Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by Ang Lee and Texas Chainsaw Massacre by Tobe Hooper pushed the forefront of filmmaking in America when they were released. The uniqueness of each of the films connects them to their historical themes. Both Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon as well as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre catch the viewer’s attention, one movie is significantly more shocking while the other is poetic and artsy, but they both, however, inspire a connection with the viewer. They both draw you in.

                                                

Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s plot begins with shock value. A group of friends exploring, while one is in a wheelchair, uncertainty is immediately instilled. Two gruesome killings surprise the audience off the bat which sets the tone for the rest of the film. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon begins with a soft and warm storyline, old friendships rekindling in the name of duty and honor. While Texas Chainsaw Massacre fits into the historical setting of shocking filmography, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon aligns with the movement in the early 2000s of modern film.

Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon is a conventional film in regards to it’s common themes of romance, poetry, and a well described plot. It is not a film that has ambiguity in what is going on or what may happen. Texas Chainsaw Massacre on the other hand is an unconventional film. The plot is not clear, the drama and suspense are so extreme, and the viewer has only two choices: disregard the film for its attempts of scaring you or to be fully immersed by the setting and on your toes. Texas Chainsaw Massacre is unconventional and not a mainstream film because of its lower end budget.  It did not need to meet the generally appealing standards that high budget films do so it was able to experiment a bit more with it’s style. This freedom to experiment lead to one of the most impressive and iconic horror films to date. Because of the experimentation used by Ang Lee in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, he was able to blend asian filmography with westernized hollywood plots which also led to a very iconic film. Masterful films were a result of the talented directors and their ability to produce something viewers would enjoy.                                                                    

In comparing the two revolutionary films, the story and style both highlight simple plots yet in very different ways. The horror film doesn’t beat around the bush, it shows the audience exactly what is happening and that adds reality to the scare-affect. Leatherface, the main character, is a murderer who uses a chainsaw. He is a large man who never reveals his face, causing a feeling of extreme terror. This theme was remodeled by the major production film series Halloween with Mike Myers, the impossible to kill, ruthless villain. Leatherface puts off an image of a non-human monster because he is so big and cold-acting. When he runs after one of the young women in the group, he seems like a juggernaut on her heels at every moment. Toby Hooper used this power differential along with sustained suspense to keep viewers on the edge of their seats and entranced with what is about to happen. Contrarily, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon has a subtle style which keeps/ viewers encapsulated in the film. The swordplay and the use of wires to suspend the characters in the trees and air creates a fantasy world so similar to our own world we believe that the martial arts masters are almost super human. A juggernaut in a horror film and superhuman characteristics are intriguing tools used by Hooper and Lee.

The strength of the relationships between the protagonists influences the viewers experience, causing an unnerving feeling in Texas Chainsaw Massacre and a strong and trusting feeling in Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. The main protagonists Li Mu Bai and Yu Shu Lien are long time friends who have shared many memories. The group of friends who are massacred don’t stick together in the beginning, and don’t listen to the warnings of their disabled friend. There is not much integrity sensed between their relationships while Shu Lien and Li Mu Bai exude integrity. The deep bond between the two draws the viewer’s attention and creates care for the two. People become interested in the outcome with a feeling of investment in the protagonists. In Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the protagonists draw attention by becoming separated, causing the audience to pick and invest in who they want to win. Hopefully no one’s rooting for their demise, but that’s exactly the point of: viewers begin hoping. They become invested with interest.                                                        

The two films use a variety of filmography tools which resulted in setting trends for movies and successful revenues. The hits used different styles to portray an experience that the viewer becomes lost in. From swordsmen dancing in trees with deadly weapons, to a cold-hearted masked-faced killer hanging girls on hooks, these films penetrated the minds of their audiences and inspired future directors alike. Setting the course for filmography in America and the world,Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon keep people on their toes. Immersed in the worlds of fantasy fighting, murder, fear and death, hope is instilled and ultimately results in happy endings.