Lena Headey's Favourite Movie Is Not What You'd Expect | Sorry Not Sorry

Former Game of Thrones star Lena Headey can currently be found starring in action thriller Ballistic. 

The story sees a mother working for an ammunition manufacturer, who discovers that it was a bullet she made that killed her son. A rather intense and emotional affair, Ballistic delves into some troubling issues surrounding warfare and greed, but throws in some bloody revenge for good measure. 

WATCH: Lena Headey's Favorite Movie Is NOT What You'd Expect #lenaheadey #surprise

During the press tour for Ballistic, JustWatch was able to share a call with the star. After sharing her stories about Ballistic, Lena Headey was asked what movie she will always defend. It is a question that we love to ask during our junkets, and whereas most interviewees need a moment to select their champion, Headey’s answer was near instantaneous. 

Not only was her response immediate, it was also impassioned. She said: “There are two movies that spring to mind, but they’re both f***ing excellent so I don’t think you would need to defend them, which is the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre and A Woman Under the Influence.”

Lena Headey Adores ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

Lena Headey described both The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and A Woman Under the Influence as “Two of my North Star movies.” Of the duo, though, it is horror classic The Texas Chain Saw that just edges out as her favourite. 

When prompted for her reasons for loving Tobe Hooper’s iconic movie, Headey could not stop gushing, “it’s f***ing brilliant! I can watch it every day and there’s always something new in it.”

Speaking to JustWatch it was clear that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre means a great deal to Lena Headey. Rather than stick at the statement that the movie is brilliant, or focus on her enjoyment of the plot, the actress proved that she really does know Tobe Hooper's movie inside out. 

Headey loves the film so much she even sees its production as a marvel. “I love the fact that it was small, fast, crazy, done with a group of mates for no money,” she added. “It just stands the test of time, and it’s brilliant, the sound design… I could nerd out about that forever. You can find so much depth in it.”

What Is ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’? 

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre finds a group of friends fall into trouble after they stop in a small Texan town looking for help. Rather than receive aid, they stumble into the Sawyer family, a rather deranged clan of cannibals, whose chainsaw-wielding member, Leatherface, enjoys nothing more than meal preparations. 

Originally banned in the UK as part of the Video Nasty movement, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is now widely available for viewing. 

Despite its name and heritage as a Video Nasty, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre isn’t all that gory. Director Tobe Hooper instead pulled off the trick of making audiences feel as though they had seen something far more horrific than they actually had. This was achieved through some very clever editing and use of sound design, as well as the performances of the cast. 

While it might be lighter on blood than memory recalls, there is no denying that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is drenched in dread – the kind that arrives very early on and doesn’t let up until the final moments of the end credits. Given its pedigree, it is no surprise that Headey is willing to fight for its honour. 

To date, the film has spawned eight sequels, with a new reboot currently in the works that has Obsession’s Curry Barker at the helm. Considering Headey’s adoration of the original, perhaps she could be swayed into joining the project in some capacity. Barker has spoken in interviews that he wants to go deeper into the Sawyer family, and with Headey commenting that “Leatherface is misunderstood”, she could be a great collaborator for the young director. 

‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’ Documentaries That Fans Have To See

For fans as crazy about The Texas Chain Saw Massacre as Lena Headey, there are two documentaries that need to be added to your watchlist: The Legacy of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Chain Reactions. 

The Legacy of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is directed by Phillip Escott, who has a history in horror documentaries, having also made The Found Footage Phenomena and Generation Terror. Escott's credentials make him the perfect person to do a deep dive into Hooper’s movie. The documentary features a lot of film history and insight into the impact that the movie has had on the horror genre today.

Director Alexandre O. Philippe takes a different approach for Chain Reactions. Instead of a standard film history documentary, Chain Reactions presents long-form interviews with actor Patton Oswalt, critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, author Stephen King, and directors Takashi Miike and Karyn Kusama, with them all discussing their experience of the film. Their stories include their first encounters with the movie, the impact it had on them, and how the film has shaped them as creatives. It’s a fascinating intimate documentary that offers some interesting new insights into the evergreen classic.