The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Who will survive and what will be left of them?
Five friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way, they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.
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| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 11 October 1974 |
| Genre | Horror |
| Director | Tobe Hooper |
| Starring | Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger and Paul A. Partain |
| Runtime | 83 min |
| Rated | R |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 8.1/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 84% · Metacritic 91/100 · IMDb 7.4/10 · TMDB users 7.3/10 |
| Budget | $83,532 |
| Box office | $31 million worldwide |
Where to watch The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is streaming on Netflix ($19.99 a month) in the US. It is also on Prime Video ($8.99 a month), Peacock ($16.99 a month) and Tubi. If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Prime Video is $8.99 at list price.
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Rent or buy
You can rent or buy The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube and Fandango at Home.
Where to watch The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in 21 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Argentina | Prime Video $5199 ARS |
| Australia | Prime Video $12.99 AUD, Paramount+, Foxtel |
| Belize | Prime Video |
| Bolivia | Prime Video |
| Canada | Netflix $18.99 CAD, Tubi |
| Chile | Prime Video $6490 CLP |
| Colombia | Prime Video $24900 COP |
| Costa Rica | Prime Video |
| Dominican Republic | Prime Video |
| Ecuador | Prime Video $5.99 |
| El Salvador | Prime Video |
| Guatemala | Prime Video |
| Honduras | Prime Video |
| Japan | Hulu, U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Nicaragua | Prime Video |
| Panama | Prime Video $5.99 |
| Paraguay | Prime Video |
| Peru | Prime Video S/25.90 |
| Spain | Prime Video €4.99, Filmin |
| Uruguay | Prime Video $U249 |
| Venezuela | Prime Video |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Tobe Hooper’s 1974 horror film relies on the fact that you cannot see what is coming. It is 83 minutes of rural Texas isolation, where the only sound that matters is the one you are not ready for. The film does not explain its monster; it just lets it rev up in the dark. That silence before the noise is the entire point. It is a test of your patience with your own heartbeat.
What the critics said
The initial reception was a mess. Critics were divided, with Linda Gross of the Los Angeles Times calling it "despicable" while Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times praised its execution despite the gore. Scores have since solidified, though the timeline is a bit fuzzy. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 84% as of October 2024. Metacritic lands on a 91/100 Metascore as of August 2025. IMDb averages 7.4/10 as of March 2026. The consensus shifted from shock to respect, with later reviews highlighting its tension. It is terrifying because it is real, not because it is loud.
How it did with audiences
$31 million worldwide, all of it from the United States, against a budget listed as $0 million. The accounting department has never explained how a film with no reported cost makes that kind of money, but the box office does not care about the spreadsheet. On TMDB, users rate it 7.3 out of 10. IMDb users agree, giving it a weighted average of 7.4/10 as of March 2026.
Where it left its mark
Richard Zoglin told Time in 1999 that the film set a new standard for slasher films. It proved horror could carry social weight, a view Tony Magistrale supports. Mark Olsen of the Los Angeles Times called it cheap and grubby, yet argued it supersedes the exploitation picture entirely. Bill Nichols sees authentic art in its personal disturbance.
The impact ripples outward. Wes Craven’s The Hills Have Eyes pays homage to it. Ridley Scott cited it as an inspiration for Alien. Alexandre Aja credits it as an early influence. Rebecca Ascher-Walsh of Entertainment Weekly links it to the foundations of Halloween and Evil Dead. Leatherface joined the pantheon alongside Freddy and Jason. The chainsaw did the heavy lifting.
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TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.
Sources
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q886597 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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