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Chain Saw Confidential: How We Made the World's Most Notorious Horror Movie Kindle Edition

by Gunnar Hansen (Author)

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When The Texas Chain Saw Massacre first hit movie screens in 1974 it was both reviled and championed. To critics, it was either "a degrading, senseless misuse of film and time" or "an intelligent, absorbing and deeply disturbing horror film." However it was an immediate hit with audiences. Banned and celebrated, showcased at the Cannes film festival and included in the New York MoMA's collection, it has now come to be recognized widely as one of the greatest horror movies of all time.

A six-foot-four poet fresh out of grad school with limited acting experience, Gunnar Hansen played the masked, chain-saw-wielding Leatherface. His terrifying portrayal and the inventive work of the cast and crew would give the film the authentic power of nightmare, even while the gritty, grueling, and often dangerous independent production would test everyone involved, and lay the foundations for myths surrounding the film that endure even today.

Critically-acclaimed author Hansen here tells the real story of the making of the film, its release, and reception, offering unknown behind-the-scenes details, a harrowingly entertaining account of the adventures of low-budget filmmaking, illuminating insights on the film's enduring and influential place in the horror genre and our culture, and a thoughtful meditation on why we love to be scared in the first place.

Length: 241 pages

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A poet who has written several books on history, travel and poetry, Hansen has a crisp, engaging and informative style, and this is a must-read for horror film buffs."-Asbury Park Press

About the Author

Gunnar Hansen is the author of several books of history, travel, and poetry. He lives on the coast of Maine.

Product Details

File Size: 7302 KB
Print Length: 241 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC; Reprint edition (September 24, 2013)
Publication Date: September 24, 2013
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B00CUSQOUU
Text-to-Speech: Enabled

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Lending: Enabled
Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #128,131 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
- #71 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts
- #73 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Humor & Entertainment > Movies & Video > History & Criticism
- #109 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Humor & Entertainment > Movies & Video > Video

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Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars

5 star		69%
4 star		26%
3 star		5%
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

If you loved Chainsaw, you need this book. Buy it NOW

By Amazon Customer VINE VOICE on October 6, 2013

Format: Hardcover Vine Customer Review of Free Product ( What's this? )

I have to start by announcing my bias. I came to this book prepared to love it. I am a big fan of Chainsaw. I am a big horror fan and I freely admit having paid big bucks to see Gunnar Hansen, get his autograph, and have my picture taken with him at horror movie conventions. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a milestone in American Horror Cinema, and as in any such movie, the burden for success/failure rests fully on the shoulders of the man behind the mask. I have seen Gunnar give Q&A; sessions where he answers all sorts of questions and he can be hilariously funny or surprisingly profound. Gunnar is an actor, but he is also a scholar of literature. He often answered questions from both perspectives.

There are a lot of stories about the making of the movie. Many of them and unbelievable and many of them are false. Gunnar often answered questions about the making of the movie, and he confirms some of these stories, while setting the record straight on others. Unfortunately, unless you are lucky enough to get to a con to see him, you could never get that experience. Now, this book is not quite the same as getting to meet Gunnar. He's warm and gregarious and funny. He's a great guest at cons and the kind of master storyteller who can hold a roomful of fans spellbound for hours. This book is a written record of his experience as Leatherface during the making of the legendary movie. He tells readers about the other actors and production staff, as well as about working with Tobe Hooper. He tells funny stories about making some of the movie's iconic scenes - giving great detail and insight into the infamous 'meathook' scene, the "Dances with Chainsaw" scene at the end, and others. It's not the same as meeting him, but it's about as close as you can get otherwise.Read more ›

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Should be required reading at every film school

By William Kotzwinkle on October 8, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition

This book should be required reading at every film school in the country. Any aspiring filmmaker will learn how to seize whatever the day offers and make it work. Only books written by those who were there can bring this sort of inspiration, and Gunnar Hansen was there, inside the mask of Leatherface. Leatherface could only grunt and growl but Gunnar is an articulate witness to the amazing developments that took place on the set. That he didn't saw his own leg off is a miracle. That he didn't accidentally kill someone is also a miracle. But miracles are what guerrilla filmmakers count on because they can't count on money. So, not knowing any better and unencumbered by studio bureaucrats, they used a live chainsaw and strapped sheet metal on Gunnar's leg to prevent him amputating a limb. The mind-blowing effect they got on the screen was because they were tempting fate and got away with it. This is what young filmmakers have to accept, that sometimes fate needs to be tempted in order to release some luck their way.

The ingenuity of the crew on Chainsaw Massacre is another injection the young filmmaker needs. Nothing is impossible, that's the message in this book, and if you're making a film with no money you have to believe that message deep in your soul. Gunnar shows that soulful belief in action. Yes, they were reckless, brainless, and crazy but they made the most successful horror film in history. We learn there was just as much horror on the set as there is on the screen, the horror of young actors taking terrible chances for a director who was possessed. It's funny to read about but Gunnar makes it clear it was anything but fun. It was madness. Madness isn't what they teach at film school either but a touch of it is required on any project with heart.Read more ›

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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

Behind the leather mask(s)

By J. Hundley VINE VOICE on October 4, 2013

Format: Hardcover Vine Customer Review of Free Product ( What's this? )

Texas CS Massacre is one of those movies I have an odd personal relationship with. I walked out the first time I saw it at around age 17 -- not out of disgust, but out of unease. I simply didn't want to be sitting there in the theater watching it any more. Told my friends I would see them in the lobby afterward and left. Didn't regret it in the least. A couple of years later I saw it again, this time all the way through. It was astonishingly effective: creepy, disquieting. It was very good at what it did. I hated it and haven't seen it since.

Gunnar Hansen's new book, his remembrances of the making-of almost (ALMOST) makes me want to see it again.

Hansen played Leatherface and his tales of the creation of the character and the movie is an interesting, very enjoyable read. Blending in the memories of a number of his fellow actors and crew, he is quite effective himself at relating the physical and emotional ordeal that was the filming: miserably hot, humid weather; long days and nights of shooting to get it done quickly (and cheaply); claustrophobic sets and facilities, such that there were; and the periodic mind-games played by director Tobe Hooper. His overall tone is a kind of bemused reminiscence that makes him good company to spend some reading time with. While he certainly seems proud of his work on the movie, and the movie itself, he neither inflates his input into the process, nor does he display a false modesty. He tried to do a good job of creating a monster who was interesting to watch. And he succeeded admirably. Everyone involved tried to do a good job. They all set out to make a very scary, low-budget movie. And they all succeeded admirably.Read more ›

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

Just buy it!!!

Tells you everything you could ever want to know about this classic film and more. A must read for any horror fan!

Published 3 hours ago by Joseph Charlesworth

Sadly, Gunnar died a few months ago, his ...

Sadly, Gunnar died a few months ago, his writing is honest and informative, rest in peace, here you'll learn how the movie was financed and why it's still a landmark 40 years later

Published 4 hours ago by Sergio pescador

Interesting insight

Great book by a movie icon.

Published 2 days ago by Matthew Self

REST IN PEACE

R.I.P
GUNNAR HANSEN
1947-2015

Published 1 month ago by MonsterMadness

Excellent book and well written and wholly interesting for anyone ...

Excellent book and well written and wholly interesting for anyone who is, was, or will ever be a fan of the accidentally classic horror film.

Published 1 month ago by Phobius

Good read

Enjoyed "Leatherface's" tale of the making of my favorite horror film. The details and revelations shared are priceless for a fan. A must read for genre fans, too.

Published 1 month ago by @trivial_matter

A decent look inside filming a low-budget horror movie, but a lot of...

I love b-movies and horror movies and the insight of the book of what it was like to be on set and film is fascinating to me. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Brendan

Five Stars

Incredible book about a Incredible movie.....Nuff said

Published 3 months ago by subhuman

A MUST For the Texas Chainsaw Massacre Fan!

I am a huge TCM fan! I love horror movies, but this one has always (and will always be) my absolute favorite. I was so excited to read this book. Read more

Published 5 months ago by Samantha

Texas chainsaw

Book was pretty decent. I am a huge horror fan so I enjoyed it. If you are a horror fan than you should add this to your collection.

Published 7 months ago by Jason Vaughn

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