Hello horror fans - and welcome back to the scariest channel on YouTube - Top 5 Scary
Videos - your compendium for all things horror fiction and fandom - because dammit, we love
some spooky stuff.
What’s going on guys - as per usual I’ll be your horror host Jack Finch - and today
- we’re going to be doing things a little different.
Hold onto your hats, because we’ve got a brand new series - and it starts right here.
The Monster Files - a top five list where we peel back the layers of horror cinema and
knock up a showreel of the most iconic and monstrous cinematic killers that this terrifying
world has to offer.
Today - we’re starting off big - with the Top 5 Scariest Leatherface Kills.
Roll the clip.
Tobe Hooper’s 1974 masterpiece - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - gave birth to one of horror’s
seminal slashers, Jedidiah Sawyer - AKA Leatherface - the deeply disturbed and almost childlike
chainsaw wielding killer, tucked away deep in the boonies of rural Texas - frolicking
around and wearing people's skin on his face.
Well, when you say it like that it’s almost sweet.
Right?
Leatherface - although loosely - was based on the notorious necrophile killer, Ed Gein
- a murderer who exhumed over twenty corpses to fulfil his twisted propensity for flesh.
This shocking crime germinated in our cultural psyche - spawning characters such as Hitchcock’s
Norman Bates - Buffalo Bill from The Silence of the Lambs - and of course, Leatherface.
Let’s take a look at his greatest hits - shall we?
Before we do that though - if you’re a fan of this new series, let us know your thoughts
in the comment box down below.
Who else should we cover?
We’ve already got Michael Myers in the pipeline, so stay tuned.
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On with the show.
Kicking off at Number 5 - Franklin, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - 1974.
I’m not gonna lie - Franklin was a jerk - and in Tobe Hooper’s 1974 original, we
as viewers were just waiting for him to meet his demise.
Or was that just me?
Hey - he was loud, obnoxious - he was ruining the trip for everyone else, and that’s not
even including the looming threat of a chainsaw killer - he was whiny, and he made some absolutely
terrible decisions that led to the deaths of pretty much everyone involved.
Also - Franklin was absolutely oblivious to how much danger they were all actually in
- so yeah, he was pretty easy pickings for Leatherface.
I’m not going to sugar coat it - this death scene is visceral in the sense that it’s
incredibly straight forward.
Leatherface appears out of nowhere, chainsaw starts buzzing - and Franklin dies.
We don’t actually see any of the gore - or the incredible special effects that the indie
film is synonymous for - but that’s what makes it so great.
Our own minds are left to fill in the gaps - and it all happens so deftly.
It highlighted the fact that, although Leatherface is slow, laborious - and in actual fact kind
of stupid - he’s still incredibly capable of pulling off a stealthy takedown - which
made him that much more terrifying.
Coming in at Number 4 - Morgan, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 2003.
Eh - I dunno, I’m still undecided as to whether I’m a fan of the recent remakes.
I mean, by the time number 3 in the series came out - things could only get better, I
guess.
But - the one bonus they do have is some absolutely insane Leatherface kills.
In the 2003 remake of the original - Morgan filled the same role as Franklin - a bit of
a jerk, really - who initially appeared as comic relief for the otherwise bleak tone
of the movie.
Well - his jokes quickly started to grate on us - and that only meant one thing, he’s
gonna get chainsawed.
But - of course, director Marcus Nispel had to tug on our heartstrings - because despite
Morgan being an arse - he ultimately dies a hero in an attempt to protect our final
girl, Erin - and the whole thing is emotionally confusing.
Still - Leatherface is at the top of his game, and we get a subtle nod to the meathook scene
of the 1974 original - and then - Leatherface proceeds to chainsaw Morgan in half from the
groin up.
Deep breath - horror fans - I know we all felt the same way.
Next up at Number 3 - Hartman, Texas Chainsaw 3D, 2013
A confusing scene all around, really - for an otherwise confused movie.
But!
One of the most insane Leatherface kills in the entire franchise.
Throughout the events of 2013’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D - we learn that the local mayor
Burt Hartman is just as hell bent on killing people as our boy Leatherface - in a bid to
eliminate the cannibalistic Sawyer family and stamp out their kind from Texas, himself
and a few angry cronies firebombed their rural home and were declared heroes in the town
of Newt.
Fast forward a few decades, and - well - it turns out the final girl, Heather - is actually
the long lost cousin of Leatherface himself, and the film quickly turns into a confusing
and strange barrage of chainsaw family bonding - and the final showdown takes place in none
other than an actual slaughterhouse.
Ironic, right?
Well - forget about the corny dialogue and the ham-fisted exposition - because we’re
ultimately rewarded with this - Leatherface bringing the pain via hand dismemberment - and
a meat grinder.
A winning combination as far as Leatherface is concerned.
Swinging in at Number 2 - Buzz and Rick, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, 1986.
And from the off - we all knew where this one was going.
Now, I’m actually quite a big fan of the 1986 sequel.
Yeah, it’s a bit camp - a bit over the top, lacking of that bleak visceral tone that the
1974 classic captured - but as far as 80’s horror flicks go - it’s a damn good movie.
Also - this is the only point in the franchise where Leatherface actually dies - intended
to be Tobe Hooper’s graceful departure from the character, but thankfully for us - his
story didn’t end there.
The Road to Nowhere scene begins with Buzz and Rick, two high school seniors who - you
guessed it, are absolute jerks.
They’re wearing goofy X-Ray glasses - they’re loud, obnoxious - and they’re prank calling
the local radio DJ - Stretch - who turns out, is the unwitting love interest of Leatherface.
Now this is an absolutely incredible opening sequence, highlighting special effects legend
Tom Savini at the top of his game - with a gut-wrenching display of chainsaw scalping.
Awesome stuff.
And finally - at our Number 1 spot - Pam, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 1974.
And jeeeez - this scene, is literally - a horror work of art.
Start to finish, the meathook scene is cemented firmly in iconic horror cinema - and if you
haven’t seen it - you really should.
Although Pam’s final fate is left ambiguous - with only Sally ultimately escaping from
Leatherface - it’s safe to say that the chainsaw wielding killer leaves the rest to
our imagination.
Even though we as an audience never actually see the hook pierce through her skin - we
feel every agonising moment, and this scene still holds up the cringe factor even 40 years
on.
It’s our first full introduction to Leatherface - and a taste of the overwhelming sense of
dread that he layers throughout the films duration.
Moments before, Pam’s boyfriend Kirk received the full force of a sledgehammer - and so
Pam must bear witness to Leatherface handling his kill.
The thing that makes this scene so goddamn bleak is the complete and utter lack of hope
- we’re in Leatherface’s world now - there’s no fighting back - you either run, or you
die.
Well - there were have it - or first feature on The Monster Files - the one and only Leatherface.
Unfortunately folks, that’s all we’ve got time for in today’s video - I sincerely
hope you’ll be a fan of this new series - let us know your thoughts in the comment
box down below.
It’s been a pleasure making this video for you all, if you’d like to stay updated with
your daily dose of horror - be a dear and ding that subscribe bell.
As always, I’ve been your host Jack Finch - you’ve been watching The Monster Files
on Top 5 Scary Videos - and until next time, take it easy.