This legendary indie gem builds up atmosphere like no other horror film. There's not much substance to it really but it is weird and creepy. It's like a cross between Deliverance and Psycho. The way the film is shot gives it a weird pseudo-documentary vibe which plays well into this sort of genre. There are some iconic scenes in this including the "family dinner" and the run through the wheat field. Good effort that could not be replicated with the shoddy sequels.

I dug the low-budget feel and to recognize most of the genre conventions, by now done to death, at this early stage was intriguing. A slasher film, no matter how scary, sleazy, atmospherically photographed or what-have-you, is only as effective as its killer, and Leatherface is one of the best. The silly "Grandpa scene" almost derailed the, until then, bloody fun proceedings but, luckily, the film gets back on track. A horror classic, and deservedly so.

Among the most effective horror movies ever made. It's dirty, grimy, and shocking without being overly graphic. The sets are well-done, and the Leatherface homestead is a classic and imaginative horror locale. The documentary style works to great effect.

I found this movie surprisingly entertaining. I enjoyed it much more than the remake. At numerous points I could not stop laughing out loud. Particularly when the main characters stop at the rural Texas gas station. Priceless!

81.750

Pioneering or not, this film is only geared towards the weak-hearted. It's not all that terrifying, and several of its contemporaries simply blow it out of the water. It's a slightly entertaining budget flick that has aged terribly and simply isn't shocking enough or well-made enough to accomplish any sort of effect it might originally have possessed a semblance of. Even films such as The Evil Dead retain some of their campy charm, this one has just stagnated to the point of irrelevance.

Mistakes - 1) When Leatherface grabs Pam you can see him carry her in the door twice during the shots. 2) After Sally has run back to the service station for refuge from Leatherface, there is a broom by the door, which changes position a couple of times during the scene.

Despite its infamy, this white-knuckle shocker isn't as graphically violent as it's reputed to be but relies instead on sound, editing, and breakneck pacing to create its unforgettable horror and suspense. After a slow start, it begins to masterfully tighten the screws and never lets up until the final frame; this baby can cause you to break out in a sweat even when seen in the dead of winter. Definitely Hooper's finest hour, and it's narrated by John Larroquette!

234

Boring. Most of it consists of people walking through the woods calling out the names of people already murdered.

The original, a classic horror movie that is still scaring the crap outta kids 30 years later. Awesome

Terrifying and yet practically bloodless. I have no explanation for what happened to Tobe Hooper after this movie.

Subtracted a point for the wheelchair dude who was really annoying.

The prolific loss of human life in this film should warrant the horror tag but seeing the teens unsubstantial & ignorant personalities literally shredded apart by an anonymous assailant seemed more cathartic than anything else. Given the sexploitation aspect of TCM and the members of the family of 'Leatherface' (the syphilitic father, LF is the violent AIDS virus) the film could be an aggressive allegory for teens to invest in intelligence rather than ill-chosen instinct when 'looking for gas'