Oh, look; they're remaking Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Why?
Not that Tobe Hooper's 1974 slasher wasn't a low-budget classic that also served as an auspicious debut for the young director. In fact, the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, loosely based on actual events that also inspired The Silence of the Lambs, could be considered the progenitor of the genre, predating as it did both Halloween and Friday the 13th. But what was shocking in 1974 has become commonplace in the 21st-century slasher film, and the novelty of Leatherface and his cannibal clan has long since given way to both cinematic and real-life monstrosities more horrific than even Hooper could imagine. With no special effects to update, there seems little point to a remake, not to mention the fact that Chainsaw was updated in '94 with its own Next Generation.
Still, somebody at New Line has commissioned yet another visit to the human skin-wearing, traveler-killing, electric tool-wielding clan by yet another group of nubile red shirts. A cynical observer might opine that New Line is looking for a low-budget replacement for its aging Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, but for all the creep factor of Leatherface and his family, they don't have quite the same resonance as Freddy Krueger, and consequently likely lack the staying power for an extended franchise. This was partly demonstrated by the original series, where three more films were attempted prior to the Next Gen configuration, without much success.
With more intriguing horror fare being released not long before Chainsaw is due, and with Alien scheduled for re-release over Hallowe'en, the box office outlook for this newest incarnation is a bit bleak. However, even the briefest of theatrical runs will have little effect on the market where Chainsaw will likely see its biggest success, namely the home video market. If New Line provides a moderate marketing push, Chainsaw's profile should be sufficiently raised during its (probably very) brief theatrical run and position it well for a long reign near the top of the rental food chain. (Stephanie Star Smith/BOP)
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