they were dirt famers and butchers. My grandmother and my uncle tried to install hate and fear in me of other people. Lock me up in closets all day long and beat me with switches. At one point, they tried to make me grow long hair to try to hide the scar. On top of all these problems, I had a speech problem, was considered very shy and I was a foot taller than most kids my age. Not a great combination and early on I took out my anger on the ones who attempted to torture me until I was around 12 years-old. What was the point of beating up somebody? I was just like them if I turn around and beat the living crap out of them. I am not saying I would not defend myself, because I would but I would not strike in anger any longer. I took a lot of abuse from home and at school. When I was around 14 I was taking care of myself at home since no one was around much and everything change for good. My abusive grandmother was placed in a nursing home, my uncle left the house and my grandfather decided to marry some woman in the county over. My mother was living a quite normal life elsewhere but I was not involved in those plans. Being alone in the old farmhouse set fourth challenges for me. I had to make decisions for myself but life was a lot better. Things at school were better, and I was able to make a bad situation into a good one. I made some dumb decisions but those were basically dumb teenage type stuff. One thing was for sure, I never got into nor did I ever even try drugs. I went to school and graduated. At this moment in my life I am married with a wonderful two year old who I will cherish and love forever. I will always do my best for him and help him with his dreams. I have two college degrees including a Master’s degree and I am in the field of education. I can always relate to Leatherface because of his family. My immediate family was so full of hate but I made the decision not to hate but to enjoy my life. It will be curious to see how Leatherface has changed due to him making his own decisions in the new movie. It looks like he still likes to chase people with chainsaws and maybe put people on meat hooks.
I hope that I can host the panel for Texas Chainsaw Massacre series this next July at a certain convention. I was told I could but I don’t know if they will still let me or maybe going in a different direction. The whole series is a lot of fun so check out it for Halloween if you have not watched it.
PS Thanks to the girl at the old Flick in Pine Bluff Arkansas who let me sneak in to watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. You ruled and I really liked your Joan Jett hairdo back in the day.
© 2011-2014 Shawnster the Monster Shawn D Patrick
