The Texas Chainsaw Massacre at 50: half a century later, what led to Tobe Hooper’s film to be banned?

• This week marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark horror movie, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
• Despite its place as one of the greatest, and most influential, horror movies of all time it’s history with UK censors is storied.
• Benjamin Jackson looks back at what led to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre being banned in the United Kingdom and what led to its release 25 years later.

It’s long been considered one of the most defining moments in horror movie cinema, and one that has had a colourful history with the censors: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

As the film turns half a century this week, Tobe Hooper’s 1974 classic to this day still manages to attain high placings in “Best of” lists, from the best horror movies of the 1970s through to its inclusion on lists that encompass all the genres of cinema.

But it was never as simple as merely releasing the film in theatres - in fact, Leatherface and company have had quite the history with censorship boards across the world, including a storied series of issues with the UK’s British Board of Film Classification. 

This occuring before the rise of the moral panic surrounding video nasties too, might we add, and sadly because of the cause celebre around the “filth” that needed to be banned, fell wayside despite not appearing on the DPP list.

So what led to a film that, at one point, Tobe Hooper considered earning a PG rating upon release, being embroiled with bands in the United Kingdom that lasted 25 years, and did the film experience the same bands elsewhere in the world?

As us horror movie fans celebrated the 50th anniversary of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, there was a very real possibility that we might have had to break the law at one point in order to watch the stunning, if not visceral, masterpiece. 

Why was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre banned in the UK?

With this week marking 50 years since the release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, what led to the film being banned in the United Kingdom - twice? | MGM/Canva

It was a case of moral sensibilities in the United Kingdom during the ‘70s, with the film earning a reputation that perhaps was not justified compared to other horrors that emerged around the same time. Mind you, the name alone was enough to elicit panic from moral watchdogs.

Upon submission to the BBFC for a theatrical release, the film was refused classification, essentially banning cinema chains from screening the film under threats of huge fines or, even worse, arrests made in the name of obscenity laws.

The BBFC at the time considered several factors that led to the ban; though the film was not excessively gory in terms of on-screen bloodshed, its use of implied violence, claustrophobic tension, and unrelenting terror created an overwhelming sense of brutality. This psychological intensity was seen as especially harmful to viewers, as it blurred the lines between exploitation cinema and more traditional horror storytelling.

Unlike many traditional horror films, which often played out as a morality play (where good triumphs over evil), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre presented violence in a chaotic, senseless manner. The lack of a conventional hero or justice at the end of the film reinforced the notion that it was “gratuitous and nihilistic”, which alarmed censors who preferred films to offer some form of moral resolution.

It was also during this period, there was a broader cultural concern about the potential influence of violent media on society, with the film becoming a target of this moral panic and critics and authorities fearing that such “raw” portrayals of violence could inspire antisocial behaviour, particularly among young people. 

The film's ban was also influenced by concerns that its relentless terror and grim atmosphere would have a severe psychological impact on viewers. The BBFC considered its content too extreme for public exhibition, believing it could provoke panic or desensitise audiences to violence. 

This decision reflected the board’s broader mandate to protect viewers, particularly younger and more impressionable ones, from content deemed psychologically harmful. Which not only led to it’s cinematic ban, but also a home video band when submitted once again in the 1980s during the heyday of both VCRs and unfortunately with it the “video nasty” panic.

When was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre finally released in the UK?

James Ferman, who headed the BBFC between the years of 1975 and 1998, oversaw the shift in censorship for the video rental market and video nasties as a whole. | Getty Images

It was the late James Ferman, then director of the BBFC, who felt that a change in society and perspective meant that reappraisals of films considered “video nasties” or previously banned should be considered in the brand new decade. 

In a statement explaining their decision, the BBFC noted that the film’s “impact had diminished over time” and that it was “unlikely to cause the kind of panic or moral outrage that it might have when first released.” The board acknowledged that audiences in the late 1990s were more media-literate and had seen far more graphic and violent content in mainstream cinema.

The BBFC also pointed out that while the film was still disturbing, it was not as explicitly gory as some contemporary horror films. They recognized that much of the horror came from “suggestion and atmosphere rather than overt violence.” 

This, combined with its status as a landmark in horror cinema, led to the decision to classify it as suitable for adults (18+), acknowledging its importance within the genre while considering modern viewer sensibilities.

It was a horror movie fans biggest dream - alongside The Texas Chainsaw Massacre being released in cinemas and its network television premiere on Channel 4, the softening also saw another controversial film get a cinematic release, The Exorcist. 

Was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre banned anywhere else in the world?

Fans of the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" movie gather during the Texas Frightmare Weekend in Irving, Texas on May 18, 2024. | AFP via Getty Images

Oh.. you bet. The United Kingdom wasn’t the only country that had an issue with The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. There were widespread bans across the world, and in those places where the film wasn’t banned more often than not it suffered several cuts to placate censors in each locale. 

The film was banned in West Germany shortly after its release in 1974. It remained banned for decades due to concerns about its depiction of violence, particularly as German censorship authorities were strict on horror and exploitation films. 

It was classified as a "video nasty," and owning or distributing the film could result in prosecution. However, in 2011, Germany lifted the ban, and it was finally released uncut.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was initially banned by Australian censors upon release, who deemed it too violent and disturbing for audiences. It was only allowed for limited release in the 1980s, and in some states, it remained banned until the mid-1980s when it was eventually released with an R18+ rating.

The film was also banned in Ireland due to its extreme violence and psychological intensity. It wasn’t made available until the 1990s, much like the UK, when the censors relaxed their stance on horror films.

Though the bans have now been lifted, owing to public sensibilities regarding violence, the film is still banned or heavily cut, according to IMDB, in Singapore, Malaysia, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia

Where can I watch The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in the UK?

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is available to stream in the United Kingdom for those who have a subscription to Shudder; the Netflix of horror movies. Those who sign up today can trial the service for seven days before paying £4.99 per month for the service.

For those who just want to watch it one-time only, the film is available to rent or buy through Prime Video.

Were you of an age where you remember the controversy surrounding The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s attempts at a UK cinematic or video release? Let us know your experiences around that time by leaving a comment down below.