Directed by:
Marcus NispelScreenplay:
Scott KosarCinematography:
Daniel PearlComposer:
Steve JablonskyCast:
Jessica Biel, Jonathan Tucker, Erica Leerhsen, Mike Vogel, Eric Balfour, Andrew Bryniarski, R. Lee Ermey, David Dorfman, Lauren German, John Larroquette (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
A tale of five 20-somethings whose free spirited road trip becomes a terrifying descent into madness. When they find themselves isolated in a rural Texas community, they fall into the clutches of a monstrous clan of Texas cannibals and find themselves being whittled away by the chainsaw-wielding Leather face. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (9)
Purely superficial, self-indulgent entertainment. As a maker of music videos, director Marcus Nispel is capable of spectacularly filming things of zero narrative value. The camerawork and its colour filters are reminiscent of David Fincher and, together with the dark music, contribute to the film’s dense and bleak atmosphere. But the non-existent plot build-up, the ineffective scares and the absence of mystery are more reminiscent of the cheap assembly-line productions by 1970s Italian trash directors (Joe D'Amato, for example). On top of that, the film is extremely disgusting. Seven also disgusted me in its own way, but it also impressed me with its wonderfully over-the-top and polished screenplay and deep ideas. I simply found The Texas Chainsaw Massacre repulsive. Count me among its victims.
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The bleakness of the backwoods setting, where you’d only stop if your car broke down could, be felt much more intensely in the original, but Nispel's film has a certain amount of atmosphere. The casting is pretty good, the representatives of the local rednecks and brutes are really disgusting and their appearance and behaviour adds to the film's impact. But while watching Hooper's original I felt horror, dismay and disgust at Leatherface's family, that panopticon of creepy creatures, Nispel's film didn't produce similarly intense feelings. Some scenes looked spectacular, but they were quite illogical, and the final chase did not avoid the clichés that have been repeated countless times. Leatherface in Hooper's film was a believable character, a weirdo with a rather perverted hobby; Nispel's swung his chainsaw too much, making his behaviour seem unnatural and out of touch with reality. I guess that's why I wasn't scared, there was no deeper experience and Nispel's film became in my eyes just one of many teenage slashers.
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So: A chilling atmosphere, constant tension, ever-present fear... None of that is in the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre. One star was earned by the music, the other by the bright exceptions (about two scenes that really had something to them). An unnecessary remake. What struck me, however, is that the film is set in 1973, but you can't really tell. Odd.
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Of the three massacres, I liked this nearly 20-year-old version the most. It’s still far from perfect cinema, but the film contains many scenes that stick in your memory for a long time. I don’t know Marcus Nispel much, but as far as directing goes, there’s not much to fault. I was pleased to see Jessica Biel in the lead role (at least someone I know :D). I understand that the original has achieved cult status, but honestly, Leatherface here was better. His entrance was flawless again ("Boy, come on. Show them!"). The level of brutality compared to the original 1974 film is several notches higher. The film mostly shocks with its repulsiveness (all those interiors can really depress the viewer). Additionally, there’s a nice twist. A solid horror film with an unsettling musical score. For me, it’s 7/10.
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As a stand-alone contribution to the genre, it’s barely average; as the remake of the horror legend that kick started the genre and remains flawless, it’s awful. In the original, every decision of the characters and stylistic choice had an unshakable position in the overall system and the atmosphere; in this one, the characters behave very stupidly and the violence and most of the editing feel overly stylised, killing all the naturalism and the potential of the harsh Texan setting. Only the male audience will be in danger, because after seeing the scantily clad and sweaty Jessica Biel they may feel their pants very tight. That, plus some interesting ideas and the traditionally good Ermey are the only things worthy of attention.
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Gallery (75)
Photo © 2003 New Line Cinema
![The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Making of](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/158/523/158523843_45af91.jpg)
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