The Texas Chain Saw Massacre remains one of the most iconic, genre-defying horror films of all time. Helmed by filmmaker Tobe Hooper, the low-budget feature assaults the senses with its relentless, grimy brutality and political commentary on the Vietnam War. Through mangled images of dead bodies and grotesque bursts of violence, the 1974 film makes you squirm and writhe in your seat.
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50 years later, the filming locations serve as a pilgrimage for horror fans wanting to get the full experience of their favorite horror movie. From the nauseating opening scene to the farmhouse, we've got the lowdown on the film's three essential stops, if you're bold enough to make the trip through Texas, just outside of Austin.
Take a look.
Bagdad Cemetery
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If you drive 25 miles northwest out of Austin into Leander, Texas on Route 183, you'll come across the cemetery that served as the film's unnerving opening sequence. Located at 400 N. Bagdad Rd., the Bagdad Cemetery pops up early in the film, as a radio news program reveals that bodies have been dug up and posed atop a gravestone, which was actually constructed for the shooting. While the caretaker gave permission for Tobe Hooper and crew to film in the cemetery, Hooper didn't want to push his luck by desecrating a gravesite.
Performed by John Larroquette, the opening narration reveals what's in store for our characters: "The film which you are about to see is an account of the tragedy which befell a group of five youths, in particular Sally Hardesty and her invalid brother, Franklin. It is all the more tragic in that they were young. But, had they lived very, very long lives, they could not have expected nor would they have wished to see as much of the mad and macabre as they were to see that day. For them, an idyllic summer afternoon drive became a nightmare. The events of that day were to lead to the discovery of one of the most bizarre crimes in the annals of American history, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre."
Wayne Bell, the man behind the sound design, calls the signature effect a "stinger," a flashbulb cranking with a twisted, metallic ring - made from a piano string scraped with a fork. The camera then opens on the slimy head of a corpse before panning out to reveal the grotesque sight of decomposing corpses baking underneath a hot summer sun. While not based on real events, this scene, in particular, takes cues from the horrifying real-life case of Ed Gein, who was known to dig up bodies and decorate his house and his own body. The area is easy to spot, located near the only stone building on the property. Enter the cemetery and hang a left; you can't miss it.
Later in the film, Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns) and her brother Franklin (Paul A. Partain) visit the graveyard to make sure their grandfather's grave has not been disturbed. Decades later, the covered grave remains in place.
We Slaughter BBQ
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At the time of shooting the film, the building served as a general store and was outfitted as a makeshift gas station. A sign emblazoned with "We Slaughter Barbeque" was attached, hinting at what was to come for our band of 20-somethings. The location was used as the next stop on the characters' long trek into deep Texas. Sally and her friends make a pitstop on their way through town and pull into a gas station to fill 'er up. When approached by the proprietor, otherwise known as Drayton Sawyer (Jim Siedow), they learn there isn't any gas available. Instead, they leave and venture to a nearby abandoned home.
The building is now home to one of Texas' most crucial foodie stops. In 2016, owners Roy and Lisa Rose opened the location as We Slaughter BBQ, also called The Gas Station, after spending two and a half years on renovations. Cory Young, an avid fan of heavy metal and horror movies, serves as the general manager. The derelict building transformed into a movie-perfect recreation, complete with everything from the "We Slaughter Barbeque" signage down to the pastel green stool out front.
Ariel Garcia
Nowadays, We Slaughter BBQ (located at 1073 SH 304, Bastrop, Texas) dishes up delectable barbecue to a wide array of clientele, from locals to diehard Texas Chain Saw fans. Roy and Lisa also offer four cabins out back for those brave enough to spend the night, suited up with a TV and DVD player to watch the 1974 feature. There's a replica of the iconic green van right outside your window to make you even more uneasy. The property includes a music venue and a campsite, as well. As part of the renovations, a memorial bench with the words "In Memory of Those Who Went Before Us" was added to commemorate the deceased Texas Chain Saw cast and crew.
As far as a digital presence goes, The Gas Station hosts the Home of Horror Show on YouTube, where they've interviewed such horror icons as Jonathan Breck from Jeepers Creepers. In the horror convention arena, The Gas Station presents countless meet 'n greets and other events, including the Cult Classic Convention in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The Farmhouse
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The Sawyer farmhouse plays the most vital role in the film. While the group explores the abandoned Hardesty residence, Kirk (William Vail) and Pam (Teri McMinn) scamper off to do a little swimming when they discover another home with gurgling generators. Kirk hopes to barter for gas, and he enters the home, only to be bludgeoned with a hammer and yanked behind a steel wall by none other than Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen). Throughout the film, the home - littered with actual road kill and animal remains, including blood outsourced from the local slaughterhouse - looms over the characters, the grounds of grisly, cannibalistic rituals.
Once Sally's friends are all dead and she gets captured, the Sawyer family, including the creepy hitchhiker from earlier (Edwin Neal), gathers for dinner and ties her to a chair made of human bones, which were actually animal bones plastered with latex to give the allusion of human skin. Sally screams for her life, but her cries are futile. When Grandpa (John Dugan) tries to hit her over the head, Sally escapes, leaps out of a nearby window, and darts down the dirt road, where she is saved by a man in a pickup truck.
The farmhouse, originally located in Round Rock, fell into disrepair and was moved to Antler's Inn in Kingsland, Texas (1010 King Ct.) and renovated. The original land is now the home of La Frontera, a commercial shopping center. In Kingsland, the home has been transformed into Hooper's restaurant, a name clearly honoring the film's creator. It bills itself as "a casual southern pub" and serves classic American dishes like Hooperville shrimp and grits, blackened ribeye steak and a spicy tuna bowl.
The restaurant is currently owned by Simon Madera, along with his wife Hobie Sasser and their friends Mike and Courtney Rhodes. Customers dine while someone dressed up as Leatherface stalks the dining room, adding to the full experience of the iconic dinner scene. There is also a Hooper's coffee shop and bakery located just off the main restaurant a short distance away.
