The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

The film follows a group of young friends (played by Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Partain, William Vail, and Teri McMinn) road-tripping by van through Texas who fall victim to a bizarre family of cannibals – including a huge masked madman known as Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen) who always has a gas-powered chain saw at the ready. The shocker originated many elements of the slasher genre that would soon explode: the use of power tools as murder weapons, a hulking faceless killer, a desolate rural setting, and the sadistic slaughter of innocent young victims.

Upon its initial release in 1974, THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE was banned in several countries, and many theaters in the U.S. stopped showing it due to complaints about its violence. But the low-budget film was hugely successful, grossing over $30 million domestically, and is now regarded as one of the best and most influential horror movies. It led to a franchise that continued the story of Leatherface and his family through sequels, prequels, a remake, comic books, and video games.