The genre of horror is typically easily identifiable, due to a number of distinct traits that have developed for over a century. Often horror films use lighting to trigger the fear of the dark/unknown. This can also be subverted in films like Midsommar, where most of the horror takes place in broad daylight. They typically make use of disturbing or unsettling imagery. Setting is also important, as an unfamiliar space can unsettle an audience, while a familiar one can help build immersion. Furthermore, a film can often play with space to either make a viewer feel exposed or constrained. Horror movies also typically feature a very deliberate use of music/sound to build tension. Lastly, horror films often make use of pre-existing character tropes that are specific to the genre.
The original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, released in 1974, expertly makes use of many of these techniques to create one of the most iconic horror films of all time. The film takes place in a rural countryside, which creates a sense of isolation and helplessness. The vast, expansive space implants the idea that there is nowhere to hide, and no one to run to. The film also brilliantly capitalizes on the inverse as well, with many scenes and shots set up to make the viewer feel trapped in a terrible circumstance. During the most climactic scenes, they make use of many quick jump cuts, which naturally unsettles a viewer’s brain as they cannot fully grasp what they are looking at. While some horror films have a haunting soundtrack, Texas Chainsaw Massacre uses minimal music, which adds to the bleak atmosphere. It does, however, use a number of seemingly random, chilling sound effects to unsettle the viewer.
One of the major turning points in the film takes place at the climax of the second act, when Sally, the last of her friends left alive, waits in a gas station for the owner to return and drive her to safety. As she waits, she is seated beside a meat smoking room, and often framed beside an oven. By cutting between Sally waiting in terror and unidentifiable meats hanging in the room beside her, the film subtly hints at the horror of cannibalism. When the gas station owner returns with a large bag, it is revealed that he is in fact not going to save her. This particular shot excellently captures Sally’s state of entrapment.
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