What's new

*** Official THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE Discussion Thread (2 Viewers)

Julie K

Screenwriter
Joined
Dec 1, 2000
Messages
1,962
A total bummer in my book. Though both movies are basically the same, I prefer the original DVD as long as I look at it not being a true story.
It was not intended to be a historical documentary. The real inspiration for TCM was a chainsaw display in a crowded store. From Tobe Hooper:

" I was in the Montgomery Ward's out in Capital Plaza. I had been working on this other story for some months — about isolation, the woods, the darkness, and the unknown. It was around holiday season, and I found myself in the Ward's hardware department, and I was still kind of percolating on this idea of isolation and such. And those big crowds have always gotten to me. There were just so many people to go through. And I was just standing there in front of an upright display of chainsaws. And the focus just racked from my eyeball to the people to the saws — and the idea popped. I said, "Ooh, I know how I could get out of this place fast — if I just start one of these things up and make that sound." Of course I didn't. That was just a fantasy."
 

Kevin M

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2000
Messages
5,172
Real Name
Kevin Ray
TCM was never really intended to be the Ed Gein story anyway(nor was Psycho), in the words of Hooper it was basically "what would it be like with a house full of Ed Gein's?".
 

Erik Pontius

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 29, 2000
Messages
50
Maybe, but that'd be a pretty clever twist!
Yeah...like a crazy sicko on a rampage goes to every hardware store smashing chainsaws!

But seriously, I think anyone can say "based on a true story"...Remember the hype with "Fargo"? Besides they never say what "true" story it was based on...they didn't intend to make a doc on Ed.
The original TCM became such legend that people around these parts still think that it was a true story. I don't know how many times I've talked to people around here about the original TCM to hear them say "didn't that happen in Taylor?" or some other small town in Texas...
Odd bit of trivia, but the original TCM house once stood north of Austin, then was picked up and moved to Kingsland, TX and is now a restaurant.

Erik
 

Matt_H

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Oct 22, 2003
Messages
174
I thought the remake was pretty good, not revolutionary but better than most of the horror we get these days.
Texas chainsaw massacre was really only inspired by Ed Gein.Tobe hooper supposedly originally came up with the idea when he was crowded in a store during the holidays and came upon a chainsaw display. He thought it would be great if he could "cut" through the line. Anyways the new movie sharing it's title would lose a huge audience if it didn't have leatherface since he's a horror icon.

little Eddie just can't compete with modern day sickos, either in real-life or in movies.

Huh? your kidding right? I really can't think of anybody sicker than Gein. Just read about what he used to do with the bodies he had(I could go into detail but it's pretty gruesome) and get back to me on that.
 

Julie K

Screenwriter
Joined
Dec 1, 2000
Messages
1,962
Just read about what he used to do with the bodies he had(I could go into detail but it's pretty gruesome) and get back to me on that.
I'd say the crematory operator in Georgia who was in the news a while ago might give him a run...not that Marsh was using the bodies as furniture or decoration, but in terms of sheer numbers....

And also in terms of numbers, having killed 'only' 2 people, Gein doesn't even qualify for the serial killer status.
 

Ruz-El

Fake Shemp
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2002
Messages
12,539
Location
Deadmonton
Real Name
Russell
The ed gein movie wasn't that bad. It was slow, but wasn't overly exploitational (which surprised me). Ed came off as a rather sad individual.

I haven't had a chance to get the new TCM so I haven't seen the documentary yet, but anyone wanting to get a good idea of who Eddie was should pick up the book "Deranged" by Harold Shector. It's a true crime book thats beats pretty near every horror movie or book that I've ever read/seen for nightmares. (Pretty near every Harold Schector book guaranties a restless night.)
 

Matt_H

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Oct 22, 2003
Messages
174
Gein was only proven to kill 2 people but more than 2 bodies were found at his house. All I'm saying is a necrophiliac/cannibal/"Taxidermist" still seems shocking to me some 50 years later. That's really the point I want to make. That Marsh guy just improperly buried the bodies right? It's not like he killed and used them. I think the only modern guy that comes close to Gein is maybe the Green River Killer.

oh and if this post somehow crossed a line I'll happily delete it. Don't want to get banned since I enjoy the board alot.
 

Erik Pontius

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 29, 2000
Messages
50
I think Ed dug up a lot of bodies...only killed two people by his own hand. I think it was a small enough town that if someone went missing...it was noticed. I watched the doc last night, one of his victims had been reported missing for a while, until they found parts of her at Gein's....So I can bet that if anyone had been missing around that time they would have checked his house for them after he was arrested.
Gein doesn't even come close to Dr. H.H. Holmes of Chicago in the late 1800's. They'll never know how many people he killed...maybe hundreds.
http://www.prairieghosts.com/holmes.html
http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial6/holmes/

Erik
 

Ruz-El

Fake Shemp
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2002
Messages
12,539
Location
Deadmonton
Real Name
Russell
Schector wrote a pretty good book on H.H. Holmes as well (I think it was called Depraved, but I'm not to sure.)
 

Matt Heebner

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Messages
241
I think the Jeffrey Dahlmer could definitely give anyone of those guys a run for the sickest psycho. I mean trying to create a "love zombie" by drilling a hole in his victim's head, and pouring in formeldahyde tops out as sickest of the sick.
Also was a cannibale, and keeper of "items".

Matt
 

Eric Huffstutler

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 2, 1999
Messages
1,317
Location
Richmond, VA
Real Name
Eric Huffstutler
And also in terms of numbers, having killed 'only' 2 people, Gein doesn't even qualify for the serial killer status
I don't think it's a matter of how many people he killed. There was a lot of grave robbing he did and recovered the ground to make it look undisturbed hence no one knowing. The gore factor could have been exploited by what he did with the bodies! I mean using skulls for bowls to eat out of, a suit out of human skin, a belt out of female nipples, bones as furniture, etc... Just showing the acts in progress would be enough to gag a maggot! :)

Eric
 
E

Eric Beck

So what you all are saying is that Leatherface and those teens that got killed never exsited? It was all made up?
 

Arnie G

Supporting Actor
Joined
May 29, 2002
Messages
662
Real Name
Arnie Douglas
Next you guys will be saying The Exorcist isn't true either:frowning:
 

Colin Jacobson

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Apr 19, 2000
Messages
13,328
quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next you guys will be saying The Exorcist isn't true either
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


well it was supposedly a boy in real life and took place at the hospital right?

Both Exorcist and Chainsaw have inspirations in real life - neither is a non-fiction movie...
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Articles

Forum statistics

Threads
356,815
Messages
5,123,815
Members
144,184
Latest member
H-508
Recent bookmarks
0
Top