The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) (Blu-ray Review)

I have never seen this movie look soo damn good!



The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)
Directed By: Tobe Hooper (The Funhouse)


The Prologue
FINALLY, we get to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre! One of the most legendary horror films of all-time, part of the BIG 4, along with A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th, and Halloween. I've owned an old DVD copy of this movie ever since I started buying DVDs. It was one of the first films I had ever gotten. But for one reason or another, I never got around to reviewing it til now. And why now? Because I got myself the blu-ray release from Dark Sky films. And let me tell you, I know this film is known for being dark and gritty, but this movie is just awesome looking in this blu-ray transfer. This release blows every other release of the film to date right out of the water. OH, and the movie is a classic as well. So what's not to love about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre?



The Movie
It has been called "grisly," "sick," and "perverse," as well as "raw," "unshakeable," and "the movie that redefined horror." It was attacked by churches, banned by governments, and acclaimed by only the bravest of critics. It stunned audiences worldwide and set a new standard in movie terror forever. In 1974, writer-producer-directorTobe Hooper unleashed this dark, visionary tale about a group of five young friends who face a nightmare of torment at the hands of a depraved Texas clan. Today it remains unequaled as a landmark of outlaw filmmaking and unparalleled in its impact as perhaps the most frightening motion picture ever made.

I'm not sure if the dark and creepy look of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre was intended or just a product of the low budget, but it sure is effective. There are only a few films that seem to legit make whoever is watching it for the fist time feel rather uncomfortable, and this movie is one of them. I remember my first time seeing this film as a kid, it had already been out for well over ten years by that time, but it still just made me feel uneasy. This is a type of feeling that still sticks with you as you watch this movie today. And as simple as this movie's plot is, it's very compelling, creepy, and leaves a lasting impression once you've seen it.


From the moment you hear the bumper of an introduction of the film read on the scrolling screen, you've already figured out your about to see something good. And it does such a great job of selling it's self that even without a ton of blood and gore, you see such things that you'd swear that it was a lot more gruesome than it actually is. The characters of the film that are set to be terrorized by our crazy Texas family are not that memorable, outside the wheelchair bound, Franklin. But on the villain side of things we have, The Hitchhiker, The Cook, Grandpa, and one of the most iconic horror characters ever created on screen. Leatherface. Even if the film does lack in blood and features a little too much of Leatherface practically chasing the character of Sally around in circles in the middle, it's still essential viewing.

The film also packs one of the more unnerving scenes in history with the classic "dinner" scene. The rapid shots of Sally's eyes and screams, are enough to unnerve anyone. And the results is a style of directing that brings forth the horror without the use of extreme gore or bells and whistles. Now I like gore and even I dare say that I believe it would have made the film perfect if it had been added in a bit with the natural fear aspects of the movie. Still, outside of that I can't think of much to complain about. If you are a horror fan, you know how awesome this movie is and odds are you at least own some form of this film in your collection.


The Conclusion
The film is a classic, you can't say it any other way besides that. But if you are here to find out about the blu-ray (which is probably going to get limited at some point since it's out of print currently), I can promise you that you don't own a better looking copy of this film, no matter what DVD you have. Most the DVDs and VHS tapes look pretty awful, so with that being the case and all, I was pleasantly shocked to see just how wonderful this transfer looks. So, even if you have the DVD, this is one upgrade to blu-ray that you really need to invest in.


The Rating (8/10)