The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Had a Nightmare Production

September 20, 2024

The Big Picture

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre had a nightmarish shoot with brutal conditions, including scorching heat and a foul-smelling set.
Both the cast and crew suffered numerous injuries during the production, adding to the realism of the film.
The miserable conditions behind the scenes contributed to the overall horror and impact of the iconic film.

From Poltergeist to The Conjuring, the history of the horror genre is rife with eerie behind-the-scenes stories like burned-down sets, freak accidents, and reports of paranormal activity. Most of these stories originate from the sets of supernatural horror films involving ghosts or demonic possessions, but one iconic horror film based on real events also had one of the most gruesome shoots. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in October, was shot in the blistering Texas heat in the dead of summer, with a small crew and a budget of less than $140,000. It was a bona fide nightmare behind the scenes, and considering the sheer number of injuries sustained by both the cast and crew, it's a wonder that everyone made it out alive.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Horror

Five friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.

Release Date October 1, 1974 Director Tobe Hooper Cast Marilyn Burns , Allen Danziger , Paul A. Partain , William Vail , Teri McMinn , Edwin Neal Runtime 83 Writers Kim Henkel , Tobe Hooper

'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' Had a Nightmarish Shoot

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is widely considered to be one of the scariest and most influential horror movies of all time, and there have been several sequels, including the most recent (and much maligned) Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 2022. We can also see traces of the film's enduring legacy in Ti West's X trilogy. Inspired by the horrific crimes of Ed Gein, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was one of the first slashers, and its lead Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns) was is of the earliest examples of the final girl horror trope. One of the film's greatest strengths is its realism, thanks in part to the brutal conditions the cast was subjected to on set. A thorough overview of the production and legacy of the film by Texas Monthly back in 2004 details the grueling process of shooting The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which lasted just five weeks, and director Tobe Hooper's minimal budget meant the cast and crew had to work 12-16 hour days, seven days a week.

‘Leatherface’s Alternate Ending Was More Fitting for the Texas Chainsaw Franchise

It might not have saved the film, but it would have put it closer to the 1974 original.

Shot on location in rural Texas in July 1973, temperatures reached upwards of 100 degrees Fahrenheit, hitting up to 115 degrees inside the Victorian-style home that served as Leatherface's (Gunnar Hansen) "cannibal house." The oppressive heat is essential to the film's atmosphere, and it's almost palpable from the first lengthy shot of two skinned corpses baking in the Texas sun. To make matters worse, art director Bob Burns dressed the set with real animal carcasses and rotting meat to create the infamous slaughterhouse, using two human skeletons (one real and one plastic), and the bones of several dead animals including cows, goats, and an armadillo. According to actor Ed Neal, who played the Hitchhiker, the smell was so bad that “We would do a scene and then all run to the window so that we could throw up.” The measly budget also meant that the actors had to use the same costumes for the entirety of the shoot, and in Hansen's case, without ever washing them.

Injuries Plagued the Set of 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'

The misery on the set of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre wasn't just limited to the dreadful heat and stench inside the house, but the injuries sustained by a number of the members of both the cast and the crew. Since real dead animals were used as set dressing, makeup artist Dorothy Pearl used formaldehyde to prevent them from decomposing too quickly, and in one instance jabbed herself with a syringe by accident. Several members of the cast were injured while shooting, and Hansen, who had no peripheral vision while wearing the Leatherface mask, was almost hit by the titular chainsaw when his boots slipped while running, sending the chainsaw flying out of his hands and landing just inches away from him (via Texas Monthly).

Though injuries were common, no one suffered quite like Marilyn Burns, who, as final girl Sally Hardesty, was bound, battered, dragged around, hit on the head with a rubber hammer, and forced to scream for hours on end. Jim Siedow, who played the Old Man, at first felt bad hurting Burns, but when the director insisted the scene didn't look real enough, he started to actually hit her. The worst of it took place while shooting the infamous dinner scene, during which Burns had her blood sucked by John Dugan, who played Grandfather. That particular shoot was already grueling, lasting 26 straight hours in the heat, which was made even more suffocating by the black tar paper used to cover the windows. In one of the most horrifying scenes in the third act, the Hitchhiker decides to let the barely mobile Grandfather kill Sally, first slicing her finger and letting him drink her blood. At first, a prop knife was used, which was meant to pump out fake blood, but when Hansen grew frustrated with the knife malfunctioning, he decided to cut her finger for real, according to the LA Times.

Behind the Scenes Misery Created an Immersive Experience

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was groundbreaking for the horror genre in many ways, pioneering the faux "based on a true story" subgenre decades before The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. Despite what the title suggests, the film itself shows surprisingly little blood and gore, and Hooper tried (unsuccessfully) to get it a PG rating. It was a controversial film that sent shock waves throughout the film industry upon its release due to its disturbing content and was even banned in the UK for 25 years.

Those who worked on The Texas Chainsaw Massacre seem to agree that it was far from a rewarding experience, but that the harsh conditions of the shoot ultimately contributed to the overall horror that has disturbed viewers for generations. In the words of cinematographer Daniel Pearl, "I believe the dire circumstances added to the film. If we'd been comfy, if everybody had their own trailer, I'm not so sure you'd feel the horror in quite the way you do. None of us were happy. We were miserable." It's safe to say the conditions the cast and crew were subjected to while shooting the seminal horror film wouldn't fly today, and the behind-the-scenes chaos almost rivals the grotesque images on screen.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is available to watch for free on Tubi in the US.

WATCH ON Tubi

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