The first of the stalker/slasher movies - low budget, violent, terrifying, and with a youthful cast being chased by a psycho killer.  It's so cliche now, but in 1974 it was unheard of, and this movie scared a generation of movie goers, and changed horror movies forever after it.  An unknown cast adds to an overabundant sense of realism, which makes the psychotic mayhem all the more horrifying. 

Five young friends, one by one, learn what it feels like to be a cow in a slaughterhouse, at the hands of Leatherface and his clan.  And if they're lucky enough, maybe "Grandpa" will suck on their fingers!

There's not much to the plot, and the pace is slow at times, but it is suspenseful and intense at other times.  The "psycho chases teens" recipe have been so overused since Leatherface.  There would be no Jason, or Michael Myers, not even Dr. Giggles or Leprechaun, without this movie blazing the trail.  You cannot be a horror fan and not see this truly scary and grotesque film.
 

Quality: 5.0  Visuals: 6.5  Intensity: 7.0  Gore: 8.0 
OVERALL RATING: 6.6