Fantastic Fest 2024: ‘Chainsaws Were Singing’ is as silly as you might expect

When the poster promises “Texas Chainsaw meets Monty Python… and Les Miserables,” they weren’t kidding around. Sander Maran’s Chainsaws Were Singing tosses these iconic IPs into a blender and puts it on high. In his feature directorial debut, Maran also peppers in Evil Dead-level blood, guts, and gore – tightly packaged in two hours of mayhem and musical delight. While it doesn’t always stick the landing with its relentless barrage of jokes and sight gags, there’s enough heart to endear it to the audience. The material has a clear purpose, as it transmits a great appreciation for genre storytelling in a way that’s just plain fun.

When we meet the bright-eyed Tom (Karl Ilves), he hangs off a bridge to end his life. Two fishermen below beg him to go elsewhere to commit his sinful act. When Tom gazes around, his eyes fall upon Maria (Laura Niils) lounging on the stream’s bank washing her feet. She has been depressed, too, so the two strike up an instant connection. They immediately fall in love, but it’s terribly shortlived as a chainsaw-wielding killer (Martin Ruus) emerges from the woodlands and has nothing but human flesh on his mind. Ruus’ maniac kidnaps Maria and takes her back to his backwoods shack, where his mother (Rita Rätsepp) and two super gay country bumpkins also live.

Tom quickly sets out on foot to save Maria. On his quest, he meets Jaan (Janno Puusepp), a goofy man who vows to be his friend and help him along his way. Together, they traipse along dusty, gravel backroads and cross paths with a slew of outlandish characters, including a fur-wearing secret society that lives deep within the woods. As they draw closer to finding Maria, the killer wreaks havoc on a slew of random hitchhikers and other characters that for some strange reason are just out in the middle of nowhere. It’s a bizarre fever dream that doesn’t even seem real; your suspension of disbelief doesn’t even exist in this deranged and gory world. Maran has made it his mission to be as batshit crazy as possible, and he more than delivers.

While pulling threads from countless other horror films, Maran’s offering has plenty to make it special all on its own. It’s almost fairytale-like – with Maria as the trapped maiden in a basement and Tom as the dashing and adorable hero on a life-altering journey to save the love of his life. It’s not always effective, as numerous sequences feel try-hard and just not very funny. Maran throws everything and the kitchen sink at the wall, just to see what sticks. Despite all this, the film knows exactly what it is: an outrageous romp through the woods. In taking the piss out of genre fare, the director offers something spirited and wonderfully campy.

Chainsaws Were Singing contains numerous goofy tunee, including a killer’s solo forlorn performance and a show-stopping ensemble piece in the third act. While the songs don’t stand out as something that’d get stuck in your head, there are enough satirical, bone-tickling lyrics that’ll make you guffaw and fall over in your seat. Sander Maran situates his lo-fi horror/comedy/musical as something not to take too seriously, but there’s plenty to ogle and admire, from insane practical effects and a penchant for as much blood as possible. Sam Raimi would be proud.

Follow B-Sides & Badlands on our socials: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram