Though this October does belong to Michael, as he's basking in one of his many final films Halloween Ends, might we take a moment to pause and reflect on another silent killer? In 1974, a visionary by the name of Tobe Hooper unleashed his debut feature film onto the world, changing the face of horror indefinitely. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre rose from the bowels of the mid-seventies to reinvent a genre that, while still on the fringes of cinema, was otherwise romanticized in films like Psycho, Rosemary's Baby and even Night of the Living Dead. Now, nearly half a century later, the original home where this low-budget grandfather slasher was filmed is being sold, and the future of this macabre piece of film history is now up in the air.
Now located in Kingsland, Texas, the structure that homed the original cannibalistic Sawyer family has been sold - again. Since 2012, this Victorian home was refashioned as the Grand Central Cafe, and according to their website, was entirely refurbished when previously purchased back in the late '90s. Though it was completely dismantled and moved from the site where Hooper filmed near Round Rock, under the current owners this building has remained a historical gem that proudly boasts its lurid past. Imagine being seated to dine where, decades before, Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen) and his family hosted a young Sally (Marilyn Burns) for the grisliest last supper. As someone who grew up in Texas, these backwoods BBQ-selling cannibals became a part of the lore that blurred the line between myth, movie and absolute truth.
In a post to his Instagram announcing the house has been sold, actor Allen Danzinger, who played Sally's boyfriend Jerry in the film, invited fans to come celebrate what they're calling "The Last Curtain Call for Chainsaw" on October 29. In a somber homage, the actor says "This is possibly the last opportunity to enjoy the original movie on the grounds of the iconic house." The event is free for anyone who can make it out and offers "...live music, food, drinks, a costume competition, and a special awards ceremony for Allen Danziger's recent Best Supporting Actor award prior to the showing of the movie." Also set to make an appearance for this last hoorah are Ed Neil, who played the absolutely bonkers Hitchhiker in the film, and actor Parrish Randall (Slaughter House).
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Though there's no confirmation that the house will be torn down, Danzinger did respond to a commenter saying that it is rumored. Like the house of Michael Myers, or, another of Hooper's credits, Poltergeist, this "Queen Anne" styled structure became its own living, breathing character within the movie itself. Set back in a rural field in Texas, between the screen door's warning creak on its hinges and the polished staircase that gave the impression this was once a distinguished place, there is nothing forgettable about the Sawyer home. Littered with feathers and bones, and skins hanging from the rafters, it was the very picture of a rotting American dream. Once you've seen it you'll never forget Leatherface busting through that door on the porch and dragging Pam (Teri McMinn) back inside its dark depths.
The home has hosted a number of fan events over the years, and has always been a horror fan's destination spot. We can only hope that this isn't truly the last we'll ever see of this historical venue. If you're lucky enough to be nearby or interested in making the trip, the festivities will begin at 3 p.m. CT with a showing of the 1974 The Texas Chain Saw Massacre beginning at 7 p.m. CT. Check out Danzinger's post below: