Anatomy of a Scene: The anxiety-inducing ending of ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’
The horror genre really came into its own in the 1970s, following the relaxation of Hollywood’s censorship rules. As a result, scary stories proved to be rather popular, with The Exorcist becoming the first horror movie to be nominated for ‘Best Picture’ at the Academy Awards. Still, many of the best horror films to come from this period were low-budget independent ones, such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, directed by Tobe Hooper.
Released in 1974, the film was a landmark in the development of the slasher genre. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has a basic setup – teenagers drive to an abandoned house in the rural countryside and subsequently die one by one at the hands of a violent apron-clad psychopath. Yet, it was revolutionary, utilising its low budget for good – the film feels dirty just to look at. The grainy film, relatively low-lit interior scenes, and the heat practically emanating off the screen all combine to make a movie that feels gloriously grimy and sticky.
When the film was released, it grossed over $30million at the box office despite being made on a budget of no more than $140,000. It remains a cult classic, remembered for its pure relentlessness. When we see Leatherface emerge from his dilapidated house wearing a mask made of human skin, it’s hard to look away, even if what we’re seeing is stomach-turning.
The film has many great moments, from the dinner table sequence to the hitchhiker the group soon regret picking up, but the ending is the most iconic. Here, we’re introduced to one of the earliest examples – if not the first – of the final girl. Sally Hardesty is the only one left of her group, and she goes through great hardship while she is left in the hands of Leatherface and his bizarre family of cannibals.
After she wakes up from fainting, Sally is almost killed by the family after they place a hammer in Grandpa’s hand. He proves too weak to be able to use it, and while they squabble, Sally manages to free herself and run out of the house. Pursued by Leatherface and the hitchhiker, Sally stumbles into the road, covered in blood and screaming for her life. Luckily, a truck happens to be driving by, knocking down the hitchhiker. The driver tries to help Sally, throwing something at Leatherface’s head, which causes him to fall over and accidentally slice his leg with his chainsaw.
This gives Sally time to run, and she manages to hop onto the back of another car that is driving past, screaming maniacally as Leatherface fades out of her sight. It’s a scene that leaves you on the edge of your seat, not just because you want Sally to survive, but because there’s so much to consider. Is Leatherface going to survive? Is the truck driver going to get killed by Leatherface? Is Sally going to make it home safe? What about the rest of the family back at the house?
We get various angles of the ordeal in a short space of time, such as scenes of the hitchhiker trying to attack Sally, shot from the front on a shaky handheld camera, as well as behind as the truck comes into view. As he is crushed by the vehicle, we get a close-up of Sally’s screaming, blood-covered face, communicating the pure terror of the ordeal.
The camera zooms in and out of people’s faces, sometimes obscuring the action while the whir of the chainsaw or the screams of Sally remain present. This keeps the sequence tense and frankly terrifying, immersing us in this world where we feel as though we’re caught in the midst of the action and can’t do anything about it.
As Sally rides off into the distance, finally free from pain, it’s cathartic to watch her scream with relief, as though she is letting out the anxiety we’ve been feeling as viewers. Then we see Leatherface throwing his chainsaw around in frustration, holding it up to the sun-soaked sky in defeat. The camera follows him in a dizzying scene of hopelessness and anger, both beautiful and horrifying, bringing the film to its end.
Out of all horror closing sequences, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is up there with one of the greatest. You rarely get an ending, so heart rate-raising; you might not even realise you’re holding your breath until it ends.
