Plot: What’s it about?
A group of friends travels through the back roads of Texas, on a trek to visit the grave of a grandfather and make sure it hasn’t been desecrated. The grave is located in a cemetery that was ransacked recently, so they want to assess the potential damage in person. Sally (Marilyn Burns) is the granddaughter of the man, but she didn’t want to come alone, so she enlisted some friends. The group consists of her boyfriend Jerry (Allen Danziger), friends Pam (Teri McMinn) and Kirk (William Vail), and her brother Franklin (Paul A. Partain), who is confined to a wheelchair. The friends are soon joined by an unusual man when they pick up a hitch-hiker (Edwin Neal), a decision they quickly regret. As soon as he enters the van, the hitch-hiker behaves like an insane person, then cuts his own hand and also slices Franklin with the blade. The hitch-hiker is booted out and soon, the group arrives at a deserted farmhouse. The place is rundown and as isolated as could be, but the group decides to check out the swimming hole and stay for a while. But when it turns out someone already lives in the ramshackle house, the friends will soon wish they’d never left home…
This is a true landmark film, a movie that redefined a genre and even after over three decades, stands as one of the icons of horror cinema. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is an institution of horror, a status that is doubtful to change in the near future. When lists of the best and scariest horror films of all time are released, without fail, you’ll find this one toward the top. Even now, the film has a reputation as one of the bloodiest and most sadistic films ever produced, which is kind of unusual. The film doesn’t have that much blood involved and in truth, much of the violence takes place off screen. By modern standards, the blood and violence of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is rather tame. What makes the movie so effective is the atmosphere, which has a brutal, realistic feel that never relents. This isn’t a slick thriller shot on sound stages with ten of millions of dollars, this was a low rent production in all aspects. But the cast and crew poured their blood, sweat, and tears into the movie and it shows, no doubt. These days, horror fans are lucky to get some decent gore and some cheap scares, but a movie like The Texas Chain Saw Massacre reminds us how good this genre can be. Dark Sky Films has released this two disc edition, complete with restored transfer and a truckload of supplements. This Ultimate Edition is well worth the upgrade, so don’t hesitate to add this release to your collection.
Video: How does it look?
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen. I have to admit, when I found out about this restoration, I had concerns. After all, the dark and grainy texture of the visuals seemed so ideal for this kind of movie, so how would a slick, clean version work? To be honest, this is some of the most impressive restoration work I’ve ever seen. The movie does have a cleaner, more refined look, but that doesn’t lessen the experience at all. The grain has been reduced and the image is much sharper, but the terror is still there and in some instances, better than ever. I doubt the movie looked this good when it was first released, so Dark Sky Films deserves immense credit for this presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
I admit, I sampled the new Dolby Digital 5.1 option, but it wasn’t what I wanted. I’m sure some fans will prefer to put their expensive home theaters to good use, but I guess I am just a purist at heart, as I still chose the mono soundtrack. Of course, this is a new revamped mono soundtrack, so it is cleaner and less harsh than before, which is great news. The simple presence of the mono option seems more natural, as the 5.1 track comes off as thin and overstretched. The new remix sounds more than decent however, so don’t fault the technical merits, its just that in this case, less is more. This release also includes a 2.0 surround option.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The first disc houses the original audio commentary with director Tobe Hooper, cinematographer Daniel Pearl, and star Gunnar Hansen. But there is also a brand new commentary with art director Robert A. Burns and several of the film’s stars, including Marilyn Burns. Actually, the track isn’t brand new, but it was unreleased until now, so it is new to most fans. Also on the first disc are radio and television promos, as well as some of the film’s theatrical trailers. Now we move on the second disc, which is home to the best of the supplements, a feature length documentary titled Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The Shocking Truth. This is an in depth piece that offers as candid a look at how the film was made as possible. An exhaustive, well crafted look inside this horror classic that no fan of the film can afford to miss. A second feature length piece is also found here, but Flesh Wounds isn’t up to the same level. I think it could have been trimmed down a lot in places and given the depth of the other documentary, some of Flesh Wounds is just redundant. The rest of the extras include the blooper reel, some deleted scenes, and a tour of the infamous farmhouse, hosted by Leatherface himself.
