Leatherface. 2017. Directed by Alexandre Bustillo & Julien Maury. Screenplay by Seth M. Sherwood.
Starring Stephen Dorff, Finn Jones, Lili Taylor, Nicole Andrews, James Bloor, Sam Strike, Sam Coleman, Vanessa Grasses, Simona Williams, Christopher Adamson, Julian Kostov, Jessica Madsen, Boris Kabakchiev, Ian Fisher, Velizar Peev, & Dejan Angelov.
Campbell Grobman Films/LF2 Productions/Lionsgate
Rated R. 90 minutes.
Horror/Thriller
★★★★
There’s a lot to live up to for this movie. I’ll admit, I wasn’t entirely into the idea at all, in any way when it was first announced. Once I found out the French filmmaking duo Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury were directing, I was sold. Their brand of horror is efficient, creepy, often brutal and raw. Perfect to try handling an entry in the ever expanding franchise of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Leatherface is an interesting film. Its screenplay, by Seth M. Sherwood, fits in as a prequel to the original Tobe Hooper classic, directly, though liberties are taken in a fresh way to make the character of Leatherface and his family feel new. What the audience winds up with is a road movie, slasher-style, a Texas Chainsaw horror with a bit of mystery as to the identity of who’ll later become the iconic killer himself.
What’s best is that beneath the horror are questions of identity. The origins of the character are changed, just a touch. The core remains the same. The saw is still family. We’re just given a new look at how a horrific serial killing maniac like Leatherface can come about, giving horror fans an entirely different yet still familiar glimpse of the Sawyer clan and what makes the infamous killer tick.
“I wish I was somebody else“
At its core, Leatherface explores how the character could become a killer in a real life, gritty family situation. Whereas the original, played by the gloriously brutal Gunnar Hansen, was a mentally challenged man who turned into a psychopath, this Bustillo and Maury film explores a story where a relatively sane child grows up in a harsh, terrible environment, whisked away by the government to an equally dismal, institutional setting where his worst urges are only buried with corporal punishment/abuse and medication, then experiences events which ultimately diminish his mental capacity.
The main theme is identity. A fracture occurs in the killer that’s irreversible. Leatherface goes from a boy taken from his family to, later, a young man who’ll do anything for his family, including things he wasn’t capable of before. He grows, yet in a way he fractures and becomes a smaller, more primitive version of himself.
While Mama (Lili Taylor) gets a big place in the warped psyche of her killer son, Dorff’s cop character also plays a role in his identity. He’s hellbent on revenge for the death of his daughter at the hands of the Sawyer clan. He stamps all the family as killers, depraved lunatics. This puts the boy who’ll transform into Leatherface in a psychiatric facility, fermenting the parts of him that’ll turn psychopathic down the road. The renegade cop further plays his role in being the one to tear up Leatherface’s boyish good looks, necessitating the need for a mask. And, boy, is the first mask ever a crude one, perfectly fitting in a utilitarian sense.
“What‘d I tell you about outsiders? They fill your head with lies“
Hooper’s Texas Chain Saw Massacre is one of my all-time favourite movies, horror or otherwise. Its impact on horror and the indie film industry as a whole is undeniable. What I enjoy here is that Leatherface doesn’t try to reinvent every last little bit. Sherwood’s screenplay opts for a few of its own unique additions, though the central aspects of Hooper and his film remain, as well as his and Hansen’s original vision of who Leatherface was meant to be, a faceless man with only the identity imprinted upon him by his family, by killing.
If you don’t want a backstory, then don’t watch a prequel. Simple as that. This story is definitely interesting. It’s got plenty of good gore, some intense horror movie kills expected of a film in the Texas Chainsaw franchise. It doesn’t retread all the same ground, giving us a change from the archetypal view of the film’s antagonist as a mentally challenged man gone homicidal. I love the original character, but I also love this one. On top of it all there are several wild scenes, including a horror-style Pulp Fiction moment in a diner, the origin of Leather’s mask, a quick tour around the Sawyer house, and one brutish kill at the end.
Watching and wondering which character will later become Leatherface is a blast, the reveal isn’t necessarily altogether unexpected by the end. Although how they give the audience that final treat is fantastic. In between is a horrific road movie that plunges the depths of the tortured human soul.
Give this a chance and Leatherface, he’ll get under your skin.
Five years ago. Talvinder (Melinda Shankar) and Dawn (Paula Brancati) are close. Talking together about the future, what it’ll be like fully entering adulthood, how they should move in together.
Suspicions are high, Keira wonders if it was Dawn who could be the killer, even if Peter isn’t convinced. Jump back to five years prior. Dawn and the other counsellors teach kids to do all kinds of stuff, like archery. She was particularly close to one dude, Ryan. This is also when we see Owen talking to Tal, pressing her to go out with him, being creepy.
Go back five years. Dawn wants Tal to talk her up to Ryan. The trusted friend goes to him, trying to work her magic. He asks if Dawn ever mentions him. She gives him a generic answer, not talking Dawn up whatsoever. Tal’s doing what she does, acting deviously behind the backs of the people who seem to like her; she lies about Dawn’s stepfather, making it out to look like she was molested. God damn, girl! Nothing to get killed over, not even close, but lord, she was a piece of work.
Peter goes back to the cabin, more information now, but when Dawn lets him inside Mark runs at him, knocking him out. After that Keira is pissed. She believes maybe Mark is the killer now. Yet there’s a piece of Andi’s hair in Peter’s pocket. So strange, so creepy.
Five years ago. Talvinder (Melinda Shankar) is building tents, having trouble, so Noah (Jim Watson) helps her out selflessly. She comes on to him a bit, conning him into doing stuff for her. The picture of the hideous acts which later occurred is being painted, one stroke at a time. Not long later, Noah sees Tal heading into the woods with a beer and friends. Peter (Lovell Adams-Gray) and him both have a thing for her, obviously the former has a better idea of what was going on; he says “move on.” A whole fucking mess amongst a group of friends.
Judith (Leslie Hope) tends to Megan’s dead body when Wren (Sebastian Pigott) shows up. He believes they’ve opened “Pandora‘s Box” and that anything could happen now. I’m still unsure about him. Out in the living room, Dawn (Paula Brancati) is still standing accused of poisoning the woman, denying it to Renée (Joanne Vannicola) and Mark (Paulino Nunes). This is when Peter and Keira (Madison Cheeatow) come to tell them about Glenn’s true identity, which isn’t totally received so hot right away. But some of them will go looking for Benny.
Ole Benny’s in trouble, tied to a chair, helpless. When Mark comes out with food and water, he has questions for him. He asks about the snowmobile, the poison in the food. He claims he’s “not a killer.” He fesses up to one murder, naturally, that he’s Mr. Ironside, saying that killing Glenn wasn’t a planned thing. Meanwhile, Keira and Dawn help Noah get his clothes off and clean up. Such a terrible, tragic scene. This is when the women discover he’s been raped, as well.
Outside, Noah finds a fire going. But it’s not any of his friends there. He’s stumbled onto the parka killer, who tosses gas on him and lights him ablaze. Immediately we cut back to Noah charging after Tal that night five years ago. He tears her shirt open, then he’s about to rape her right on the truck. Peter rushes in and hauls him off. Holy shit. This sends Tal running into the woods, the others shocked at their friend’s actions. Peter punches him in the face before going after Tal. This has everyone actually worried about the girl instead of murderous.
Such a great season. I am obsessed. Just gets more grim with each passing episode. Hard not to love if you’re a slasher fan. “Drone” is next.
At the police station, Dt. Pete Dixon (Scott Lawrence), Dt. Izzy Torres (Nicole 
Josh goes looking for Robi. When he notices his car’s there and nobody answering at home, he calls the cops again. Pete, Izzy, and Bill come to check the place. In the apartment they find no one, nothing. Although Josh notices after a moment there’s no rug near the kitchen like before. So Izzy begins doing minor forensics, spraying luminol around a few areas, locating the presence of some interesting fluids – a large splash on the wall, the floor, some reaching out to the kitchen cabinets. A macabre, fluorescent crime scene.
In a portable outhouse, Brady opens the wheelchair and produces the bomb. Out on a stage, a speech, a look at the Edmund Mills Art Center opening in the community. In the crowd Bill looks hard for his man, he stumbles onto Holly and asks her to get out of there fast. And Jerome, he’s there with his family. So many in peril.
Loved this finale! Wow, just filled with atmosphere and suspense, tension to fill your boots. Season 2’s been announced already, so I’m very interested if they’ll take into account Finders Keepers, or if they’re going for a whole angle of their own. Exciting stuff to consider in the interim.
In the aftermath of Janey Patterson (Mary-Louise Parker) being blown to bits, former detective Bill Hodges (Brendan Gleeson) wakes to a morning harder than those before it, a little less light in the world, and he’s not as inclined to hop out of bed and get ready. Things have changed. Well, except for Mr. Friendly’s Frosteeez driving through the neighbourhood, Brady Hartsfield (Harry Treadaway) at the wheel.
Mommy’s dead, so the son goes about taking care of the mess, disposing of her body. Actually, he doesn’t get rid of it. Not yet, anyways. He drags her upstairs, putting her to bed and covering her with a sheet. Laaawd, it’s 
When Holly decides on staying the night at Bill’s place, avoiding her mom, she symbolically takes the place of his daughter, sleeping in her bed. We also find out the tortoise belonged to Allie, the reason why he ever kept it around. In the morning, the retired detective finds Holly working on the computer, having invited Jerome (Jharrel Jerome) over to crack more of the case.
Mr. Mercedes may be gearing up for something big, an arts centre opening prompts him to dream up a “celebration” of his own. He even shares this idea with mother; yes, Norman is alive and well in modern day. He lies in bed with her, talking about when he “had a girl once.” The only other lover aside from mom. He says he wanted to know about a different life. Yet now, he only wants the one he had with her. At least until he goes out in a blaze of horrific glory.
Fantastic, insane, brutal episode. That death scene was one of the most terrifying things on TV in a long, long time. Cannot wait for more, there’s so much happening and poised to happen there’s going to be a big release of tension coming up. Not sure who’ll snap first, Bill or Brady.
Again, love the repetition of each morning Bill Hodges (Brendan Gleeson) experiences. Every day is exactly the same. Shows how he’s just going through the motions. His only added change are the bits and pieces of the Mercedes Killer case he works on. Across town and then right into the neighbourhood is Brady Hartsfield (Harry Treadaway), working from afar yet right out in the open, too. A tense situation that’s bound to explode sooner than later.
Bill has to “eat shit” because he needs computer help, which means he needs young Jerome (Jharrel Jerome). He feels bad, but isn’t willing to totally eat that shit. However, he does well enough to fix things between them. He needs to dig through Olivia Trelawney’s laptop. He’s getting Holly (Justine Lupe) to help them out, too. Turns out the girl’s got computer game, she knows just about as much as Jerome. She’s both quirky AND smart.
Deb, along with the old journal she apparently stashed away, found a length of rubber hose. She wonders what Brady does with it, asking him face to face. She likewise shows him the clown mask, asking why he’s got it hidden in the closet. He goes on a rant about running away with the circus. She keeps on prodding, looking through the journal, lamenting not having him “committed” years ago. Deb wants her son to have changed, from the budding psychopath that clearly existed long ago. Problem is, he budded. Fully bloomed.
Just outside the funeral procession, Brady watches on. Janey gets up to do the eulogy. A really sick moment, Mr. Mercedes right there, watching the family of the woman he drove to suicide grieve over another family member. So twisty and turny and unsettling.
Another day, another hard wake to the world for Bill Hodges (Brendan Gleeson). Repetition, this is Bill’s life in retirement. He wakes up, washes off the booze of the night before, tries to eat something sensible. Meanwhile, Brady Hartsfield (Harry Treadaway) is around the neighbourhood in his ice cream truck, hacking into everything the former detective owns.
Flashback to when Brady came across Olivia Trelawney (Ann Cusack). He was taking items out to her car for her, a good employee. This is when he casually imprinted the codes for the locks using his little universal remote. The meagre beginnings of a vehicular serial killer.
Janey’s mother Elizabeth (Katharine Houghton) is having a lucid day, so Bill goes to the home where she lives to speak with her about Olivia, her death. She tells him about her friend “Gerald” who was her pen pal, saying he and Olivia had the “same demons.” Of course mom knows better, she knew Gerald was Mr. Mercedes. Then her daughter went off the deep end, saying she must “go with him.” Only he didn’t go. When Elizabeth figures out it was Bill who hounded Olivia for the police, she drives him out. This also puts him and Janey at odds a bit, as she too believes he was part of her sister’s guilt.
Well, the situation at the Hartsfield home isn’t exactly any better. Both mother and son are equally scarred, traumatised by the past, by their relationship. Mom being rejected by her boy sends her into a tailspin.
I’ve long been interested in the criminal psychology of serial killers. In no way am I ‘fans’ of them, as certain sick puppies out there describe their interest. What’s so compelling is trying to figure out how the human mind could possibly warp so savagely, twisting into the wretched form we find in serial and spree killers, vicious murderers, criminal sociopaths, so on.
I love that Bruce Davison plays Lionel, Jeffrey’s father. He and Renner have wonderful chemistry. Their scenes together ratchet up the suspense because there’s this wait, a hope that maybe Lionel will discover these atrocities. Yet, as we know by the real story, this will never come. For instance, the box scene where father and son, alongside grandma, argue over a little box the former kept as a boy – clearly, Jeffrey has something inside he doesn’t want his father, or anybody, to see. There’s so much tension here, a lot of emotional acting from both men. A real heavy dose of personal drama, likely akin to what Lionel truly experienced with his son. It’s the revelation of what’s actually in the box afterwards which truly shocks, disgusts, and the tip of that Dahmer iceberg suddenly grows into a mountain.
Austrian director Gerald Kargl has never made another feature film other than Angst.
An alternate title for this film is Schizophrenia. The feeling of this, even the titular Angst, comes across in the way people look at The Psychopath (Erwin Leder). We get the sense of them looking at him, not the camera, and their gaze pierces him. Or their perceived gaze. Jump cuts make the flow of some scenes unbearable; not in a bad way, they jolt you and make watching this guy totally unnerving. After getting out of jail, he goes to a diner and eats a sausage. This scene alone is just brutal to watch, in that the way he eats, how he perceives people staring at him (and maybe they are; I would be). Really great psychological approach.
I’m not sure if anything’s disturbed me more than when The Psychopath attacks the old woman in the house. As her false teeth fall to the floor, there’s a sense of a loss of innocence. Or just an absolute defilement, an attack on the sanctity of how we treat the elderly; how we treat anyone for that matter. It terrorises me watching those moments in particular. Maybe that’s silly to say in contrast to some of the other shocking things The Psychopath lays upon that family. Doesn’t change how that scene gets under my skin. All the more uncomfortable are the close-up shots on the guy afterwards, his open, saliva-filled mouth, the sweat, his heavy breathing. Another one comes not long later, as he goes about drowning one of the family members. Some shots going under the water are disturbingly beautiful. This trend continues. Kargl hypnotises the viewer with a constantly innovative way of shooting scenes that you’re lulled into a complacent state before he breaks out the real blood.
Leder is hugely underrated in general. This movie proves that easily. I’m left wondering exactly why Kargl never directed anything else after having produced such a monumentally interesting and equally horrifying vision of a serial killer. Angst is a giant of the genre. More people should know about it, and a recent release on Blu ray will hopefully start seeing to that. With a few choice filmmakers championing the film’s effectiveness, as well as its brutality, more people continue to come across this gem. It is a dark and gruesome piece of work. If you’ve seen it, you know why there’s merit. This isn’t merely a Video Nasty you can write off as trash because you have an aversion to brutal horror. Kargl directs this flawlessly to make The Psychopath’s problems, his methods more evident than possibly any other film in the history of cinema. There are no answers, other than the basic ones. But if you’re looking to find a horror experience filled to the brim with biting, visceral terror, Kargl has you covered.
