25 things you didn’t know about your favorite horror movies

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre – Leatherface actor came up with the character himself

We couldn’t possibly forget the legendary original slasher film, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

A group of five friends are driving to Texas to visit Sally’s grandfather’s grave, after hearing news that vandals desecrated the graveyard where he’s buried. Along the way, they pick up a hitchhiker (always a bad idea), and they end up at their grandfather’s old deserted farm, despite a local warning them about heading out that way.

When they enter the house, they find out this is where the hitchhiker lives, and so does Leatherface, the masked, chainsaw-wielding psychopath who is about to make their lives a living hell.

Director Tobe Hooper actually gave actor Gunnar Hansen the freedom to develop the Leatherface character any way he saw fit. Hansen figured that Leatherface had a learning disability, and that’s why he never learned to talk properly. To prepare for the role, he studied students at a school for special needs kids, in order to get a feel for the character.

Some people may be offended when they hear that a notoriously gruesome fictional murderer was based on mentally handicapped children. But Hansen did his best to make it as non-offensive as possible.

One last thing: while many incorrectly state that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is based on a true story, it is loosely inspired by a real-life serial killer, Ed Gein. Gein was a notorious murder and grave robber. He would keep body parts as trophies and would make different items out of the skins of his victims.

Funnily enough, Ed Gein was also the inspiration behind the original novel that the film Psycho was based on, as well as for portions of The Silence of the Lambs.

Next: 20 best badass women of horror movies

What’s your favorite bit of horror trivia?