The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)
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A prequel exploring the dark origins of the Hewitt family and the birth of the Leatherface legend.
The story
In 1939, a woman dies giving birth in a Texas slaughterhouse, and her baby is abandoned in a dumpster. Found by Luda Mae Hewitt, the child is raised as her own son, Thomas. Thirty years later, in 1969, Thomas works in the same slaughterhouse. When the plant is shut down, he kills the supervisor and takes a chainsaw. Meanwhile, brothers Eric and Dean are traveling across the country to enlist in the Vietnam War. After a car crash involving a biker gang, they find themselves in the path of the Hewitt family, leading to a violent confrontation at the Hewitt house.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1939, a woman dies giving birth in a Texas slaughterhouse; her baby is abandoned in a dumpster and raised by Luda Mae Hewitt as her son, Thomas. In 1969, Thomas works at the same slaughterhouse. When it closes, he kills the supervisor and takes a chainsaw. Sheriff Winston Hoyt attempts to arrest him, but Luda Mae's other son, Charlie Hewitt, kills Hoyt and assumes his identity. Simultaneously, brothers Eric and Dean are traveling to enlist in the Vietnam War. After a car crash with a biker gang, they are intercepted by Hoyt, who takes them to the Hewitt house. Hoyt tortures Dean and has Thomas butcher a biker's body. Eric eventually breaks free and tries to save Dean and Bailey, but Bailey is captured and Thomas stabs her with a meat hook. Thomas eventually kills Holden (the biker's boyfriend) with a chainsaw and skins Eric's face to wear as a mask. Chrissie attempts to save Bailey but is caught by Hoyt. Dean beats Hoyt before being killed by Leatherface. Chrissie escapes in the slaughterhouse supervisor's car but is eventually fatally impaled by Leatherface while driving.
- Original title
- The Origin
- First release year
- 2006
- Runtime (minutes)
- 91
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Jonathan Liebesman
- Writers
- Sheldon Turner · screenplay; Sheldon Turner · story; David J. Schow · story
- Cast and characters
- Jordana Brewster; Taylor Handley; Diora Baird; Matt Bomer; Lee Tergesen; R. Lee Ermey
- Genres
- slasher; prequel; horror; crime; splatter
- Themes
- decay of the American dream; cannibalism; family secrets
- Tone and mood
- bloody; gore-filled; desaturated; hectic
- Setting
- Texas, 1939 and 1969
- Premise and plot tags
- prequel; slasher; serial killer; Vietnam War draft
- Franchise connections
- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
- Content notes
- gore
- Reception
- The film received negative reviews from critics and was panned by several major publications, though it received a 'C+' average grade from audiences.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 30 · scale: 100 · review count: 18
- Awards and nominations
- Worst Prequel or Sequel · Golden Raspberry Awards · 2006 · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The film was originally subtitled 'The Origin'.; New Line Cinema paid $3.1 million extra to keep the franchise rights from Dimension Films.; The film was shot in chronological order.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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