The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
It is undeniable that there is an underlying feature to horror films, that makes it so fascinating to its viewers. Robin Wood argues that the relationship between normality and the monster is the essential subject of the horror film (71). More specifically, it is seeing the monster, the abnormal, demolish the norms that oppress us which serves as the main appeal to horror films; a secret, albeit satisfying wish fulfilment. This idea is exemplified through The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre).
The definition of normality is, in general, rather constant: the heterosexual couple, the family and the social institutions that support and protect them (Wood 71). The same idea resides in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Pam and …show more content…
The cannibals undeniably represent the abnormal, the monster. This is especially due to deeply rooted, American fears of savages and sentiments of class division (Knoppler 193). The family’s cannibalism only serves to align with this idea of savagery. Leatherface, ultimately, embodies this ideology as well. Although one can argue that he is simply defending his family by killing those who intrude into their home, this is still primitive at best. Indeed, this is still a character acting without social conduct nor rules, like a normal human being might do. The group of friends, the physical embodiment of ‘the norm’, all unknowingly walk into their deaths without much of a chance to run. Even Sally can only but feebly defend herself. This plays into Wood’s idea of our nightmare wish to smash the norms that oppress us (72). In Pam and Kirk’s case, their being killed by Leatherface could suggest our inner desire to demolish heteronormativity, and allow the “abnormal” to win; homosexual or bisexual relationships. Especially because anything related to LGBTQ+ was more repressed in the 70s than it is now. Furthermore, the fact that one continues to watch the film to see who dies by Leatherface’s hand, and who survives, speaks for a lot in itself. More specifically, the anticipation of the normative characters’ deaths suggests that we
The definition of normality is, in general, rather constant: the heterosexual couple, the family and the social institutions that support and protect them (Wood 71). The same idea resides in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Pam and …show more content…
The cannibals undeniably represent the abnormal, the monster. This is especially due to deeply rooted, American fears of savages and sentiments of class division (Knoppler 193). The family’s cannibalism only serves to align with this idea of savagery. Leatherface, ultimately, embodies this ideology as well. Although one can argue that he is simply defending his family by killing those who intrude into their home, this is still primitive at best. Indeed, this is still a character acting without social conduct nor rules, like a normal human being might do. The group of friends, the physical embodiment of ‘the norm’, all unknowingly walk into their deaths without much of a chance to run. Even Sally can only but feebly defend herself. This plays into Wood’s idea of our nightmare wish to smash the norms that oppress us (72). In Pam and Kirk’s case, their being killed by Leatherface could suggest our inner desire to demolish heteronormativity, and allow the “abnormal” to win; homosexual or bisexual relationships. Especially because anything related to LGBTQ+ was more repressed in the 70s than it is now. Furthermore, the fact that one continues to watch the film to see who dies by Leatherface’s hand, and who survives, speaks for a lot in itself. More specifically, the anticipation of the normative characters’ deaths suggests that we