I don’t care who disagrees, but the original 1974 release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is the best horror movie ever made. Now, let me be crystal clear — nothing about that initial statement was hyperbole. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre laid the blueprint for every horror movie that followed it, but not a single horror movie that followed ever came close to capturing the desperation and insanity of that movie. For a movie that comes across as decidedly low budget, the atmosphere that it director Tobe Hooper managed to create is positively unsettling. I’ve seen the movie likened to a snuff film, and I can’t disagree with that assertion. The performances are so authentic, and the camerawork has an almost “reality show” intrusiveness to it that makes it almost feel like a documentary, and everything that happens in the movie is completely plausible in the real world; there are no supernatural characters who remind us that “this is only a movie.” The Texas Chainsaw Massacre felt like reality, and it was a reality that felt unhinged, insane, and genuinely horrifying.
So, naturally, Leatherface, the movie’s most memorable antagonist, was ripe for the adult action figure world. McFarlane Toys released a Leatherface in its “Movie Maniacs” line back in the mid-1990s, and that figure was unbelievable for its time. There was blood, severed heads, and a very grisly-looking and highly detailed Leatherface. In fact, I think I can pinpoint my renewed interest in action figures as an adult on that one single figure. It was an epiphany for me.
So when I found out NECA had plans to release a retro, Mego-style Leatherface figure, my curiosity was instantly piqued. I had warmed up to the Mego format by way of NECA’s Iron Maiden figures, so Leatherface landed square in the middle of my radar. So does this figure live up to both the McFarlane figure and the movie from which the character hails? I really think it does.
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Like all of NECA’s retro, Mego-style figures, Leatherface comes in what is supposed to be “collector friendly” packaging. It looks as though it should be easy to open and reseal, which would allow for a variety of display options, but I swear I cannot get these things open without destroying them, and that was the case again here. It looked pretty before I opened it, but, yeah — now it’s in the trash.
The figure itself is a joy. This style action figure was all the rage during the 1970s,The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s decade of release, but the idea of Leatherface existing as a licensed toy back then was insanity. So to see it now feels somewhat natural and maybe even a bit overdue. Mego figures were usually built on pretty fit bodies, but Leatherface is a “bigger” guy, so to create that effect, there is a cotton wrap around his midsection to give him the extra girth he needs. And concealing his larger size are the jeans, button-down shirt, apron, and tie that do a good job of replicating what he wore in the movie. All of his clothing looks convincing, and the illusion is only shattered, really, when we see his back pockets on his jeans, which look a little… odd? Otherwise, the figure’s soft goods are well put together.
Now, I’ve seen promo images that show blood stains on his clothes, but clearly there is none of that here. I got this figure at Toys R Us, so could it be they’re getting a “clean” version? Or did the blood not make it through production? I’m not finding any information that satisfactorily confirms either, so if anyone knows, please let us know in the comments section below.
Leatherface’s head sculpt is probably the best part of the figure. NECA nailed the skin mask Leatherface wore, and they did a great job of capturing his crazed expression. Even his gnarled teeth look darn-near perfect. This head sculpt was always going to make or break the figure, but, fortunately, it looks as though they got it just right. And I love how they were able to really make it look like he’s wearing a mask.
The accessories packed in are a chainsaw (naturally) and a mallet. The chainsaw is nicely weathered to resemble an old, beaten-up chainsaw that you may find in an old shed. The two handles are removable, and they can both be threaded through his hands so he is able to hold it, which is a great way for NECA to approach this. Mego figures often can’t actually hold their accessories, especially the original figures from the ’70s, so it’s great to see that NECA addressed this so cleverly here.
I was completely blown away when I discovered he could hold the chainsaw with two hands. This is possible because of the bicep swivels and the wrist hinges. The result is perfect and natural. Often figures look a little “off” when holding a weapon with two hands, but in this case it looks authentic and convincing. Speaking of points of articulation, this is his breakdown:
- Ball-jointed head
- Hinge-and-swivel shoulders, wrists, and hips
- Hinged knees, feet, and elbows
- Swivel biceps and waist
Pretty standard stuff for a Mego-style figure.
He comes in at just about 10 inches in height, which makes him just a bit taller than the new Ultimate Freddy and the same size as the new Misfits Fiend. The size feels about right, and for a price tag in the neighborhood of $30, I feel as though I got my money’s worth with this figure. The sculpt, soft goods, accessories, and articulation all come together to produce a pretty awesome Leatherface figure.
Given the retro format, this is not a figure everyone will appreciate, but I think there’s enough here that will please just about any fan of Leatherface and his movie franchise. With the updated articulation scheme, the figure feels more substantial than “just” a Mego homage, so I think any action figure fan could find something to like here. I’m really excited to have another Leatherface figure on my shelves, so I can easily recommend this guy.
