1 - Do you remember when you first watched it? VHS or DVD?
I first watched it one school holidays, think I was about 13 or 14. Watched it on VHS when it turned up one day at the video store. I'd been wanting to see it for years! This is the tape right here:
2 - Did you get any feedback (from friends or media) prior to watching it?
Out of all the horror films I'd read and heard about this one had the biggest reputation. Heard it was extreme and it was all TRUE and actually happened! I remember seeing clips of it on
Summer School and I had been on the hunt for it ever since.
3 - How was the viewing experience?
It was a bit underwhelming as the film's reputation/title had lead me to believe the film would be a shocking wall to wall gorefest. A lot of what makes the film so effective was lost on the teenage version of me. I still dug it a lot and thought it was a great film especially how it looked and the style of it in general. I had just built up something different in my mind. It had quite an impact on me changing my taste in film giving me a love for gritty realism.
4 - How many times have you rewatched it since?
Countless times and it just gets better every time I watch it (after discussing it here I'm going to watch it again tonight!). It's the quintessential horror classic for me and IMO one of the greatest flicks to come out of the US. It's so good I own three different copies :D
The shower scene in
Psycho gets talked about a lot but Kirk's death is a lot more unsettling. I get goosebumps when Leatherface slides that door shut. Amazing scene.
5 - Any memories associated with it, that you wish to share?
I remember lots of the other kids lied and said they had seen it haha which I found out wasn't true once I'd seen it myself.