For the month of October we’re going to take you down memory lane and reveal what horror films opened on each day leading up to Halloween.
October 1 actuality saw quite a few releases, most notably George A. Romero’s $100k indie Night of the Living Dead, which made a whopping $30M worldwide at the box office. Explains Wiki, Night of the Living Dead was heavily criticized at its release owing to explicit content, but eventually garnered critical acclaim and has been selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry as a film deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” It’s soaked in social commentary that’s still relevant today.
And as unbelievable as it sounds, today also marks the 40th anniversary of Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, another horror indie that broke through the Hollywood barrier. Hooper produced the film for less than $300,000 and used a cast of relatively unknown actors drawn mainly from central Texas, where the film was shot, explains Wiki. The limited budget forced Hooper to film for long hours seven days a week, so that he could finish as quickly as possible and reduce equipment rental costs. Due to the film’s violent content, Hooper struggled to find a distributor. Louis Perano of Bryanston Pictures eventually purchased the distribution rights. Hooper limited the quantity of onscreen gore in hopes of securing a ‘PG’ rating, but the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rated it ‘R’. The film faced similar difficulties internationally.
The site also explained that, Uupon its October 1974 release, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was banned outright in several countries, and numerous theaters later stopped showing the film in response to complaints about its violence. While it initially drew a mixed reception from critics, it was enormously profitable, grossing over $30 million at the domestic box office. It has since gained a reputation as one of the best horror films in cinema history. It is credited with originating several elements common in the slasher genre, including the use of power tools as murder weapons and the characterization of the killer as a large, hulking, faceless figure. The popularity of the film led to a franchise that continued the story of Leatherface and his family through sequels, remakes, one prequel, comic books and video games.
A look through the history books also reveals that October 1 shared the release of the 1978 Patrick, which has since been remade, Magnolia Pictures’ 2009 Universal Soldier: Regeneration, Paramount Pictures’ god-awful 2009 Case 39, and even Dark Sky Films’ 2010 release of Adam Green’s Hatchet II!
If you’re looking for a way to kickoff this October in style, starting with the brand new TCM box set and NOTLD is a great place to start! Share your stories below. When was the first time you saw them all? Which is your fav?
