Search - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [Special Edition] on DVD

MPAA Rating: R Content Advisory: Violence, Not For Children, Adult Language Movie Release: 1974 DVD Release: 10/06/1998 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Edition: Special Collection SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 24 mins Studio: Geneon Members Wishing: 0 Genres: Horror, Slasher Film See Also: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [30th Anniversary Limited Edition], The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [Special Edition], The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [Ultimate Edition], The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [Blu-ray]

Tobe Hooper's influential cult classic continues the subgenre of horror films based on the life and "career" of Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein, which began with Alfred Hitchcock's own influential cult classic Psycho. When Sally Hardesty (Marilyn Burns) hears that the Texas cemetery where her grandfather is buried has been vandalized, she gathers her wheelchair-bound brother Franklin (Paul A. Partain) and several other friends together to see if grandpa's remains are still in one piece. While in the area, Sally and her friends decide to visit grandfather's old farmhouse. Unfortunately, a family of homicidal slaughterhouse workers who take their job home with them have taken over the house next door. Included amongst the brood is Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), a chainsaw-wielding human horror show who wears a face mask made out of human skin. Sally's friends are rapidly exterminated one-by-one by the next-door neighbors, leaving only Sally left to fight off Leatherface and his clan. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Marilyn Burns - Sally
Allen Danziger - Jerry
Paul A. Partain - Franklin
William Vail - Kirk
Teri McMinn - Pam

Uniquely thrilling and disturbing even by today's standards, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is undoubtedly one of the most influential horror movies ever made, and Pioneer Entertainment has produced a superb DVD edition befitting its legendary status. Director Tobe Hooper oversaw both the remastering of the soundtrack and the high-definition scan from the original negatives, and with the enhanced picture and Stereo Surround Sound, the film is cleaner and crisper than ever before. Surprisingly for a low-budget film made in 1973, this disc is also packed with special features. The trailers and TV spots for both the original theatrical release and New Line's re-release are included, as are trailers for the film's inferior but not uninteresting sequels. The deleted scenes and alternative footage are very rough and mainly silent, but do include many fascinating moments (such as a cut scene showing Leatherface putting on makeup for dinner!) and are helpfully accompanied by text intros and script excerpts. Other extras include a blooper reel, location stills, and a huge selection of posters. The audio commentary is provided by Hooper, director of photography Daniel Pearl, and Leatherface himself, Gunnar Hansen, and is both humorous and informative, offering revealing insights into the realities of making a movie on a shoestring. By any standards this is an excellent DVD, adding a great deal to what was already a classic film. ~ Patrick Lee, All Movie Guide