What is reality? If each one of us were to answer that, we would all come up with our own unique answers. Reality is not something that is a universal idea that we all share, but it is the visual representations that are present in which we rely on to decipher reality. Throughout the films that I chose to analyze this week, Solaris and Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the directors of these films used their own unique skills to build a reality that would keep their audience at the edge of their seats. Both Andrei Tarkovsky and Tobe Hooper were undoubtedly auteurs rethinking genres because each significantly re-shaped the way Hollywood directors would go about their creative process to tell a story through each film. The director Tobe Hooper went as far as to develop a film based off of the true and chilling story behind the murders that took place. Hooper takes his audience deep into the deranged psyche of the infamous Leatherface. As for Leatherface, also known as Ed Gein, in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, his reality was to make himself look like a woman through the use of his victims skin. In addition, Tarkovsky embarks his audience on a trip into the mysteries of space, where an unknown planet begins to play tricks on the minds of its visitors. Solaris begins to take an unusual turn when the planet that is trying to contact the visitors, begins to manifest people from their memories. This is then hard for the visitors to discern what reality truly is. Each of these films are very different in their own unique ways. Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a bloody and gruesome tale of the poor individuals who fell victim to Leatherface’s inhumane tendencies. Where as Solaris takes you on a journey into space where reality never seems to be in one fluid motion. But what ties these two films together, is the perspective of how the human psyche reacts under the given, possibly unnatural, circumstances. The techniques used in the production of these films such as the setting and simply human thought, is what makes these films so effective in chilling the audience. 

Throughout my research, it was the first two critical resources that I found regarding the Texas Chainsaw Massacre that really gave me an in depth view into the films’ production. The first source talks about how the film completely bypasses the usual suspense that was typically found in that given genre of film.  Instead, Hooper takes his audience directly into the bloody slaughter house of Leatherface himself. Wowing the audience with his low budget props that did more Han enough to show the truth intentions of this masked murderer. Given that this film was a fairly low budget production, this takes us into topic of the events that were currently happening in the world outside of Hollywood. Since this film was being produced in the ’70s, Vietnam and all of the peace-loving hippies were also a benefactor to the films budget and production. With America needing every dollar they could get to defend our country, Hooper tried to shed some light on the situation and take peoples minds off of the war. He quoted, “You think the ‘70s are messed up, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” (Hooper). Even though the war was not a joke, you can see the good nature behind the films production. In relation, it was the last two critical resources that I found regarding Solaris that really took you even deeper into the human psyche. The second source asks about how the film is a wonderful reminder as to what it means to be human. The review speaks of how we do not want to conquer space but simply expand Earth and its knowledge. Talking about how Kelvin, a main character, has to destroy his ties with everyone he has ever known and forget everything he has ever known. Dipping more in-depth to the human psyche and the mental battle that he goes through being detached from all of life. The last resource that I found is an analysis of the self, memory, consciousness and philosophy and how it relates to the 1972 film, Solaris. Going more in depth to human psychology and how the planet manifests itself to replicate the passengers memories, causing them to be unable to discern fiction from reality. Lastly the review even goes into how the manifestations of these individuals struggle with the acceptance of their own existence. You can see how these critical resources really take you on a journey to what it essentially means to be human and the individual realities that we all live in.

The historical resources that I found were seemingly just as chilling as many of the critical resources. The first source that I found in regard to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, was the original trailer of the film.

This trailer has no problem revealing to the audience what the films’ intentions are going to be throughout its duration. Beginning with horrific music that pierces your ears, the trailer introduces to both the killer and his victims. The second source that I found is one of the few posters that were developed to scare its viewers. This poster not only draws in the audience with the terrifying image, but as you look closer you find out the film is based off of a real story. Although it is seen to be somewhat unconventional to have an excessive amount of words on promotion posters, these words peak the interest of the viewers and give a chilling effect with just a few words.

Similar to the massacre, Solaris uses visual elements that are also just as effective in conveying human experience of terror with a much less gruesome take. I found one of the films original promotion posters, translated into English for those who viewed it in the states. The poster depicts an individual in an astronauts suit carrying a woman down an empty hall way. I feel that this gives the audience an elusive feeling of separation form the outside world, since there is no one else present on the vessel. This is effective in the sense that the poster introduces you early on the the travel and his dead wife, which seems to be all to real while he is on the planet that is trying to communicate to him and his crew.

The final historical source that I found is an interview regarding the film, starring George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh. The interview takes you through various aspects of these actors experience during the films’ production. They talk about how each role was very individual because the film was taking you on a journey through the human psyche as to what is real and what is not. Showing you that even though they are a team and have ventured out into space together, each character experiences a very diverse sense of what reality is off of Earth.

To wrap it all up, each of these films takes you through very different versions of reality. Our masked murderer and the travelers who dared to venture beyond Earth’s bounds, experienced life in a very diverse way. Given they were set in deferent times of life, each film shows you just how diverse each mind is and the experiences that it goes through. Reality is what we make of it and we are only limited by our adaptability and drive to to make something of that reality. Both Hooper and Tarkovsky re-imagined the reality of filming, laying out the path for future filmmakers to build and develop off of their ideas.

Works Cited

FILM IN REVIEW; ‘The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ (Critical)

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre  (1974) Review (Critical)

Why Solaris is the greatest science fiction film ever made (Critical)

Solaris : The Consciousness in Outer Space | Renegade Cut (Critical)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) Trailer (Historical)

‘Solaris’ Interview (Historical)