The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) -

While Black Christmas and Halloween are also foundational, Texas Chain Saw introduced the idea of a masked, unstoppable killer with a signature weapon.

Instead of a traditional musical score, the film uses a terrifying "industrial" soundscape of screeching metal, animal noises, and buzzing machinery. 4. Cultural Impact & Legacy The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Five young friends—Sally, Franklin, Jerry, Kirk, and Pam—are road-tripping through rural Texas to visit an old family homestead. After picking up a bizarre hitchhiker, they run low on gas and stop at a secluded farmhouse, unknowingly stumbling into the home of a family of cannibalistic killers and the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface. 2. Key Characters & Icons While Black Christmas and Halloween are also foundational,