We dug The Texas Chainsaw Massacre documentary Chain Reactions so have been looking forward to its Blu-ray release. But most fans won’t be watching it first — or even eighth — when they pick up the set. That’s because the Dark Sky release will have an astounding eight cuts of Tobe Hooper’s horror classic. Did you even know there were that many versions in existence?
So what are the versions of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre that are included? Let’s check them out: the 16mm Overscan Print (85 mins); the 16mm ‘BBQ Edition’ Print (84 mins); the 35mm Grindhouse Print (80 mins); the 1981 Wizard Video VHS (84 mins); the 1987 Bootleg Czechoslovakian VHS (69 mins); the 1978 Super 8mm Print (Iver Film Services) (22 mins); and the 1980s Slovakian Betamax (83 mins). For you multilingual folks out there, the Czech and Slovakian cuts are featured in their native languages without subtitles. The set is limited to 3,000 copies (well, 2,999 now that I just placed my pre-order) at an absolute steal of $35.98. Also included is a 24-page booklet.
Here is the official synopsis of Chain Reactions: “Fifty years after Tobe Hooper’s THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE shocked the world and forever changed the face of global cinema and popular culture, CHAIN REACTIONS charts the film’s profound impact and lasting influence on five great artists – Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama through early memories, sensory experiences, and childhood trauma. By crafting a dynamic dialogue between contemporary footage and never-before-seen outtakes and delving into personal impressions triggered by distinct audiovisual formats (16mm, 35mm, VHS, digital), CHAIN REACTIONS goes to the heart of how a scruffy, no-budget independent film wormed its way into our collective nightmares and permanently altered the zeitgeist.” Special features for the doc itself are a commentary with director Alexandre O. Philippe and outtakes from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Last year marked the 50th anniversary of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Will you be picking up the Chain Reactions set? Which version of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre are you playing first? Let us know in the comments below.
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