In the latest edition of Mandatory Movie Battles, we’re delving into the world of slasher franchises. For the past 50 years, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise has spawned 9 films, comic books, and even a video game adaptation. 1974’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is undoubtedly a stone-cold horror classic, and yet most of the sequels have failed to live up to the original. This brings us to the 2022 version of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which takes the form of an obligatory Legacy Sequel that connects directly back to the original. While the film is set in Texas and features a massacre by chainsaw, how does the new version hold up to the original? Let’s find out in a battle of the Texas Chainsaw Massacres!
Cover Photo: Netflix
As a direct sequel to the original film which mostly ignores the other films, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is largely a letdown. Even though there are some potentially interesting individual choices that are made in the film, it never manages to come together in a way that feels satisfying. In this respect, the 2022 iteration of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre won’t do much for fans of the franchise. If you are looking for a subpar slasher movie, then this movie might be for you.
Overall Winner: 1974
MMB: Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) v The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
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Final Girl
As one of the first notable films to utilize the “Final Girl” trope, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre uses this trope in a way that has still remained unmatched. Instead of using intuition and wit to escape the grasp of her killer, Sally Hardesty is saved by mere chance. Whereas the 2022 iteration attempts to bring the franchise’s original final girl back for one last ride, there’s simply not enough meat to the character of Sally for this aspect of the legacy sequel to be impactful.
Winner: 1974
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New Characters
If you were asked to name any of the supporting characters in the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre, you would probably be hard-pressed to do so. While this is certainly part of the point of the original, it also makes the characters less memorable. On the flip side, the supporting characters of the 2022 legacy sequel are nothing to write home about, but at least they are distinguishable from one another.
Winner: 2022
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Cinematography
If there’s one technical element that is undoubtedly iconic about Tobe Hooper’s original film, it has to be the cinematography. There’s a dirty, grimey feel to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre that makes it more reminiscent of a documentary than anything else. The 2022 version, however, tends to strip that away in favor of a more polished visual aesthetic. Though the new film does make good use of color (specifically with the lighting), much of the grit of the original is lost with this one.
Winner: 1974
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Gore
Although the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre is often remembered as being a shocking film, it also isn’t particularly gory. On the other hand, Texas Chainsaw Massacre isn’t particularly scary, but it sure is filled with gory moments. While both movies have their charms in terms of the more brutal moments, the gore in the new film is undoubtedly superior to the original.
Winner: 2022
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Directing
Considering the budgetary limitations of the original, Tobe Hooper’s directing work on The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is legendary. Unfortunately for Netflix’s legacy sequel, the film’s original directors were replaced within a week after the beginning of production. While David Blue Garcia’s efforts are admirable, Texas Chainsaw Massacre never feels like it was made under one unified vision. For this reason alone, the original easily wins this round.
Winner: 1974
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Writing
Throughout the many iterations of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, none of the movies have been particularly well-written. If anything, the ideas presented in the original are more important than the plot and characters, an approach that the new film also leans into. However, Texas Chainsaw Massacre presents way too many ideas, which ultimately makes the film’s 81- minute runtime feel overstuffed in comparison to the original.
Winner: 1974
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Leatherface
There’s no doubt that Leatherface is not only the staple of the franchise, but is also in the pantheon of iconic horror antagonists. With the exception of the 2003 Platinum Dunes remake, the franchise has struggled to advance the character of Leatherface into new territory. Although the 2022 film plays with the notion of an elderly, repressed version of Leatherface, it also feels like a completely different character.
Winner: 1974
