Leatherface

A killer is born

Thomas Hewitt was born with a rare skin disease which left his face deformed at a young age. He and his family were cannibal's they would eat the victims Thomas killed. He would not just kill his victims, but torture them in ways unthinkable. He took all his victims to his torture room which was the family basement, but later would become his own room. He is very strong able to lift a human easily, and also quite fast for his height and weight plus carrying his chainsaw.

The faces of horror

Nicknamed Leatherface due to the masks he wore, fashioned out of the flesh of his victims. In the original film it was never explained the reason for his masks, but later in the comics we would see a history of the disease that ate away at the flesh on his face, leaving him without a nose. The original film showed Leatherface with three different masks, the pretty lady, the grandmother and the killing mask, each mask would display his "mood" at the time. The comics continue his love of wearing the masks, but little is ever explained about the origin. It is said he wears the masks to displays his personality, but it has also been said he wears them to hide his deformity.

Nature Vs Nurture

Thomas was born mentally retarded, with the mind of a child and little to no support in his development. His speech and movements are hindered by a deformed body and underdeveloped mind. The family utilise Thomas as a killing machine, the brothers and grandparents raised him from birth to kill and eat human flesh. Working from a young age at the family Abattoir. Thomas had a knack for killing the livestock, using the hammer to smash their heads in, and was a passionate worker within the family business. The business however would fail years later as the new machinery emerged, taking the "fun" out of the killing.

Thomas missed the job and continues to wear the suit and apron of the position to gain back the glory of those days.

The Hewitts would later move on to own a local gas station and grill, where they would make money selling the meat of their victims.

It has often been questioned whether Leatherface loves the killing, or whether his family trained up the innocent retarded boy to be the violent killing machine he has become.

Family Values

Thomas is one of the brothers in the Hewitt family. The Hewitt family changes depending on the comic and film version. The original film comprised of Grandma and Grandpa, Drayton the cook and the Hitchhiker. Each family member plays a part in the "business of killin' " Leatherface is confined to the house at most times, due to his horrific appearance and mental illness. Confined to killing individuals that appeared at the Hewitt home, drawn or taken there by his brothers. He is the main killer in the original film version but the family takes on a bigger roles in both the comic and later film appearances. His brothers would lure the victims and seek them out, then drag or guide them back to the family home for Leatherface to have his way. One of the greatest scenes in the original film displays the family's misguided values as they have a family dinner, with the victim Sally as the entertainment, encouraging grandpa to hit her with the hammer. The original film family differs from the comic family with the grandparents a more vibrant part. The film family has Grandma as an embalmed body that lives in the attic and grandpa as a half alive zombie like creature. The comic family also have some added on members.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

Leatherface continuing the good work he did in the family abattoir likes to kill his victims then hang and cut them up on meat hooks. One of the most horrific scenes in the original film showed Leatherface hanging Sally up on a hook while he finished off her boyfriend. As stated above, Thomas dearly misses the work he undertook at the abattoir, perhaps the only place he felt useful and a sense of belonging. His treatment of his victims displays this disappointment as he makes excited noises and imitates the screams of his victims, like he used to do with the cattle. He swaps between knife and hammer to kill his victims, smashing in their heads as he did with the cattle, then chopping up the bodies and passing on the meat to his brother Drayton.

It has never been stated why he likes his chainsaw, but it has become the iconic image of the great character.

Friends....

Leatherface has appeared with both Jason and Freddy in titles of comics. Both as friends and foes.

Film Appearances with Leatherface as the Main Villain

• - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

Leatherface first appeared in the original film of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Based loosely on Cannibal and murderer Ed Gein.

• - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)

The Sequel to the original, taking on the next chapter of the film and introducing new family members.

• - Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)

Highly panned as the worst of the lot, this film steered away from the original telling and remade Leatherfaces look.

• - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994/1997)

A new chapter in the series, with origins explained.

• - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003)

• - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006)

All retellings of the original series. Telling the tale of how Leatherface came to be.

• - Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013)

• - Leatherface (2016)