The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Ultimate Edition Blu-ray Disc Review

Buy This Blu-ray Disc Now By Clicking On The Icon Below!

Title: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Ultimate Edition

Region: A

Media: Blu-ray Disc

Genre: Horror

Stars: Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow, and Gunnar Hansen

Opening Narration By: John Larroquette

Writers: Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper

Based On A Story By: Kim Henkel and Tobe Hooper

Director: Tobe Hooper

Feature length: 84 minutes

Extras: Audio Commentary Featuring Director Tobe Hooper, Director Of Photography Daniel Pearl, and Star Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface), Audio Commentary With Actors Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Allen Danziger and Art Director Robert A. Burns, Deleted Scenes And Alternate Footage, Blooper Reel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth, Flesh Wounds: Seven Stories Of The Saw, A Tour Of The TCSM House With Gunnar Hansen, The Shocking Truth Outtakes Theatrical Trailers, TV Spots, Radio Spots and Still Galleries

Languages: English DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound, PCM Lossless 2.0 Surround Sound and Monaural Sound

Subtitles: English and Spanish Language Subtitles

Packaging: Elite Blue BD Case

Sound: DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Sound, PCM Lossless 2.0 Surround Sound and Monaural Sound

Year of Original Theatrical Release: 1974/Blu-ray Disc Release: 2008

Theatrical Distributors: Bryanston Theatrical Releasing/New Line Cinema

Home Video Distributor: Dark Sky Films

MPAA Rating: R

Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera

On August 18, 1973, five young adults are traveling across the back roadways of Texas while an investigation in grave robbing has been going on. After a brief stop by the cemetery where these disturbances have occurred to make sure the grave of two of the passenger’s father has not been disturbed, they proceed to travel to the old farmhouse that belonged to their father. Along the way they pick up an insane hitchhiker who lacerates his own hand and the arm of a wheelchair bound invalid and subsequently marks the van with his own blood after he is kicked out. Low on gas, the startled group stops by the dilapidated house they were heading to, but ignore the warnings of a deceptive neighborly man and poke their heads into another seemingly disserted house only to be confronted with a horror beyond imagining. A horror described by the sole survivor as being in Hell.

“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” is one of the most effective horror films from the 1970s. It predates most if not every other commercial horror icon franchises from the last quarter of the twentieth century and has inspired many imitators as well as films that have paid it with props whether it be the chainsaw wielding hero “Ash” from the Evil Dead series or Rob Zombie’s House Of 1000 Corpses. There are also so many memorable moments that mix dark humor with a foreboding atmosphere whether it be the opening shots of the macabre body sculptures left in the cemetery or the dead armadillo on the road. Other memorable creepy moments include the foreboding discussion on the negative influence of Saturn on their anthropological charts, the first victim to be hit by Leatherface’s hammer followed by the classic slamming door scene or final scenes of the film all the way from our first introduction to “Grandpa” through to the closing tantrum. I just love the scene where Leatherface chases both Sally (Marilyn Burns) and the black truck driver around the big rig. It has this sense of immediacy and humor that makes the film seem more real even though the story is of course a fabrication inspired in part by the actions of the notorious serial killer Ed Gein, who also served as an inspiration for “Buffalo Bill” in Thomas Harris’ The Silence Of The Lambs. I also really loved Gunnar Hanson’s portrayal of “Leatherface,” which is both darkly comical and menacing at the same time. Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of the film is that it is not really a splatter flick. Many people who have seen the film insist that they saw the hook actually impale the woman in Leatherface’s kitchen or saw the chainsaw cut someone up into pieces with blood splattering everywhere, but really much of what people think they saw is filled in by their own minds the same way a person can miss a typo over and over again because their mind fills in that missing comma or whatnot.

A high definition transfer from the 16mm ECO camera originals was created for this Blu-ray Disc release with Don May, Jr. of Synapse Films and formerly Elite Entertainment serving as a restoration consultant. The film will never look remotely as good as a contemporary film, but the 1080p resolution matted to a widescreen (1.78:1) aspect ratio makes this the best the film has ever looked on home video yet. The film’s look was redesigned to reflect Hooper’s original vision of high contrast images and color. The hot sun now casts an amber hue upon the dry Texas landscape and the night sequences are a moody mysterious blue. The house interiors are dark and evil like Hell itself to immerse the viewer in an even more nightmarish movie experience.

The original audio elements were used to create a digitally remastered PCM Stereo Surround Soundtrack as well as present the film’s original monaural soundtrack. However Dark Sky Films has also created a processed DTS Digital 5.1 Theatrical Surround Soundtrack for this Blu-ray release too. This true directional surround track adds a new terrifying dimension to the film making the sound effects and music more ambient to create a creepier atmosphere for the home theater user. The extra features on this disc are superb with a screen specific audio commentary featuring Director and Co-Writer Tobe Hooper, Director Of Photography Daniel Pearl, and Star Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface.) The conditions this guerilla filmmaking crew underwent to make the movie come to fruition were extraordinary harsh, with many crewmembers getting sick and poor Mr. Hansen having to get into the same sweaty dirty costume and makeup day in and day out to the point that no one could stand to be near him toward the end of the shoot. This is an articulate, informative, and screen specific audio commentary that in my opinion justifies purchasing this disc just to hear it for the fans of this series alone. An audio commentary with Actors Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Allen Danziger and Art Director Robert A. Burns, which covers some of the same elements from the first commentary and also allows the cast members to take a few jabs at the 2003 remake. Exclusive to this release is an interview with Teri McMinn, who goes over in detail how here famous death scene was accomplished as well as her regard for Tobe Hooper and the rest of the cast and crew.

Other features to be found on this Blu-ray disc include two documentaries as well as a tour of the house used for the film with Gunnat Hansen, 30 minutes of deleted scenes and outtakes and even a blooper reel. A still gallery of poster art, production footage and more as well as two trailers, two TV spots, and two-radio spots wrap up the extra value feature on this Blu-ray Disc release. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Ultimate Edition is available on Blu-ray Disc now at retailers on and offline courtesy of Dark Sky Films.

Return To The Previous Page

Buy This Blu-ray Disc Now By Clicking On The Icon Below!