Many may not find Leatherface a scary or frightening character.  Personally I think he is one of the best characters in the horror genre.  I think it's the fact that he is so real.  He's not like Jason who can never die, or take 20 gun shots to the chest.  He's a real person, and in the world we live in today who knows if their is another Leatherface out there?  In my opinion The Texas Chainsaw Massacre started the popular "Slasher" films we know today.  And Leatherface created one of the most frightening villains in the horror genre.  But he is also a "hero?"   What I mean is when you watch a Friday the 13th film, or a Halloween some parts make you scared of the killer, but through the movie your also routing for the killer.  Yeah, I know a lot of people don't, but a lot of horror fanatics watch the movie just for the Michael Myers, or the Jason Voorhees.  I think that's what makes it fun.  Watching TCM  a few weeks ago, I started thinking more about the character Leatherface.  I wondered if he knew what he was doing, if he thought it was right, or he knew it was wrong but got a thrill from it, and maybe he was just retarded and he didn't know.  I wonder if Tobe Hopper wanted people to think those things?  He wanted the viewer the make up their own judgment of the character, it makes you think more.  And a lot of films don't do that.  Well, I guess only our selves will know the answer.