The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: Seriously Ultimate Edition

Released in 1974 to a completely unprepared ratings board, Hooper asked for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre to be classified as 'PG' given that there was little on-screen violence, no sex/nudity or obscene language but the MPAA was having none of it and gave the film an 'R' certificate. Other ratings boards weren't so lenient - the BBFC banned the film outright as there was nothing that could be cut which would reduce the overwhelming sense of menace and intensity.

In 1973, Tobe Hooper, straight out of film school and with only Eggshells, a relatively unheard of film in his resume, headed deep into Texas with a group of inexperienced actors and filmmakers to shoot a film that Hooper had penned with his friend Kim Henkel. Hooper had grown up in Texas and had been terrified by older relatives from Wisconsin, who regaled him with stories about the notorious serial killer Ed Gein who had committed his crimes in that state. Gein has had a remarkable impact on horror films, arguably the inspiration for Norman Bates in Psycho, Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs and the family of cannibals in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns), her brother Franklin (Paul Partain) and their friends Pam, Jerry and Kirk travel to Texas where there are reports of grave-robbing, to check on their grandfather's grave. On the way they meet a hitchhiker (Edwin Neal), who disturbs and unsettles them, before the real nightmare begins. Inverting the American ideal of the perfect nuclear family to something much more sinister, putting a whole new spin on 'family values', Hooper created something horrific and, at the time, relevant. With the generation gap making parents afraid of their kids, Hooper and Henkel tapped into the zeitgeist to create a family of monsters that are not only alien to the older generation but their own. In doing so they unleashed a true cinematic icon, Leatherface, on the public who were terrified and he continues to scare and fascinate to this day.
 
The family of cannibals are so strange, weird and alien that when Sally is begging for her life, she offers to 'do anything' but they're not interested - the thought of sex never crossed their minds - they are from a long line of slaughtermen and intend to carry on in that vein.
 

 
Brutal, intense, shocking and downright scary, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is a rare example of a film that has barely aged in over thirty years and has maintained its power like few other films. This is a movie that lives with you long after the credits have rolled and is probably the finest example of a pure horror film - it sets out to scare and does exactly that. There have been many imitators, sequels and remakes but none come close to the visceral experience of the original and best.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is one of my favourite films, one I never tire of watching and I thought the R1 Ultimate Edition was just that but this is even better with a couple more extra features. I consider this to be the finest version of the film available, with the definitive transfer, fantastic audio tracks and a wealth of extras, making it an essential DVD for any horror fan who doesn't yet own a copy and worth serious consideration for any DVD collector.
 

The Disc

 
Extra Features
On the first disc there are two audio commentaries, the first featuring actors Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Allen Danziger and art director Robert A. Burns, and the second with Tobe Hooper, DoP Daniel Pearl and Gunnar ('Leatherface') Hansen. The latter of these was available on the other two releases but complements the interesting and revealing 'actors' commentary' very well.

The second disc contains the feature-length documentary: 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Shocking Truth' by David Gregory which is 73 minutes of interviews with cast and crew, including Allen Danziger, Paul Partain, Marylin Burns, Tobe Hooper and Robert Burns. The interviews form a 'making of', covering the inspirations for the film, the state of the horror genre at the time, the unexpected commercial success, the response of censors and the sequels.

There are interviews with Teri McMinn and Ron Bozman (exclusive to this DVD), outtakes from 'The Shocking Truth' and 'A Tour of the TCSM House with Gunnar Hansen'. The tour is preceded by footage from 1993 and then Hansen, who visits it for the first time since filming, takes you round the building, which is now a restaurant, and points out where certain scenes were filmed. Much of this has already been seen in 'The Shocking Truth' and the 'This Old House' section of the 'Flesh Wounds' documentary.
 

 
Disc three kicks off with the 74 minute 'Flesh Wounds: Seven Stories of the Saw' seven-part documentary with sections on cinematographer Daniel Pearl (Chainsaw Cameraman), the TCSM house (This Old House), the 'hitchhiker', Ed O'Neil (The Famous Mr. Ed), those who have recently passed away (In Memoriam), the man responsible for creating 'Grandpa', Dr. W.E. Barnes (The Good Doctor), fan conventions (Frightmares & Wastelands) and Gunnar Hansen (Life After Leatherface). This 2006 documentary is bang up to date and sets out to, and succeeds in, telling the stories that have been omitted from previous supplementary material.

There are also deleted scenes, outtakes, alternative footage, interviews with Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel and a stills gallery with photos, posters and lobby cards. The disc is rounded off with three TV Spots, two Radio Spots and two trailers.

The three discs come in a smart black steelbook which adds to the 'Ultimate Edition' claim on the cover, though it's a shame that the 'A Family Portrait' documentary didn't make it into this set.
 

 
The Picture
One of the strengths of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is the vérité look of the film - an inspired aesthetic choice that adds so much to the atmosphere and terror. Although this version has been remastered from the original film stock and presented in high-definition, there has been no attempt to 'polish' the film and it maintains the documentary appearance from the theatrical release and all previous DVDs.
 
The Sound
You have a choice of the original mono soundtrack, a remastered stereo surround and even a DD 5.1 mix. The mono and stereo surround tracks are fine and the latter is a marked improvement over previous offerings, but the 5.1 balances the sound beautifully, filtering it so that there is no distortion and cranking up the terror to a new level.
 

 
Final Thoughts
This may sound odd but I like to sit down in a dark room with the volume up and watch something truly scary - it's part of the masochistic streak that runs in every horror fan. There are few films that can rival the sheer intensity and terror of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and it is as fresh and brutal now as it was when I first saw it ten or so years ago and, I imagine, when it was first released in 1974. This is a superb set that rivals the Region 1 Ultimate Edition so, if you don't own that, don't hesitate before buying this.