No other film of its era matched the merciless nihilism of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

The article focuses on the profound nihilism present in "The Texas Chain Saw Massacre," which contrasts sharply with the optimistic imagery of American life portrayed in the 1984 Reagan campaign ad, "Morning in America." Topics include the film's subversion of traditional horror conventions by taking place in daylight, societal anxieties of the 1970s that influenced its creation, and the unsettling ambiguity of its conclusion, which leaves viewers questioning nature of violence and survival.