# Texas Chainsaw Massacre factual question **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 12, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-chainsaw-massacre-factual-question/553460 "2010-09-12T01:24:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-chainsaw-massacre-factual-question/553460/1 "2010-09-12T01:24:13Z")
I’m watching _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre_, and I wanted to read some information about it while I do. This was written at Wiki: > [@](#): > > The film was shot mainly using an Eclair NPR 16 mm camera, increased to 32 mm; with the low speed of the film requiring four times more light than modern cameras. I have an Eclair NPR. There’s not enough room to enlarge the gate, and 35mm film can’t be used in the magazine. Not only can’t you modify the camera in such a way (I won’t list everything that would need to be done), it would be prohibitively expensive even if it were possible to. It would be cheaper to rent a 35mm camera. Also the film had a low budget, so it was shot in 16mm instead of more expensive 35mm. The author doesn’t seem to know the difference between film stock and a camera (second part of the sentence), so I wonder what he means by ‘increased to 32mm’. What does the author mean by ‘[the camera was] increased to 32mm’? ---
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-chainsaw-massacre-factual-question/553460/2 "2010-09-12T01:47:55Z")
Im guessing shot at 16mm then transposed onto 32mm film by blowing it up or the like? ie no modification of the camera as such, just poor wording. Edit: Yep- “The film was shot mainly using an Eclair NPR 16 mm camera, blown up to 32 mm” > **[Best Business Products and Services – ArticlesBase.com](https://articlesbase.com/business/)** Otara ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-chainsaw-massacre-factual-question/553460/3 "2010-09-12T01:49:28Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > What does the author mean by ‘[the camera was] increased to 32mm’? \ The movie was shot on 16mm film; then that was copied onto 32mm stock and optically increased at that time. Not a very clear description here, but that seems typical of this author. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-chainsaw-massacre-factual-question/553460/4 "2010-09-12T01:52:14Z")
Converted to Super 16 and he mistyped the MMs? (12.52 as 32?) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-chainsaw-massacre-factual-question/553460/5 "2010-09-12T01:53:45Z")
OK, that makes sense. Many films were shot on 16mm and then blown up for distribution. But this is the first time I’ve heard 32mm. It’s usually said that it’s blown up to 35mm. I wonder if the author is a native English speaker? In the parlance, the release print is ‘blown up’, not ‘increased’. In any case, it looks like I was reading too literally. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-chainsaw-massacre-factual-question/553460/6 "2010-09-12T01:56:09Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > Converted to Super 16 and he mistyped the MMs? (12.52 as 32?) Super-16 is actually better for blowing up to 35mm than 16mm, due to its aspect ratio. Super-16 uses part of the film for image that normal 16mm uses for the soundtrack (or sprocket holes).