The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Director: Marcus Nispel Marcus Nispel

Overview

"Director Marcus Nispel's over-the-top remake of Tobe Hooper's unrelenting horror masterpiece arrives on DVD in fine form with New Line Home Entertainment's Platinum Series double-disc release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen, the image offers a near-perfect presentation of cinematographer Daniel Pearl's lush photography, save for some serious signs of edge-enhancement. Likewise, the English DTS-ES Surround Sound audio mix provides an eerie and effective grab bag of directional effects in addition to providing an ideal showcase for the shrieking, room-shaking buzz of the ever-familiar saw. Other audio options include English Dolby Digital EX 5.1 and English Dolby Digital Stereo Surround, with optional English and Spanish subtitles. Extra features include a music video for the Motograter song ""Suffocate,"" television spots, and a theatrical trailer."

Product Details

Release Date:	03/30/2004
UPC:	0794043683428
Original Release:	2003
Rating:	R
Source:	New Line Home Video
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Surround EX, Digital Theater Systems, Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	1:38:00
Sales rank:	16,671

Special Features

Closed Caption;Motograter's music video "Suffocate"; Seven TV spots; Original theatrical trailer; Dolby Digital EX 5.1 Surround Sound; DTS ES Surround Sound; Stereo surround sound; English subtitles and closed captions; Spanish subtitles; DVD-ROM content

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Jessica Biel	Erin
Jonathan Tucker	Morgan
Erica Leerhsen	Pepper
Mike Vogel	Andy
Eric Balfour	Kemper
Andrew Bryniarski	Thomas Hewitt
R. Lee Ermey	Sheriff Hoyt
David Dorfman	Jedidiah
Lauren German	Teenage Girl,Adolescent
Terrence Evans	Old Monty
Marietta Marich	Luda May
Heather Kafka	Henrietta
Kathy Lamkin	Tea Lady in Trailer
Brad Leland	Big Rig Bob
John Larroquette	Narrator,Narrator
Mamie Meek	Clerk
Andrew Prine	The Old Man

Technical Credits

Scott Kosar

Marcus Nispel	Director
Scott Kosar	Screenwriter
Jeffrey Allard	Executive Producer
Michael Bay	Producer
Anthony P. Cecere	Stunts
Ted Field	Executive Producer
Lisa Fields	Casting
Mike Fleiss	Producer
Andrew Form	Executive Producer
Brad Fuller	Executive Producer
Rocky Gehr	Special Effects
Nathan McGuinness	Special Effects
Guy Stodel	Executive Producer

Editorial Reviews

Marcus Nispel's remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a valiant effort to bring Hollywood horror back to its grisly roots, though for all its brilliant photography and brutal intensity, the remake ultimately crumbles under its pandering to the new audience to which it's obviously catering. Where there were once disturbing, unsettling images juxtaposed with sly social relevance, the story is now reinterpreted into a nasty tale of ugliness that, while still chock-full of scares, is void of the shocking, under-your-skin feel that Tobe Hooper's original continues to instill decades after it dug into society's subconscious and changed horror films forever. That said, it's unfair to compare the two films too much, as even the last two dismal Chainsaw flicks were basically remakes of their archetypical ancestor, though the fact remains that producer Michael Bay and company refused to fully grasp why the first film still manages to resonate years later. If their idea was that the original was scary because it had elements stemming from real life weirdo Ed Gein, then why throw in the puritanical slasher ideals in the early moments, immediately separating the viewer from fact to popcorn-loving movie fiction? The answer undoubtedly goes back to the post-Scream youth culture which the filmmakers are nurturing, resulting in an annoying ploy that immediately singles out the perfect-bellied and curvaceous Jessica Biel to be the final survivor in a situation in which not one character should be safe. Thankfully, the rest of the film doesn't fall into too many more stereotypical pitfalls, but it's exactly that sort of thing that makes this mean fright flick far less gonzo and more a by-the-numbers slasher. That said, there are some high points to the flick -- the first being the original cinematographer Daniel Pearl's return behind the camera for this Leatherface epic. His painterly eye does wonders with the budget and lends this horror film an unbelievable look, thanks to his 30-plus years of experience in the field (even if it'd been over ten years since his last feature). It's the feel he brings to the piece mixed with the truly gnarly imagery of the picture that gives the film the uniqueness by which it can live up to the high standard under which it's labeling itself. Another class act with the film is the cast, namely Andrew Bryniarski as Leatherface. Hitting a near home-run as the unstoppable killing machine, the newest chainsaw chopper surprisingly shines in a few subtle moments sure to remind you of the crazed, multi-dimensional work of his earliest predecessor, Gunnar Hansen. Another relief is the young cast members themselves, who tend to not fall into the atypically horrible modern genre acting, with Biel handling her own as the film's newest scream queen and the rest of her crew pulling their weight with the all-too-real mayhem erupting around them. R. Lee Emry also shows up for more of his hilarious foul-mouthed schtick, this time turning in a much more macabre role that is more akin to the outrageous performances known in the series. It's too bad, then, that things just aren't pointed in the right direction. The film works as a modern gore-fest, but loses sight of the original's integral pieces, such as incredibly unnerving sound design, non-music-video-style editing, and frankly, a madman like Hooper at the helm. Better thought of as just another revisionist sequel than a direct remake, Nispel's Texas Chainsaw is better than the jaded horror fan would think, scary-as-hell to any newbie looking for a nasty time, but ice ages away from the original.