Greetings, Boils & Ghouls...
...and welcome to 'Day Ten' of "Awesome Horror Streams for Hallowe'en Screams on Roku" where I will be bringing you my top picks of the fright flicks in the carefully curated catalogue of macabre movies from the 'Shudder UK' horror streaming service - any of which can then be streamed to your television via the magic of Roku player - so, let's dim the lights... and prepare for more frights! :-O
If you read my hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - published on 30th September, then you will know that I plan to post one Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, each featuring one horror movie from the current 'Shudder UK' content library. With recommendations for thirty-one of the best fright flicks I can find, by the end of the month, this means you should have plenty of great choices for your macabre movie viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring some top-notch cinematic scares come October 31st! ;-)
If you read my hallowe'en blogathon preview - FOUND HERE - published on 30th September, then you will know that I plan to post one Hallowe'en / Horror related article every day, throughout the month of October, each featuring one horror movie from the current 'Shudder UK' content library. With recommendations for thirty-one of the best fright flicks I can find, by the end of the month, this means you should have plenty of great choices for your macabre movie viewing as we count down the days to Hallowe'en... as well as ensuring some top-notch cinematic scares come October 31st! ;-)
For my tenth instalment in this series of posts I'm going to suggest another feature-length film from the seventies but, this time, directed by Tobe Hooper and first released in 1974 under the original title, "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre"... which was based on a story written by the director and then adapted into a screenplay with the assistance of Kim Henkel. En route to visit their grandfather's grave (which seems to have been ritualistically desecrated), five teenagers drive past a slaughterhouse then pick up (and quickly drop-off) a sinister hitch-hiker, and eat some delicious home-cured meat at a roadside gas station, before ending up at the old family home... where they're subsequently plunged into a never-ending nightmare after stumbling upon a family of cannibalistic psychopaths who more than make-up for in power tools what they lack in social skills...
WITH THANKS TO: Michael Brooke for his contribution to the storyline.
Edwin Neal and Marilyn Burns in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
PHOTO CREDIT: imdb.com
If you haven't seen this film before, here is a brief taster in the shape of the original trailer for this masterpiece of independent horror film-making, courtesy of this Media Graveyard 'YouTube' video:-
Aside from being another personal favourite of mine, this movie was voted as the second scariest film ever made by "Entertainment Weekly" magazine. Only "The Exorcist" (1973) ranked higher. Other accolades included ranking at 'Number One' in the "Top 100 Greatest Horror Movies of all time" as published by Slant Magazine. You can read their online review of the film, to see what they thought. If that's not enough to justify watching, there's a similarly glowing appraisal in this additional review of "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" (1974) published by 'Empire' magazine online. While it was also in Steven Schneider's "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die". Once you stop screaming, then you'll start talking about it: the idyllic summer's day that became a nightmare of fear and blood...
If you haven't seen this film before, here is a brief taster in the shape of the original trailer for this masterpiece of independent horror film-making, courtesy of this Media Graveyard 'YouTube' video:-
If you'd like to know more... there's a full list of the cast & credits on the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) listing for "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" (1974), FOUND HERE, which also includes a full storyline / plot summary as well as box office stats, technical specs & much more. For die-hard fans, there's even more tidbits of information to be had from the Wikipedia Page for Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" (1974) VIA THIS LINK, which may help to fuel your appetite for (yet) another screening. Although, if you're as much of a fan of this film as I am, or have a penchant for seventies horror in general, it probably won't take too much persuading to watch this again! ;-) :-)
Anyway... you probably guessed already but, if not, this film (like the others from this series of posts) is also available via the 'Shudder' streaming service and can be easily viewed on any Roku device via their dedicated channel (app) for these streaming media players. There are other opportunities for UK Roku users to watch "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" (1974), including via 'Amazon Video' where it is (currently) only £2.49 (SD) or £3.49 (HD) to rent this film - although I'd suggest taking a look at some possible free alternatives before you part with any money, because there may well be some free sources available. However, since my original idea for this month-long blogathon was to suggest thirty-one great Hallowe'en / Horror themed movies from the fang-tastic 'Shudder UK', I'm going to recommend that you stream it on your Roku device using their channel - if possible! ;-) :-)
If you haven't already added it to your channel selection, you will find "Shudder" listed among the "Film & TV" channels in the "Official" Roku UK Channel Store. You can easily add it to your Roku player(s) by navigating to the built-in 'Channel Store' (accessed via "Streaming Channels" from the home screen on your Roku device) and scrolling through the options until you see the channel icon (pictured above). It's completely FREE-TO-ADD so, once you've located it in the list of channels, just click the "OK" button on your Roku remote to select it and then click "OK" again where it says 'Add channel' to install it on your Roku player(s). Having done that, it's simply a case of launching the channel via the 'Go to channel' option and navigating the on-screen menu to log-in (if you already have an account, but haven't yet done so) or start your free trial (if you are new to the service) and, once you see 'Shudder TV' playing on the screen, just push the "DOWN" arrow on your Roku remote to get to the main menu... from where you can "Search" for "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre", then press "OK" to select and 'Play' the 1974 movie by that name which, for the record, runs to 1h 24mins.
LINK TO WATCH 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre' (1974) VIA THE 'SHUDDER UK' WEBSITE
Unfortunately for readers outside the UK, at the time of writing, this seventies horror classic does not appear to be available via 'Shudder' in the U.S. or Canada... however, the good news for Roku users in the United States is that Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" (1974) is available to stream via the 'Amazon Video' service in USA. Those with memberships to 'Prime Video' can stream this film (effectively) for free with no additional cost to their regular subscription. Additionally, there are paid rental options at USD $2.99 (SD) or USD $3.99 (HD) for Roku users in the U.S. who do not have/want a 'Prime Video' subscription. However, the same cannot be said for Canadian streamers... because, at the time of writing, this movie (unfortunately) does not appear to be available through any streaming platform in Canada. That said, there are numerous other Roku streaming resources at your disposal so, as suggested in previous posts from this series, it might be worthwhile checking for any free alternatives that could be available for you to watch this film on your Roku. If you get stuck, just message me via Twitter: @ukrokuchannels and I'll see if I can sort you out with a link if need be! ;-)
Meanwhile, for that full cinema experience, here's a few of the other film posters that movie-goers in 1974 (and more recently) would have encountered depending on their location around the world:
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [USA Movie Poster]
PHOTO CREDIT: moviescounter.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [Alternative USA Poster #1]
PHOTO CREDIT: happyotter666.blogspot.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [USA Poster Alternative #2]
PHOTO CREDIT: moviesfilmsandflix.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [French Poster]
PHOTO CREDIT: imdb.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [Alternative French Poster]
PHOTO CREDIT: happyotter666.blogspot.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [German Poster]
PHOTO CREDIT: happyotter666.blogspot.com
POINT OF INTEREST: The image of the "Sawyer" family used in the above advertising poster for the first release of the film in West Germany was actually created using a still photo (taken during the making of the film) of the entire "family" posing outside the house. Originally intended as nothing more than a gag, it was found and stolen from the set by a visiting German reporter... who then took the photograph back to West Germany where it was eventually used for the poster you see here!
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [Italian Poster]
PHOTO CREDIT: happyotter666.blogspot.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [Alternative Italian Poster]
PHOTO CREDIT: happyotter666.blogspot.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [Alternative Italian Poster #2]
PHOTO CREDIT: happyotter666.blogspot.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [Alternative Italian Poster #3]
PHOTO CREDIT: happyotter666.blogspot.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [Japanese Poster]
PHOTO CREDIT: happyotter666.blogspot.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [Spanish Poster]
PHOTO CREDIT: pinterest.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [UK Poster]
PHOTO CREDIT: ukhorrorscene.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [Alternative UK Poster]
PHOTO CREDIT: comicvine.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [Alternative UK Poster #2]
PHOTO CREDIT: beyondhorrordesign.blogspot.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [Alternative UK Poster #3]
PHOTO CREDIT: beyondhorrordesign.blogspot.com
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) [Alternative UK Poster #4]
PHOTO CREDIT: pinterest.com
Finally, to round-off this tenth instalment in my month-long blogathon on 'Day Ten' for this 2017 edition of the 'Countdown To Halloween', here's more FRIGHTENINGLY FUN FILM FACTS... for example, did you know that the film was originally rejected by the British film censors in 1975? It did, however, get a limited cinema release in the London area... thanks to the GLC (Greater London Council). The film was then banned again in 1977, when censors' attempts to cut it were unsuccessful (for the purposes of a wider release), and banned once more in 1984, due to the growing controversy involving "video nasties". In 1999, after the censors finally changed their policy, they took the plunge and passed it uncut for both cinema and video release. Also, Ed Gein (on whom "Leatherface" was loosely based) was not a true serial killer, having only killed two people: both of them women. He was however, a bit of a ghoul. To wit, he stole body parts (only female) from many different graves and kept some of those parts in his refrigerator, while skinning one corpse to wear the skin as a dress!
Other interesting tidbits of trivia include the fact that the gas station where the kids stop in their van was bought from the family of the original owners and subsequently renovated... turning it into a sort of "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" themed horror campground. The new owner, Roy Rose, is said to be purchasing many original or contemporary period pieces for the resort, while putting in a restaurant, music venue and overnight cabins to expand the potential of the site. Likewise, the location used as the Sawyer family house has changed completely since the film's release. While the original location is now nothing more than an open field, with no indication that a house was ever there, the building itself has been relocated and fully restored. For anyone interested, it is now operated as the Junction House Restaurant on the grounds of the Antlers Hotel complex at 1010 King St. in Kingsland, TX! ;-)