From major box office hits to cult classics, Austin has provided a spectacular landscape for filmmakers to bring their vision to life. Visitors have flocked to destinations featured in iconic locally made films like "Dazed and Confused." With over 50 years of production, there are many film tourism locations in the Austin area to experience including those seen in "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre."
About "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"
"The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is considered the film that completely reinvented the horror genre. Director Tobe Hooper and writer Kim Henkel inspired a generation of filmmakers and countless knockoffs when they produced the film, which was intended a subtle art house commentary on the era's political climate. Made for $140,000, the film ended up grossing over $30 million and to this day, it’s Austin-area locations are some of the most visited by fans and tourists alike. "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" tells the frightening story of five friends (Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, William Vail, Allen Danziger and Teri McMinn) on a road trip to a Texas homestead who, instead, end up falling victim to a family of cannibalistic psychopaths and must survive the terror of one of cinema’s most infamous characters—Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen).
Details: Bryanston Distributing Company / Rated R / 83 minutes / Horror, Crime, Thriller
Director: Tobe Hooper
Cast: Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, William Vail, Allen Danziger, Teri McMinn, Edwin Neal, and Gunnar Hansen
Streaming on: @Shudder, @PrimeVideo, @YouTube, @iTunes
Locations
Scene: The Cemetery
In the opening scene, viewers learn that the fictional town of Newt, Texas is experiencing grave robbing. The film opens up with a gruesome shot of desecrated corpses mounted on a tombstone in a cemetery. Later, Sally (Burns) and Franklin (Partain) visit the cemetery to check on their grandfather’s grave. The tombstone with the defiled corpses was just a prop for the movie, but the taller grave marker behind the props is still visible in the center of the cemetery.
Location: Bagdad Cemetery Association (400 N Bagdad Rd, Leander, TX 78641)
Scene: The Gas Station
After a frightening encounter with a hitchhiker (Neal), the group (Burns, Partain, Vail, Danziger & McMinn) stops at a nearby gas station. Currently, the gas station is a gift shop, overnight cabin and barbecue joint called We Slaughter Barbeque. Horror fans can find all the best genre gifts at the store - they even have a replica of the van from the movie outside.
Location: We Slaughter Barbeque (1073 TX-304, Bastrop, TX 78602)
Scene: The Family House
The original house where Leatherface’s (Hansen) family lived stood in Round Rock's Quick Hill during the filming. In 1998, the structure was moved 60 miles away to Kingsland, to be a part of the Antler’s Inn complex where it is now the Grand Central Cafe.
Location: Grand Central Cafe (1010 King Court, Kingsland, TX 78639)
Iconic Filming Location Map
Explore more iconic filming locations during your next visit to Austin. The Austin Film Tourism Guide has details on the where scenes from your favorite movie and television series were filmed in and around Austin.