Texas Chainsaw Massacre Facts You Probably Didn’t Know

      The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has just reached its 50th anniversary. Here are nine intriguing facts you likely weren't aware of regarding the 1974 horror film, directed by Tobe Hooper.

      To Start

      A still from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Bryanston Distributing Company, New Line Cinema – Credit: C/O

      For those needing a recap, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre tells the story of five young friends on a memorable journey: Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns), her brother Franklin (Paul A. Partain), Pam (Teri McMinn), Jerry (Alan Danziger), and Kirk (William Vail). They travel in a van to a house in central Texas that once belonged to Sally and Franklin’s grandfather.

      However, after picking up a deranged hitchhiker who threatens them with a knife and then promptly kicking him out, they remain unaware that he is part of the murderous Sawyer family living nearby. This cannibalistic family includes the infamous Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), his hitchhiking brother (Edwin Neal), their father Drayton Sawyer (Jim Siedow), and Grandpa Sawyer (John Dugan).

      Unknowingly following the lights of the house in the distance, the group heads towards their inevitable doom.

      The legendary film was directed by the late Tobe Hooper, who passed away in 2017 at the age of 74. During his lifetime, he shared various insights into the chaotic on-set conditions that contributed to the film's haunting atmosphere.

      You can watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre for free, with ads, on platforms like Tubi, Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, The Roku Channel, and Pluto TV.

      The Opening Scene Featured a Real Human Skeleton

      A still from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Bryanston Distributing Company, New Line Cinema – Credit: C/O

      In an interview with Interview Magazine, Hooper revealed that the film's famous opening scene in a cemetery used an actual human skeleton.

      "Some of the skeletons were real," noted Hooper (seen above wearing a hat). "When he's impaled on the tombstone at the start, that's a real human skeleton beneath it. It was more cost-effective to acquire real skeletons from India than to purchase plastic replicas."

      Tobe Hooper’s Physician Inspired Leatherface’s Skin Mask

      Gunnar Hansen in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Bryanston Distributing Company, New Line Cinema – Credit: C/O

      Leatherface earned his name because he dons a mask made of human skin. Hooper drew this concept from a chilling story his family doctor used to tell him during his childhood.

      "Our family doctor treated various ailments, and he recounted that while in pre-med school, he skinned the face of a cadaver, cured it, and wore it to a Halloween party at the school. That image stayed with me," Hooper explained to director Barend de Voog at the Offscreen Festival in Brussels, where he showcased the film's 4K restoration.

      Ed Gein Also Served as an Inspiration

      A still from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Bryanston Distributing Company, New Line Cinema – Credit: C/O

      Moreover, Ed Gein, infamously known as the Butcher of Plainfield, allegedly influenced the characters of the Sawyer family. Gein was convicted of murdering Bernice Worden in 1968 and was notorious for exhuming graves to create keepsakes from the bones and skin of the deceased, resembling the cannibalistic tendencies of the film's family.

      Hooper acknowledged Gein's influence in the Offscreen interview.

      "I can't ignore that, as I had relatives in Wisconsin who visited when I was about four or five. They told us about a man living about twenty-seven miles away, who was digging up graves and using the bones and skin for his purposes. That left a lasting impression on me," he recounted.

      "They didn’t mention his name, but to me, he felt like a true boogeyman. When the doctor shared his story, all those memories from Wisconsin returned to me as a teenager."

      ‘Everyone Disliked Me,’ Hooper Admits

      Co-writer Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper behind the scenes of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 1973, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 – Credit: C/O

      Tensions ran high on set due to Hooper’s demanding directing approach, which included frequent shouting.

      "By the end, everyone disliked me. It essentially split us into factions," Hooper admitted in the Offscreen interview. "They resented me because I wasn't new to this; I had previously directed about sixty documentaries for television. I usually knew precisely what I wanted. Generally, I'm quite calm, but during filming, I felt the need to assert myself. If something went wrong, I knew it would fall on me.

      "So, I had to adopt a more aggressive stance