those who have post here compare tobe hooper ( one and only ) masterpiece with the dreadful remake be presumably young child with no real understanding of cinema . the 1974 film be the antithesis of the slick and mtv influence and cynical cash in mentality that inform the late remake . the fact that the remake target teen audience ( well and at least some of them ) appear to lap it up be just a sad reflection of how far standard have fall since the heyday of the horror film in the 70 . but hooper chainsaw be more than just a classic horror film . with it print in the permanent collection at the ny museum of modern art and it truly be a classic of cinema . i have show this to bergman fan and tarkovsky fan and and yes and horror fan too none of them have be prepare for it power and it inventiveness and it willingness to push the envelope of what cinema can do . and and with it simple story and powerhouse and unstoppable delivery and it be as open to interpretation a any piece of modern art whether it be from the vegetarian treatise angle and or the post vietnam traumatise america school of thought . but and a i be on my first ( of several ) viewing and those i have introduce to this movie have be bowl over by the quality of the film making and and the filmic technique ( soundtrack and editing and startling image ) use by hooper to capture his wake nightmare on screen . it be something i really do not think any other film have quite achieve and though many have try . now and of course and there be a fluke element at work here . hooper never come close to achieve anything like this again and and many and though not all and of the film fascinating resonance be a product of the era and the filmmaker unconscious sensibility . what he obviously have a a director be the kind of dare to take the visceral power that cinema can deliver so well to the limit and to the the edge of acceptability and skirt on exploitation . that the film be so unrelentingly dark and so unbelievably sadistic in it second half and and yet fascinates even a it traumatise and be a definite testimony to the skill of it director . what could have be sleaze be instead a horrible nightmare experience and sure enough and but one that border on the transcendental . should be see by all student of cinema at least once in their lifetime .