Search - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre on DVD

Jefferson N. from BLAIRSVILLE, GA
Reviewed on 10/13/2012...

In this remake of the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre, a group of young friends are travelling on the lonely backroads of Texas when they meet a young girl staggering down a dirt road covered in blood. When they try to take her to a town for help, she finds a gun and kills herself. The local sherif shows up and instead of helping, starts hassling the kids. Two go to get help at an old house in the distance, and the horror begins.
While the original film cannot be replaced, this does a nice job of bringing the film into a more modern world. The grainy quality of the original adds atmosphere, but as far as modern filmmaking technique goes, and audience taste, this is a good remake. It's more gory than the original, by far. And Leatherface and his crazy family are scary as all get out! R. Lee Ermey is probably more scary than Leatherface, if anything, as the insane sheriff! And, you can't go wrong with the lovely Jessica Biel running around wet in a tight, white t-shirt. There's something for everyone!

2 of 2 member(s) found this review helpful.

IF IT AIN'T BROKE...

Lawyeraau | Balmoral Castle | 05/22/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Having seen the 1974 original, I looked forward to seeing this re-make. The original had a quasi-documentary feel to it with its grainy footage and cast of virtual unknowns. The film was a visual cornucopia of terror and horror, though there was actually very little gore shown on screen. The unusually macabre sets and the relentless sound of the chainsaw bandied by Leatherface were enough to make the viewer tremble.This re-make has stuck relatively close to the original in terms of a general story line, though there are, of course, some differences. In the re-make, a group of teens set off in their van on their way to a concert in Texas, where they end up in a rural area. After picking up a dazed, female hitchhiker, their world is turned upside down when she does the unspeakable. They go looking for help and, unfortunately, come across a house inhabited by one heck of a family of crazies. From the moment they do so, the teens run hither and dither, as they are chased by a chainsaw wielding, leather faced maniac. Unlike the original, this film is a real slasher type horror film with plenty of blood and gore. This is the real difference between the original and the re-make.While the re-make has much better production values than the original, as well as better acting by its cast, the original was far scarier. The director of the original, Tobe Hooper, did far more with far less. Still, if you are a fan of bloody slasher films, this is worth a rental. Better yet, rent both the original 1974 version, as well as this re-make, and then judge for yourself as to which is the superior horror flick."

"You're all going to die..."

Michael Crane | Orland Park, IL USA | 03/31/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Just when you thought the original was disturbing, gross, disgusting, and frightening, now comes the updated version, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," which knows no limits when it comes to gore and intensely terrifying moments. Is it a remake? Not necessarily. However, it is more like a movie that pays tribute to a great classic by offering its own vision of a well-known nightmare of limbs and guts.While characters and some of the story has changed, the deranged and murderous plot remains the same. An unspeakable turn of events (I will not give away how it all starts, as it is very different from the original) lands a group of teens in a nightmarish maze that throws a mutilated man who wields a giant chainsaw in their path. Not to mention the "crazy" family that turns out to be just as vicious and murderous. For these teens, a safe place is nowhere in their short and painful future.As I said in the beginning, this is not a remake. Nor is this a sequel. So what is it? Well, I like to think of it as an "updated" version of the original--in fact, I consider it more of a tribute to the classic that redefined the horror genera as we know it. This movie, while much more darker, sinister, and sicker, is not trying to live up to the original, nor is it trying to outdo it. I had to smile, as this was not a step-by-step remake, such as the newer "Psycho" was. There are new elements, characters, and plot twists thrown into the mix. And to be honest... it works.I must confess, I had an unquestionably hard time trying to watch this movie. There were a bunch of moments that made me want to shut it off, and yet--I continued to watch the debauchery. There is a sick and twisted fascination that this movie exploits from us, knowing that we're going continue to watch no matter what. The original was choppy and had a very low-budget, so while it was undeniably violent and brutal it wasn't as hard to take. This new version is in no way a Grade-B movie. It's extremely realistic in its absolute brutality. This shouldn't even be considered as a choice for people who have a hard time watching violence, gore and torture. This movie takes it to the limit and is unapologetic.Even though this was a hard movie to watch, I have to confess that I liked it. It is great to finally see a horror movie that isn't overly goofy. This is a straight-up and serious slasher movie that does what it's supposed to do--TERRIFY US. An element sadly forgotten by most of the horror flops that come out now. Maybe they can take a page from this movie and perhaps learn something. The acting is surprisingly good, the script is quite believable and is rarely cheesy or lame, and the film looks fantastic. Not a bad job for director Marcus Nispel.This 2-Disc special edition (a single disc version is also available for those who aren't giant fans of the movie) has some tasty extras. As I said, the film looks and sounds great. You even have the choice of watching it in DTS if your little heart desires to do so. Special features include documentaries, deleted scenes, commentary, trailers, TV spots and a whole lot more. The star of the special features is an exclusive documentary on the notorious killer, Ed Gein, who inspired the original film. It's a really interesting feature and is the main reason to purchase this edition of the movie. The behind-the-scenes documentary (over an hour long) is also worth the money, as well."The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" is an unforgiving bloodbath that sends you to the butcher's with bloody front-row seats. It's not better than the original, and it is not trying to be. This film is more of a tribute to an undeniable classic. It's an entertaining new vision and interpretation of the original. If you're looking for a straight-up horror movie that isn't trying to be cutesy or is striving for pop status, then this is the one for you. Just remember one thing... once you open the door, there's no going back. A disturbing, and yet involving horror film that will stay in your head for days. -Michael Crane"

COOL

Lawyeraau | 03/31/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"TO ANSWER THE REVIEWER sick, disgusting and grusome. I hated it
OF COURSE ITS GOING TO BE SICK AND DISGUSTING ESPIALLY GRUSOME IT CALLED THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE ITS NOT GOING TO BE A HAPPY MOVIE THERE IS GOING TO BE A MASSACRE GOING ON"