Cannibalism is all the rage at the moment!!! (The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (DVD))

Member Name: kingkano

Product:	The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (DVD)
Date:	29/07/01 (213 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: lots of extras, digitally remastered, a classic film

Disadvantages: the screaming LOUD

This is a very, very scary movie. There is no real actual violence (by todays standards), there is no witnessed cannibalism, there is hardly any gore. SO why is it so damn scary? Every thing I have mentioned is not shown, but implied…….

You’re through to the second paragraph so you must be intrigued. Where can I start?? This is another one of those B grade, banned for being too violent, movies that actually has a lot more beneath the surface than most might think. It was also the launching point for the career of Tobe Hooper, who later directed Poltergeist, Salem’s Lot, and a hell of a lot of other classy horror films.

The plot goes roughly like this. It is a documentary style account of the five teenagers’ day in the country. They set off determined to ensure that a grandfather’s body is still safe after a series of grave robbings in the area; and also to go see an old house that their father owns (the family homestead – now quite rundown).

Along the way they pickup a crazy hitchhiker who loses it in the van, find a gas station with no gas, and end up spending the day at the house. This is when they discover the ghastly family that lives ‘next door’, and one by one they are picked off in gruesome and grisly fashion – without so much as a glimmer of hard core violence!

It is really a screamfest as opposed to a slasher flick, and I personally like it more for being so. Don’t get me wrong, people die, and die grisly deaths….. but they don’t show you that, hence the suspense and the screaming are more potent for this.

The movie itself is based lightly on factual occurrences involving a lovely gentleman named Ed Gein. This guy in the late 40s was sent to the looney bin after they discovered his farm house literally packed with human remains. Things they found included whole human skins that he dressed up in and a chair covered in human ‘l
eather’.

I really must mention the soundtrack, as it was all done personally by Toby, because his budget did not really extend to musical talent. It is very industrial and mood creating, and really set a standard for some of the best horror films ever. It is a very contrasting and at times chilling type of sound. He used various weird ways of making the sounds, including hitting a pitch fork and scraping it across a table!!!!!

There is no special effects to speak of, mainly because there is hardly any blood?!?!?! What there is, has been done very cheaply, but I have to say looks quite good.

The style of the film is similar to that of Blair Witch, and I would not be surprised if Blair Witch was inspired by this and other works. Don’t be put off by that though, as this is MUCH MUCH better than that! hahaha

The DVD itself is superb!!! You get a digitally remastered version of TCM, along with the original mono sound and theatrical aspect version, in case you want to see it in all its b grade glory!! Don’t be a fool though, because the remastering was actually supervised by Tobe Hooper and is in my opinion much better, bringing out the contrasts and colours that he truly wanted originally, but technology prevented.

As far as extras go, I could hardly have asked for better (well I could have – but I am greedy haha)!!!! You get dozens of deleted scenes (most of these are silent video footage though - which is very interesting in its own right), a blooper reel (very very funny), trailers and TV spots for every release of the film (that’s 2 of each!), trailers for all of the sequels (that’s 3 more), full length commentary by Tobe himself, with the director of photography and Gunnar Hensen (who plays Leatherface), a stack of stills (well worth seeing) and photos off all the posters and lobby cards produced for original release!!!!

All of the extras are done to the highest standard
, and for once there really is alot of stuff on here. If you like the film, you'll love this release.

You can also go to their website, www.thechainsaw.com. I cannot speak highly enough of this, there is so much more information on there. Including trivia you never knew and the full true story of Ed Gein.

Well that’s my rant, hope it wasn’t too long. I do love these types of films, so I might be slightly biased, but I think even the squeamish could get away with seeing this. It is a piece of cinematic history that shouldn’t be missed by anyone.

If I have convinced you to go out and buy this film, you can get it at most good retailers. Currently (July 2001) HMV have it for the bargain price of 9.99.

Thanks for listening (reading haha).

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