In 1974, the world of horror cinema was changed forever with the arrival of "The Texas Chain
Saw Massacre," an instant classic that helped to usher in an entire era of slashers and
introduced audiences to the terrifying Leatherface.
Tobe Hooper's iconic horror film starred the late Gunnar Hansen as the hulking, relentless
villain who terrorized a group of teens after they stumbled into his remote farmhouse.
Leatherface was without a doubt one of the most terrifying fictional creations the world
had ever seen at the time – a ruthless, chainsaw-wielding cannibal who wore a mask
made of human skin.
Now, fans of the franchise are in for a fresh new vision of the story when "Texas Chainsaw
Massacre'' arrives on Netflix on Friday, February 18.
Before the film debuts, let's dig into where this exciting new installment fits into the
timeline of the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" movies.
Over the decades that followed the original 1974 film's game-changing premiere, there
have been several sequels and reboots that have taken the iconic Leatherface into new
directions.
These ranged from Tobe Hooper's darkly comedic '80s follow-up, to the searing reimagination
from the mid-aughts, to the prequel films that dared to dig into Leatherface's gruesome
origins.
The follow-up films jumped around to drastically different times and places, sometimes directly
connecting to the original, but not always.
However, audiences will only need to know what happened in the 1974 original to tune
in for "Texas Chainsaw Massacre,'' because the new movie serves as a direct sequel to
the events of the first film -- although it does take place many, many years later.
The original film is relatively straightforward -- a group of teens road-tripping across Texas
accidentally run into Leatherface and his violent, cannibalistic family.
After a desperate fight for survival, only Sally Hardesty survives
The original film took place shortly before the picture's real-life theatrical debut date,
setting it in the early '70s. 2022's "Texas Chainsaw Massacre'' follows that trend.
It's set in the present day, nearly 50 years after all of those brutal slayings commenced
in 1974's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre."
The modern film introduces a new group of young travelers who set out for the virtually
abandoned town of Harlow, Texas, in hopes of pursuing a bold entrepreneurial adventure.
Unfortunately, their dream quickly turns into a nightmare when they discover that this town
is not quite empty just yet.
They accidentally stumble across the place where Leatherface has been hiding out for
decades and unknowingly unleash a second wave of his rage.
The 2022 "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," which is directed by David Blue Garcia, will skip
over all the sequels and feature the formal return of Leatherface, this time portrayed
by Mark Burnham.
After decades of hiding, he's become something of a forgotten folk legend — but some things
should not be forgotten.
Leatherface spends his days in a rundown orphanage in the care of an elderly woman, whom a photo
suggests he's been with since 1975, after the events of the first film.
But he still keeps his chainsaw tucked away for a rainy day.
This sequel is produced by Fede Alvarez, who previously directed horror hits "Evil Dead"
and "Don't Breathe."
Alvarez explained some of the creative decisions behind bringing back this hallmark of horror
in his golden years in an interview with Bloody Disgusting, describing how "Texas Chainsaw
Massacre" recaptures the feel of the very first film.
As he explained: "It is a direct sequel, and it is the same
character.
Everything is classic, old-school gags.
A lot of the approach we had with 'Evil Dead,' never do VFX, to do everything on camera.
It's a very old-school approach to filmmaking.
Vintage lenses ... it's very similar to the original film."
Leatherface isn't the only survivor of the first film that fans can expect to see in
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," either.
Sally Hardesty is also coming back with a vengeance.
Sally was originally portrayed by the late, great Marilyn Burns, whose ear-shattering
screams gave audiences nightmares for years to follow.
This time, actress Olwen Fouere steps into her shoes to seek some cold revenge against
the monster who murdered her brother and her friends so long ago.
So prepare for a lot of nostalgia and some cutting new twists when "The Texas Chainsaw
Massacre" slices its way onto your Netflix queue on Friday, February 18.
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