Behind the Scenes and Sounds of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Tobe Hooper's 1974 slasher film The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a classic of the genre. And it's a good thing, considering what the cast and crew went through to get it filmed. Shot in the summer of 1973 in remote Texas locations, they put up with 120 degree heat, the smell of rotting flesh (cheaper than having props made), and performing stunts they were not used to. Marilyn Burns, who played Sally, was particularly affected.

    “She (Burns) had a few accidents on the set. After running through the thicket, she had to go to a plastic surgeon to have thorns removed from her breasts.”
 
So, as it pertains to Burns’ famous screaming in TCM, in this particular instance (and others in the thicket), Burns’ screams are all too real, and the blood on her shirt is largely her own. Talk about taking one for the team.

But that was just the beginning. Gunnar Hansen, who played Leatherface, had never used a chainsaw before, What could possibly go wrong? Read about the filming of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre at Dangerous Minds.

(Image credit: The NeatoShop)