Tobe Hooper's 1974 slasher classic laid the groundwork for the psycho-killer genre, and a number of the other flicks on this list wouldn't exist without it. Leatherface and his murderous cannibal family are some of the most treateningly gross antagonists in movie history, and the gritty aesthetic is one of a kind. Made on a shoestring budget of just $140,000, it brought in $30 million. Three sequels followed before the flick was rebooted in 2003 with a remake, which itself saw a sequel. There's an upcoming 3D film in the pipeline as well, which may vault the series a spot or two higher on the list.