The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Film Opening

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

 (Marcus Nispel, 2003) 

Budget: $9m
Gross: $107m

Texas Chainsaw Massacre Cover

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema
• Focus Features
• Radar Pictures (in association with)
• Platinum Dunes
• Next Entertainment
• Chainsaw Productions LLC

Distributors

• Focus Features (2003) (worldwide) (all media) (sales)
• Bir Film (2006) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• AcmeFilm (2004) (Lithuania) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Motion Picture Distribution (2003) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Constantin Film (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Eagle Pictures (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (2003) (UK) (theatrical)
• Herald Film Company (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• New Line Cinema (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2003) (Greece) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2004) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)

Opening:
The start of this opening goes against Todorov's theory of equilibrium as he said that we should start with equilibrium, encounter a disruption of this equilibrium (dis-equilibrium) and then solve this by creating a new equilibrium. The film starts off with images of a crime scene and police officers, which signifies dis-equilibrium. We then go to equilibrium as we view the 5 main characters, which is not the order in which Todorov suggested it should be.

  Carole Clovers theory of the final girl is also reflected. The first character the camera fully focuses on has brunette hair and appears to be the sensible one out of the group. This character is the stereotypical final girl, used in many slasher films. However, she appears to have a relationship with one of the boys in the group, which goes against the stereotypical final girl character, who, in Clover's book, supposedly does not have a boyfriend. We then see people in the back kissing. Both the boy and girl are blonde, which signify that these characters are most likely dumb, and sexually active. The girl is the stereotypical scream queen, which is the binary opposite of the final girl character - the theory of binary opposition was created by Levi-Strauss. The boy could also be known as the 'scream king'. 

   Within the group, there is a character who is framed as 'the other'. He wears glasses and is nerdy and appears to be the only character within the group to not be in some kind of relationship which signifies he is different. He appears to be the annoying one, who the others do not like very much which therefore means the audience do not empathize very much with him. 

Useful Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Texas_Chainsaw_Massacre_(2003_film)
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/texas_chainsaw_massacre/