The Ugly Truth About 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Mind_Storm · 10-17-2003, 05:14 AM

http://www.zap2it.com/movies/feature...-19093,00.html

The Ugly Truth About 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'

Wed, Oct 15, 2003, 01:10 PM PT

By Mike Szymanski

New Line is doing a lot these days to scare people these days. Audiences are faced with the ads of horrifying chases through a farm by a maniac with a roaring powertool for "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" -- a remake of the original 1974 slasher classic. Then, people see the chilling tag line that these events are "inspired by a true story."

And although the marketing folks at New Line Cinema point out that word "inspired" is used, lots of people think that there really was a group of teenagers butchered horribly by a guy known as Leatherface in the middle of Texas and that the community hid it from authorities and that 30 or so bodies were found.

Even the press kit starts off: "On August 20th, 1973, police were dispatched to the remote farmhouse of Thomas Hewitt, the former head-skinner at a local slaughterhouse in Travis County, Texas. What they found within the confines of the cryptic residence was the butchered remains of 33 human victims, a chilling discover that shocked and horrified a nation in what many still refer to as the most notorious mass murder case of all time."

Truth is: there was no such murder, there's no such murderer's name and no chainsaw was ever used even in the "inspired by" crimes.

Although filmmaker Tobe Hooper created an incredible myth when he made the film, there are lots of people out there who believe it's all fact. And, there are others trying to correct people's impression that the story happened as it's told by him, or as it's told in the latest movie. The Travis County, Texas authorities, for example, point out that only a handful of murders actually happen outside of their metro city, Austin, and author/historian Tim Harden says his daily queries are tripling now that the myth is being perpetuated again just before the Oct. 17 release of the remake.

"Every day I get e-mails asking about whether this really happened or not," says Harden, who runs the website www.texaschainsawmassacre.net which is not affiliated with the movie. The horror film fan says he gets calls from college students who have found secret information about a series of chainsaw murders, but they never bring him proof. He points out, "The film was released in August of 1974 and the opening states that this happened in August of 1973? August of 1973 is when filming for 'TCM' began. So do you think that Tobe Hooper and company were monitoring a real live 'TCM' and mimicking it for the camera at the same time?"

"Leatherface is as real as Pinocchio," insists another Internet film historian.

The truth is that Hooper was terrified as a child about stories of the Wisconsin murderer Ed Gein, which became legendary and exaggerated. Back on Nov. 17, 1957 police went into Gein's hardware store and followed a terrible smell and found the body of 50-year-old Bernice Worden, the missing mother of one of the police deputies. She was gutted and dangling upside-down like a deer.

Then, they noticed Gein's decor in his house included a bowl made out of a human skull, a suit and an armchair made of human skin, female genitalia kept preserved in a shoebox, a belt made of nipples, a human head, four noses and a heart. He confessed to two murders of women about the age of his overbearing mother, and he is suspected of killing his brother in a fire, but the remaining body parts found at his house -- of an estimated 15 people -- were dug up from a cemetery.

The Gein murders inspired not only "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," but "Psycho, " "Silence of the Lambs," "Don't Go in the House," "Three On a Meathook," "Maniac," "Deranged" and "Ed Gein," starring Steve Railsback as the murderer.

Although he was never called Leatherface, Gein was known to have worn masks of the skins of his victims, but he was a little man, not the towering frightening monster of the movies.

The movie also doesn't go into any of the cannibalism attributed to him, which Gein denied until his death in 1984 in a mental institution at the age of 78.

Meanwhile, New Line is sending out press kits along with dirtied photos of families (supposedly victims), and random jewelry with names on them, a box of Epsom salt used to cauterize one victim's wounds, an evidence bag and a fake blood and hair sample. It's enough to make even the jaded press corp squeamish.

Other fun facts about the movie:

There are three sequels to the original.
The original movie was trying for a PG rating.
The original movie is banned in Great Britain, although it is now shown there, and so will the remake.
The movie was made for $150,000 and made more than $100 million worldwide.
Leatherface was once going to be called "Headcheese" and the name was changed only at the last minute.
No one ever uses the name "Leatherface" in the original or the remake.
Harry Knowles, creator of aintitcoolnews.com, has a cameo as the Victim on the Silver Platter.
"Night Court" star John Laroquette, who was the voice of the narrator in the first movie, reprises his role as the narrator in the remake.

And although this new version seems to have documentary footage in black and white taken of the crime scene, don't believe it. It's just to scare you.

quest1mark · 10-17-2003, 07:11 AM

i caught en early screening of the remake this past monday...i enjoyed it.

Conclamo Ludus · 10-17-2003, 07:47 AM

Interesting article. Thanks for the post. I always wondered how much truth there was to the real events. A lot of friends I know like to freak themselves out about it and keep compounding onto the story as though it is fact. Its funny how urban myths get twisted around, and sometimes the truth is just as shocking but far different from the myth that it hides under.

Thanks for the post.

poot · 10-17-2003, 08:02 AM

BUT THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT IS REAL! Right? Right? Guys?!

*cough* oh I'm so alone.

mattevil · 10-17-2003, 08:47 AM

ed gein is real and scary enough for me even if he was from wisconsin and didnt use a chainsaw.

Elegant Holmes · 10-17-2003, 10:51 AM

The real horror is that in the original the crew worked their collective butts off and few were actually paid. In the sequal, they mostly worked for cut rates. A lot of movies are filmed in Austin. The "chainsaw series" and Disney (aka Mousewitz) are notorious for taking advantage of us poor film folk.

Vilkata · 10-17-2003, 01:21 PM

My friend keeps insisting that the murders actually happened and that the crime scene footage in the movie isn't Hollywood made. I even sent her to that link.

Melllvar · 10-17-2003, 05:42 PM

Why is it most serial killers come from Wisconsin?

Anyhoo, I look forward to seeing the remake. I just wish I can forget about the movie: 'Leatherface' gah!!!

Chingal0 · 10-17-2003, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Melllvar

Why is it most serial killers come from Wisconsin?

Its gotta be the cheese. Or the Packers, maybe a combination of the 2.

^Ice_Bat^ · 10-17-2003, 09:33 PM

Interesting post... yeah after seeing that movie and seeing the original, I did get to thinking it was based on a true story of something that actually happened in Texas. Especially when the showed that "real footage" at the end, although I was skeptical how this footage could have survived being destroyed caged up in that house with a psycho family. Excellent movie though. Go see it.

RedCometChar · 10-17-2003, 10:48 PM

I did know that the movie was based on the deeds of Ed Gein, but I was under the impression that he was a Texan. Learn something new everyday...

According to my local paper, the cannibalism aspect of the murders was severely downplayed in the new movie, almost to the point of where if you didn't already know that was the family's modus operandi, you'd be clueless as to why they were killing people. (That's how 1000 Corpses left me feeling) That true, anyone who's seen it?

Mr.Deflok · 10-18-2003, 02:41 AM

Thanks for this thread! Absolutely super!

CSflim · 10-18-2003, 09:22 AM

Fargo - Based on a true story.

MahlerIsGod · 10-18-2003, 01:11 PM

Wait, wait, wait........hold on a second there partner!! Are you trying to tell me that Hollywood isn't telling me the truth? Next you are going to telling me that Moulin Rouge isn't a true story either. For shame sir, for shame.

Baldrick · 10-18-2003, 01:19 PM

Decent little info page on Ed Gein, if anyone is interested.

http://www.houseofhorrors.com/gein.htm

Truly one of the most disturbing killers in recent history.

Kaos · 10-18-2003, 08:57 PM

I have read several novels on some of the most notorious serial killers and read that TCSM was inspired by Ed Gein, and I have watched the movie Ed Gein.

In fact, Ed Gein was the partly the inspiration of another film villian: Buffalo Bill in Silence of The Lambs

almostaugust · 10-19-2003, 12:12 AM

Nice thread dude. Fingers crossed for this project.

K-Wise · 10-19-2003, 12:27 AM

Forrest Gump: Inspired by a true story

Asta!!

Giant Hamburger · 10-20-2003, 11:34 AM

Hail Citizens!

I have actually put on the latex mask worn by Leatherface in the Tobe Hooper original. I used to work in the museum were his archive is held. It smelled pretty bad.
-GH

Elegant Holmes · 10-21-2003, 07:48 AM

GH-How would you describe the smell, in reference to say...hamburger?

mb99usa · 10-21-2003, 08:05 AM

Great thread. I was curious how much was "inspired" and how much was true. Sounds like a lot of inspiration and barely any truth. That's cool with me though as long as the remake kicks ass like the original.

Giant Hamburger · 10-21-2003, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Elegant Holmes
GH-How would you describe the smell, in reference to say...hamburger?

Hail EH!

I would like to think that when they make the blood-stained horror movie about Giant Hamburger that my mask will smell (and taste) superior to the mask worn by Gunnar Hansen aka Leatherface/Bubba Sawyer, Jr.

I hope it is titled Texas Charcoal Hamburger.
-GH

Elegant Holmes · 10-21-2003, 08:25 AM

GH-
You are truly a credit to your race. I await the film with mouth-watering anticipation.

onetime2 · 10-21-2003, 09:22 AM

Wisconsin Hardware Store Murder doesn't have quite the same ring to it.

txlovely · 10-21-2003, 05:57 PM

Saw the original several times while in high school and I'm afraid that seeing the new version will ruin fond memories of sitting in front of a beta playback with a horny little boy friend of mine...

wrongfullyaccuzd · 10-21-2003, 07:14 PM

i thought the new one was surprisingly well directed...i liked it.

sadatx · 10-22-2003, 12:16 AM

On the commentary track on the original TCM's DVD Tobe Hooper goes into the fact that although he had heard stories as a kid (as the article says) he wasn't aware of the real Ed Gein until after he made the movie.

And he denies basing the movie on anything but his own imagination (which of course was probably at least partly fueled by the stories he had heard as a kid).

Quote:

Originally posted by CSflim
Fargo - Based on a true story.

Yep, another example of a filmmakers tomfoolery. Although, the Coen brothers have always freely admitted that the "Based on a true story" title card at the beginning was just a stylistic device.

10-17-2003, 05:14 AM	#1 (permalink)
Mind_Storm Tilted Location: The Finger Lakes of New York	The Ugly Truth About 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' http://www.zap2it.com/movies/feature...-19093,00.html The Ugly Truth About 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' Wed, Oct 15, 2003, 01:10 PM PT By Mike Szymanski New Line is doing a lot these days to scare people these days. Audiences are faced with the ads of horrifying chases through a farm by a maniac with a roaring powertool for "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" -- a remake of the original 1974 slasher classic. Then, people see the chilling tag line that these events are "inspired by a true story." And although the marketing folks at New Line Cinema point out that word "inspired" is used, lots of people think that there really was a group of teenagers butchered horribly by a guy known as Leatherface in the middle of Texas and that the community hid it from authorities and that 30 or so bodies were found. Even the press kit starts off: "On August 20th, 1973, police were dispatched to the remote farmhouse of Thomas Hewitt, the former head-skinner at a local slaughterhouse in Travis County, Texas. What they found within the confines of the cryptic residence was the butchered remains of 33 human victims, a chilling discover that shocked and horrified a nation in what many still refer to as the most notorious mass murder case of all time." Truth is: there was no such murder, there's no such murderer's name and no chainsaw was ever used even in the "inspired by" crimes. Although filmmaker Tobe Hooper created an incredible myth when he made the film, there are lots of people out there who believe it's all fact. And, there are others trying to correct people's impression that the story happened as it's told by him, or as it's told in the latest movie. The Travis County, Texas authorities, for example, point out that only a handful of murders actually happen outside of their metro city, Austin, and author/historian Tim Harden says his daily queries are tripling now that the myth is being perpetuated again just before the Oct. 17 release of the remake. "Every day I get e-mails asking about whether this really happened or not," says Harden, who runs the website www.texaschainsawmassacre.net which is not affiliated with the movie. The horror film fan says he gets calls from college students who have found secret information about a series of chainsaw murders, but they never bring him proof. He points out, "The film was released in August of 1974 and the opening states that this happened in August of 1973? August of 1973 is when filming for 'TCM' began. So do you think that Tobe Hooper and company were monitoring a real live 'TCM' and mimicking it for the camera at the same time?" "Leatherface is as real as Pinocchio," insists another Internet film historian. The truth is that Hooper was terrified as a child about stories of the Wisconsin murderer Ed Gein, which became legendary and exaggerated. Back on Nov. 17, 1957 police went into Gein's hardware store and followed a terrible smell and found the body of 50-year-old Bernice Worden, the missing mother of one of the police deputies. She was gutted and dangling upside-down like a deer. Then, they noticed Gein's decor in his house included a bowl made out of a human skull, a suit and an armchair made of human skin, female genitalia kept preserved in a shoebox, a belt made of nipples, a human head, four noses and a heart. He confessed to two murders of women about the age of his overbearing mother, and he is suspected of killing his brother in a fire, but the remaining body parts found at his house -- of an estimated 15 people -- were dug up from a cemetery. The Gein murders inspired not only "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," but "Psycho, " "Silence of the Lambs," "Don't Go in the House," "Three On a Meathook," "Maniac," "Deranged" and "Ed Gein," starring Steve Railsback as the murderer. Although he was never called Leatherface, Gein was known to have worn masks of the skins of his victims, but he was a little man, not the towering frightening monster of the movies. The movie also doesn't go into any of the cannibalism attributed to him, which Gein denied until his death in 1984 in a mental institution at the age of 78. Meanwhile, New Line is sending out press kits along with dirtied photos of families (supposedly victims), and random jewelry with names on them, a box of Epsom salt used to cauterize one victim's wounds, an evidence bag and a fake blood and hair sample. It's enough to make even the jaded press corp squeamish. Other fun facts about the movie: There are three sequels to the original. The original movie was trying for a PG rating. The original movie is banned in Great Britain, although it is now shown there, and so will the remake. The movie was made for $150,000 and made more than $100 million worldwide. Leatherface was once going to be called "Headcheese" and the name was changed only at the last minute. No one ever uses the name "Leatherface" in the original or the remake. Harry Knowles, creator of aintitcoolnews.com, has a cameo as the Victim on the Silver Platter. "Night Court" star John Laroquette, who was the voice of the narrator in the first movie, reprises his role as the narrator in the remake. And although this new version seems to have documentary footage in black and white taken of the crime scene, don't believe it. It's just to scare you.

10-17-2003, 07:11 AM	#2 (permalink)
quest1mark Insane	i caught en early screening of the remake this past monday...i enjoyed it. __________________ Best told at a place called...the TFP. on a quest...

10-17-2003, 07:47 AM	#3 (permalink)
Conclamo Ludus Modern Man Location: West Michigan	Interesting article. Thanks for the post. I always wondered how much truth there was to the real events. A lot of friends I know like to freak themselves out about it and keep compounding onto the story as though it is fact. Its funny how urban myths get twisted around, and sometimes the truth is just as shocking but far different from the myth that it hides under. Thanks for the post. __________________ Lord, have mercy on my wicked soul I wouldn't mistreat you baby, for my weight in gold. -Son House, Death Letter Blues

10-17-2003, 01:21 PM	#7 (permalink)
Vilkata Crazy	My friend keeps insisting that the murders actually happened and that the crime scene footage in the movie isn't Hollywood made. I even sent her to that link. __________________ LOL KEEKLES

10-17-2003, 05:42 PM	#8 (permalink)
Melllvar Crazy Location: Anchorage, Alaska	Why is it most serial killers come from Wisconsin? Anyhoo, I look forward to seeing the remake. I just wish I can forget about the movie: 'Leatherface' gah!!! __________________ "They shoot without shame In the name of a piece of dirt For a change of accent Or the colour of your shirt Better the pride that resides In a citizen of the world Than the pride that divides When a colorful rag is unfurled" -Neil Peart

10-17-2003, 08:02 AM	#4 (permalink)
poot Upright	BUT THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT IS REAL! Right? Right? Guys?! cough oh I'm so alone.

10-17-2003, 08:47 AM	#5 (permalink)
mattevil Addict Location: Virginia	ed gein is real and scary enough for me even if he was from wisconsin and didnt use a chainsaw.

10-17-2003, 10:51 AM	#6 (permalink)
Elegant Holmes Crazy Location: "TX"	The real horror is that in the original the crew worked their collective butts off and few were actually paid. In the sequal, they mostly worked for cut rates. A lot of movies are filmed in Austin. The "chainsaw series" and Disney (aka Mousewitz) are notorious for taking advantage of us poor film folk.

10-17-2003, 09:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
^Ice_Bat^ Insane Location: Southpark, Colorado	Interesting post... yeah after seeing that movie and seeing the original, I did get to thinking it was based on a true story of something that actually happened in Texas. Especially when the showed that "real footage" at the end, although I was skeptical how this footage could have survived being destroyed caged up in that house with a psycho family. Excellent movie though. Go see it. __________________ If you ever catch on fire, try to avoid looking in a mirror, because I bet that will really throw you into a panic. - Jack Handy

10-17-2003, 10:48 PM	#11 (permalink)
RedCometChar Not Brand Ecch! Location: New Orleans	I did know that the movie was based on the deeds of Ed Gein, but I was under the impression that he was a Texan. Learn something new everyday... According to my local paper, the cannibalism aspect of the murders was severely downplayed in the new movie, almost to the point of where if you didn't already know that was the family's modus operandi, you'd be clueless as to why they were killing people. (That's how 1000 Corpses left me feeling) That true, anyone who's seen it? __________________ Killing that robot makes me want to go home.

10-18-2003, 02:41 AM	#12 (permalink)
Mr.Deflok Blood + Fire Location: New Zealand	Thanks for this thread! Absolutely super!

10-18-2003, 09:22 AM	#13 (permalink)
CSflim Sky Piercer Location: Ireland	Fargo - Based on a true story. __________________

10-18-2003, 01:11 PM	#14 (permalink)
MahlerIsGod At The Globe Showing Will How Its Done Location: London/Elysium	Wait, wait, wait........hold on a second there partner!! Are you trying to tell me that Hollywood isn't telling me the truth? Next you are going to telling me that Moulin Rouge isn't a true story either. For shame sir, for shame. __________________ "But a work of art is a conscious human effort that has to do with communication. It is that or its nothing. When an accident is applauded as a work of art, when a cult grows up around the deliciousness of inadvertent beauty, we are in the presence of the greatest decadence the West has known in its history."

10-18-2003, 01:19 PM	#15 (permalink)
Baldrick We are everywhere... Location: Barrie, Ontario	Decent little info page on Ed Gein, if anyone is interested. http://www.houseofhorrors.com/gein.htm Truly one of the most disturbing killers in recent history. __________________ You can be young only once, but you can be immature for the rest of your life...

10-18-2003, 08:57 PM	#16 (permalink)
Kaos Ssssssssss Location: Ontario	I have read several novels on some of the most notorious serial killers and read that TCSM was inspired by Ed Gein, and I have watched the movie Ed Gein. In fact, Ed Gein was the partly the inspiration of another film villian: Buffalo Bill in Silence of The Lambs

10-19-2003, 12:27 AM	#18 (permalink)
K-Wise It's All About The Ass!! Location: In a pool of mayonnaise!!	Forrest Gump: Inspired by a true story Asta!! __________________ "I love music and it's my parents fault (closing statement)." - Me..quoting myself...from when I said that...On TFP..thats here...Tilted Forum Project *It ain't goodbye, it's see ya later! I'll miss you guys!* - Asta!!

10-19-2003, 12:12 AM	#17 (permalink)
almostaugust Junkie Location: Oz	Nice thread dude. Fingers crossed for this project. __________________ 'And it's been a long December and there's reason to believe Maybe this year will be better than the last I can't remember all the times I tried to tell my myself To hold on to these moments as they pass'

10-20-2003, 11:34 AM	#19 (permalink)
Giant Hamburger Gastrolithuanian Location: low-velocity Earth orbit	Hail Citizens! I have actually put on the latex mask worn by Leatherface in the Tobe Hooper original. I used to work in the museum were his archive is held. It smelled pretty bad. -GH

10-21-2003, 07:48 AM	#20 (permalink)
Elegant Holmes Crazy Location: "TX"	GH-How would you describe the smell, in reference to say...hamburger?

10-21-2003, 08:05 AM	#21 (permalink)
mb99usa Keep on rolling. It only hurts for a little while. Location: wherever I am	Great thread. I was curious how much was "inspired" and how much was true. Sounds like a lot of inspiration and barely any truth. That's cool with me though as long as the remake kicks ass like the original. __________________ So, what's your point? It's not an attitude, it's a way of life.

10-21-2003, 08:25 AM	#23 (permalink)
Elegant Holmes Crazy Location: "TX"	GH- You are truly a credit to your race. I await the film with mouth-watering anticipation.

10-21-2003, 09:22 AM	#24 (permalink)
onetime2 Junkie Location: NJ	Wisconsin Hardware Store Murder doesn't have quite the same ring to it. __________________ Strive to be more curious than ignorant.

10-21-2003, 05:57 PM	#25 (permalink)
txlovely Insane Location: ...We have a problem.	Saw the original several times while in high school and I'm afraid that seeing the new version will ruin fond memories of sitting in front of a beta playback with a horny little boy friend of mine...

10-21-2003, 07:14 PM	#26 (permalink)
wrongfullyaccuzd Addict Location: NoVA	i thought the new one was surprisingly well directed...i liked it.