The Texas Chain Saw Massacre – 2-Disc Ultimate
Edition (1974 Original
Version/Dark Sky Films)
Picture:
B- Sound: C+ Extras: B+ Film: B
With more
imitators and rip-offs than ever before, the original 1974 Texas Chain Saw Massacre continues to be an American Horror film
that resonates for so many reasons, even as very, very bad and predictable as
the rip-offs have been. Its recent
sequel even led to a prequel. After
suffering with authorized copies that left something to be desired, Dark Sky Films
has issued a new upgrade to the classic that is long overdue. Carrying over all the extras from the
previous editions, their 2-Disc Ultimate
Edition standard DVD set is now the edition to own.
The last
DVD issued of the film was by Pioneer before they sold their home video
subsidiary to Geneon. This critic
covered that version with all the thoughts about the famous film five doomed
teenagers at the following link:
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/554/Texas+Chain+Saw+Massacre+-+1974+Special+Edition
The
opinion is unchanged, with al the bad imitators only confirming some of the
film’s shortcomings. However, it is the
real think and the new transfer shows all the more why the film (shot in 16mm Eastman
Kodak’s ECO reversal stock (#7252) with a slow exposure number) is superior to
the digital, HD and 35mm imitators and revisits that have reached a new high
for now. Director Tobe Hooper and cinematographer
Daniel Pearl knew 35mm blow-ups were going to be made and thought in terms of
1.85 X 1 (according to Pearl, or 1.66 X 1 as the previous DVD was) when
blocking scenes.
The
earlier DVD offered a then “new widescreen Digital Superscan transfer
supervised by director Tobe Hooper” that was done many years ago and is
actually an older analog High Definition system. I suggested comparing it to 16mm restorations
of Criterion Rockumentary DVDs Gimme
Shelter and Monterey Pop. Now, we have the first totally digital High
Definition transfer from the talented Don May, Jr. of Synapse Films. He has always done fine transfer work and
though Hooper supervised the older transfer, this is a major improvement from
the previous DVD editions.
Having
seen the film years ago in a very good 35mm blow-up and considering Hooper’s
work on the older edition, there is still room for improvement in several
scenes, which may in part involve expensive photochemical work on the original
16mm camera footage. Though not always
meant to be very colorful, I remember better moments in the 35mm blow-up print
and there may be subtleties in shadows and color Hooper had on the older
transfer that are missing here. These
are minor complaints, but I just hope that Pearl gets to approve a final HD
transfer before the film arrives in HD-DVD or Blu-ray. Otherwise, May did a fine upgrade that looks
naturalistic and film-like, avoiding the yellowish look of the then “new” 16mm
inter-negative of the previous transfer.
While the
old DVD had a Hooper-approved Dolby Pro Logic mix from the PCM 2.0 on the
LaserDisc to the Dolby Digital 2.0 on the DVD, this new edition attempts to add
a Dolby 5.1 mix. While it is as passable
as the Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo-boosted Pro Logic mix also included, the best
track (like the recent upgrade of the original Black Christmas reviewed elsewhere on this site) is the Dolby
Digital 2.0 Mono that is louder, cleaner, clearer and more realistic than the
upgrades that thin out the sound and overall impact of the film.
Extras
include a new audio commentary by actors Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Allen
Danziger, and art designer Robert A. Burns, the vintage commentary by director
Tobe Hooper, cinematographer Daniel Pearl, and actor Gunnar Hansen, trailers, TV
and radio spots, 73 minute documentary "Texas Chain Saw Massacre: The
Shocking Truth", 74 minute documentary "Flesh Wounds", Tour
of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre house before and after remodeling, conduced by
Gunnar Hansen, deleted scenes and outtakes, blooper reel, outtakes from "The
Shocking Truth" and a few still galleries including posters, ads,
and collectibles. Carried over from the
older edition, the blooper reel is amusing, deleted scenes worth checking out
(though none of them feel like they should have remained, they are worth
catching), and the alternate footage includes all the footage shot for the
brief, still chilling enough first abduction by Leatherface. The trailer for the unnecessary sequel was
dropped and these documentaries are mostly new.
The tin
case is also nicely designed and more durable than the usual DVD casings. Dark Sky has done a great job and even if you
have seen the film often, this new edition will impress. Let’s hope more Horror films get this kind of
treatment.
- Nicholas Sheffo
