10 Horror Movies Based On True Stories (That Were All Lies)
6. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
One of the central reasons why The Texas Chain Saw Massacre left such an impact was because it was promoted as a true story. The opening narration states the film serves as an account of a real tragedy, suggesting Leatherface and his cannibalistic family really did terrorise a group of teens with chainsaws and meat hooks.
However, there's only one aspect of Tobe Hooper's masterpiece that's based on reality. The main antagonist, Leatherface, wears a mask crafted from human skin, much like real-life murderer, Ed Gein.
But that is where the similarities end. Gein never used a chainsaw in his crimes, lived in Texas, or committed murders in the same manner as Leatherface and his family. Most importantly, Gein wasn't a cannibal.
It's worth mentioning Gein was the main inspiration for Norman Bates in Psycho and Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs. Despite the fact these villains had more similarities to Gein than Leatherface, neither film was labelled as a biography.
Even though Gein took part in many disturbing acts, virtually none of his behaviour was implemented into The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. As a result, referring to the 1974 classic as a true story is a bit of a reach.