THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE Gets the Ultimate Upgrade

THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE (4K SteelBook)

1974 / 83 min

FROM DARK SKY FILMS

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

There ain’t a hell of a lot left to be said about The Texas Chain Saw Massacre that hasn’t already been discussed, debated, critiqued, analyzed, referenced, parodied and ripped-off. Regardless of one’s feelings about the movie itself (this writer thinks it’s just a tad overpraised), its enduring mark on modern horror is undeniable. Only Psycho, The Exorcist and (maybe) Night of the Living Dead share such rarified air. 

But unlike those iconic films, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre captured lightning in a bottle. It was the career high point for almost everyone involved. With the exception of writer-director Tobe Hooper (and narrator John Larroquette), nobody on either side of the camera went on to do anything particularly noteworthy. Even for Hooper, TCSM was an inescapable shadow over his entire career (a shame, really, because he occasionally did some pretty neat stuff over the years).

Whether born out of creativity or necessity, TCSM’s lo-fi aesthetic still has a visceral power few subsequent filmmakers have come close to emulating. The dead, documentary-style stare Hooper employs while tormenting & slaughtering his characters remains the film’s most potent element. And I gotta say that the scene where Leatherface hammers a guy in the head and the camera lingers over the twitching body remains one of horror’s most brutal, blood-free nut-punches.

Sometimes you gotta dance like no one's watching.

Because of how it was originally shot - in 16mm - one might initially question what a 4K upgrade would do to the picture. Does anyone really want a ‘shiny new’ TCSM? Wouldn’t that distill the mood and claustrophobic atmosphere? Fortunately, this transfer retains the film’s grainy, grimy aesthetic while still offering a lot of depth. Not having seen the film on Blu-ray, I cannot tell you if the overall picture is an improvement. However, this disc provides several terrific audio options.

For fans of all-things-TCSM, the real treat might be the abundant extras. In addition to the SteelBook packaging - no new artwork, but still pretty cool - there’s a slew of substantial bonus material. Most of them are carried over from previous releases, but there’s also a brand new feature-length retrospective documentary that, if nothing else, further cements the film’s legacy. 

With a two-sided poster rounding out the bonus goodies, this 4K SteelBook edition of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is certainly worth upgrading from any previous home video version. It's a must-own release of one of horror's most iconic films.

EXTRA KIBBLES

THE LEGACY OF THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE - This is an all-new feature length retrospective documentary featuring insights and appreciation by various contemporary directors, including some who worked on subsequent TCM sequels & reboots. 

THE CINEFAMILY PRESENTS FRIEDKIN/HOOPER - An hour-long Q&A with Tobe Hooper and William Friedkin.

THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE: THE SHOCKING TRUTH - Archival full-length documentary.

OUTTAKES FROM ‘THE SHOCKING TRUTH’

FLESH WOUNDS: SEVEN STORIES OF THE SAW - Another feature-length doc!

4 AUDIO COMMENTARIES - 1) By director Tobe Hooper, actor Gunnar Hansen, cinematographer Daniel Pearl; 2) By actors Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, Paul A. Pertain and production designer Robert Burns; 3) By Tobe Hooper; 4) By Daniel Pearl, editor Larry Carroll and sound recordist Ted Nicolaou.

A TOUR OF THE TCSM HOUSE WITH GUNNAR HANSEN

INTERVIEWS - “The Business of Chain Saw” (with production manager Ron Bozman); “Off the Hook” (with actor Teri McMinn); “Grandpa’s Tales” (with actor John Dugan); “Cutting Chain Saw” (with editor J. Larry Caroll).

HORROR’S HALLOWED GROUNDS: TCSM

MAKING GRANDPA

DELETED SCENES/OUTTAKES

BLOOPER REEL

STILL GALLERY

ORIGINAL & 40TH ANNIVERSARY TRAILERS; TV & RADIO SPOTS

TWO-SIDED MINI POSTER

THE SUNDOWNERS and HIGH LONESOME: Old School Oaters

THE SUNDOWNERS and HIGH LONESOME (DVD)

The Sundowners (1950/85 min) / High Lonesome (1950/80 min)

FROM REEL VAULT

Review by Mr. Paws😼

My wife has an uncle named Arthur, who’s really old school. How old? The guy still likes to record gobs of TV shows and movies using a VCR. I’m at a loss at how he’s even able to find VHS tapes to keep recording with.

Arthur’s an old school western fan, too. He devours countless novels by the likes of Zane Grey, Louis L’Amour, Max Brand and a slew of other dead guys whose pulp paperbacks are generally found stacked in the back of musty used book stores. He might’ve read a lot of Alan La May’s stuff, too. La May’s arguably best-known as the author of The Searchers, which was later adapted into the classic John Wayne film. 

Though he didn’t write that particular screenplay, La May cranked-out plenty for other oaters released during the genre’s heyday, most of which have been largely forgotten over time. Two of them, The Sundowners and High Lonesome, are typically-disposable westerns that seem right up Arthur’s alley, presumably because he grew up on this stuff. There’s no western revisionism here…just a few hours of good ol’ fashioned horseplay.

"That's the end that goes 'boom', kid."

The Sundowners is the better of the two, featuring Robert Preston as notorious gunman Kid Wichita, who insinuates himself into a range war. Though he claims to be Tom Cloud’s ally, Wichita mostly appears to be trying to stir the hornet’s nest on both sides. Preston’s easily the best part of the film and looks like he had a lot of fun in the role. Elsewhere, he’s supported by a solid cast of B-listers, including Robert Sterling, John Barrymore Jr, Cathy Downs, Chill Wills and a very young and (believe it or not) almost handsome Jack Elam.

La May also assumes the director's chair (his only time) for High Lonesome, which is less interesting and a bit more convoluted, but still marginally entertaining. A young stranger, ‘Cooncat’ (John Barrymore Jr.), is accused of horse theft and killing a man, but claims he’s innocent. When a few other murders occur, Cooncat’s immediately suspected by some, but the real culprits are those who set-up Cooncat in the first place. This one features some of the same actors as The Sundowners, but lacks a dynamic bad guy like Preston.

Neither flick is gonna make anyone forget High Noon, but both are fairly entertaining low-budget horse operas. Perhaps for a few old school western lovers - like my wife’s uncle, Arthur - they might even be forgotten childhood favorites.

THE POOP SCOOP: A Few Anniversaries & a Really Big Bus

😸THE MALTESE FALCON, COOL HAND LUKE and REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE Arrive on 4K Ultra HD April 4 from Warner Bros

As part of the year-long centennial celebration for the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studio, three classic and beloved films from the Warner Bros. library – The Maltese Falcon, Cool Hand Luke, and Rebel Without a Cause - will be available for purchase on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Digital this April. The Maltese Falcon was nominated for three Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Sydney Greenstreet) and Best Adapted Screenplay (John Huston). Considered one of the greatest films of all time, it was one of the first 25 films selected by the Library of Congress to be included in the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Cool Hand Luke was nominated for four Academy Awards for Best Actor (Paul Newman), Best Supporting Actor (George Kennedy) and Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium (Don Pearce and Frank Pierson) and Best Original Music Score (Lalo Schifrin) and won for Best Support Supporting Actor. In 1990, Rebel Without a Cause was added to the Library of Congress's National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant." The Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc will include each feature film in 4K with HDR and a Digital version of the feature film.

😺FLASHDANCE Celebrates 40th Anniversary with 4K Ultra HD Debut on April 11 from Paramount.

Director Adrian Lyne’s electrifying classic FLASHDANCE celebrates its 40th anniversary this year.  To celebrate the milestone, Paramount Home Entertainment will release the film for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD on April 11, 2023. Newly remastered and approved by Lyne, FLASHDANCE looks and sounds incredible on 4K Ultra HD.  The new release also includes the remastered film on Blu-ray, as well as access to a Digital copy of the film and legacy bonus content. Originally released on April 15, 1983, FLASHDANCE was a massive hit—becoming the third highest-grossing film of the year in the U.S.—as well as a pop culture sensation.  The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and Irene Cara won for her iconic song “Flashdance…What a Feeling.”   Filled with music, drama, and, of course, dance, FLASHDANCE remains an influential and wildly entertaining cultural touchstone.

🚍THE BIG BUS Coming to Blu-ray with a 4K Restoration on April 25 from Kino Lorber.

A wonderful spoof of disaster films, The Big Bus is about the world's first nuclear-powered bus—a 75-ton monster on 32 enormous wheels—and its maiden journey from New York to Denver. Jockeying the world's greatest bus, of course, is the world's greatest bus driver (Joseph Bologna, Cops and Robbers). His co-pilot (John Beck, Sleeper) is given to sudden blackouts and has a penchant for driving on the shoulders of the road. A pair of evil-doers (including José Ferrer, Cyrano de Bergerac) vow to destroy the bus at the outset, thus providing hilarious suspense. Guess who will die (laughing) among the all-star cast also featuring Stockard Channing, René Auberjonois, Ned Beatty, Ruth Gordon, Harold Gould, Larry Hagman, Sally Kellerman, Richard Mulligan, Lynn Redgrave, Rene Auberjonois, Bob Dishy, Stuart Margolin and Howard Hesseman. Wonderfully directed by John Frawley (Kid Blue, The Muppet Movie).

THE LONG DARK TRAIL: Enjoy the Vibe

THE LONG DARK TRAIL (Blu-ray)

2022 / 78 min

FROM CLEOPATRA ENTERTAINMENT

Review by Josey, the Sudden Cat🙀

Two things make The Long Dark Trail worth checking out…

First, it looks great. Despite an obviously limited budget, the film manages to make the most of its wilderness locations. There’s almost a folk horror aura in its visuals, punctuated by creatively creepy hallucinatory sequences that - while having little to do with the actual plot - establish a foreboding atmosphere.

Second, the music score by co-director Kevin Ignatus is outstanding. Less is definitely more here, as the imagery is enhanced by hypnotically repetitive minimalism. The film would be far less compelling without it, as there are many moments when the music is the only thing instilling a sense of dread.

Both aspects go a long way in compensating for a rambling, scattershot narrative. The story has two young brothers (Carter & Brady O’Donnell) who escape their abusive dad and embark on a lengthy journey to find the mother who left them years earlier. Mom has since joined some kind of demon-worshiping cult led by Zeke (Nick Psinakis, also the film’s co-director). Much of the middle act chronicles their days-long trek through forests and over mountains, occasionally experiencing isolated incidents of supernatural terror.

"On second thought, maybe you shouldn't Stand by Me."

However, the haunted burial grounds, glowing stones, flesh-eating lesions and menacing figures ultimately have no bearing on the story’s outcome. The cult itself engages in ritualistic murder, but they’re simply depicted as a band of crazies, not conjurors. We also wonder why these kids feel compelled to abandon their bikes and take such a treacherous route in the first place. Not only do they know exactly where their mother is located, the cult is seen driving to and from their own compound, meaning it must be accessible using the main roads. I suppose one could argue it’s to avoid their vengeful dad, but then why is he later able to find them so easily?

The film is further hampered by minimal characterization and bland performances (especially the lead actors). But all these liabilities notwithstanding, The Long Dark Trail isn’t without its rewards. Methodically paced, It does a great job creating an ominous tone, with some undeniably effective sequences that play like a fever dream. As one of those chill-in-the-dark-and-give-in-to-the-vibe movies, the experience is fairly enjoyable...maybe even a little cathartic.

EXTRA KIBBLES

INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR NICK PSINAKIS

BLOOPERS/BEHIND-THE-SCENES FOOTAGE

SLIDE SHOW

MAGNIFICENT WARRIORS: The Return of Khan

MAGNIFICENT WARRIORS (Blu-ray)

1987 / 92 min

FROM 88 FILMS

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😺

Magnificent Warriors isn’t quite magnificent, but it’s an enjoyably silly action film made back when Michelle Yeoh was still billed as Michelle Khan and her success was mostly regulated to Hong Kong. Now that she’s been nominated for a well-deserved Oscar this year, checking out her early career - when she was primarily known for her ass-kicking abilities - is pretty interesting. 

Yeoh plays a bi-plane-flying mercenary in 1938. She's recruited to rescue a Chinese spy captured by Japanese forces, led by a cruel general who plans to use a tiny village to manufacture poison gas. The setting and Yeoh's character are obviously inspired by the Indiana Jones films, featuring a story that serves-up abundant action, with well-choreographed fight scenes, explosions and plenty of gunplay. 

"Off my lawn, please."

While pretty violent at times, this film constantly strives for a breezy tone, punctuated by oft-repeated musical cues and more-than-a-few exaggerated performances. For the most part, it succeeds and should please undiscriminating action fans, particularly those interested in Yeoh's early work. She displays formidable fighting skills here, though the role doesn’t really require her to do much more than that.

Of course, Michelle Yeoh has come a long way since then. Magnificent Warriors is no lost classic and doesn’t rank among her best work on either side of the pond. But as disposable dum-dum entertainment, the film is well-made, breathlessly paced and loaded with action. With hindsight, it’s obvious she was destined for greater things. Restored and nicely packaged for Blu-ray by 88 Films, the disc includes a few interesting archival interviews (including one Yeoh gave several years later).

EXTRA KIBBLES

ARCHIVE INTERVIEWS - With Michelle Yeoh and stunt coordinator Tung Wai.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Frank Dang.

ENGLISH OPENING CREDITS

3 TRAILERS (2 Hong Kong, 1 English)

SUPPLEMENTAL BOOKLET - Features an great essay by author Matthew Edwards and lots of stills.

TWO-SIDED COVER AND MINI POSTER - Both feature new and vintage artwork.

LOVE ON THE GROUND: Rivette vs. Opeth

LOVE ON THE GROUND (Blu-ray)

1983 / 176 min

FROM COHEN MEDIA GROUP

Review by Fluffy the Fearless😼

Here around the scratching post, we refer to Jacques Rivette as the Opeth of French Cinema.

For those unaware, Opeth is a Swedish heavy metal band that makes us purr. However, they are definitely an acquired taste. In addition to frequently incorporating death growls (aka Cookie Monster vocals) along with traditional singing, many of their songs are extremely long, running well over 10 minutes. It’s those epics that are the most immersive, like we’re being whisked away on a musical and lyrical journey. Opeth does shorter tunes, too, and while many of them are good, they aren’t always as compelling and sometimes feel longer than they really are (especially their ballads).

Similarly, Rivette was famous for making really long movies that are also an acquired taste. For example, La Belle Noiseuse, about a tortured artist painting a nude, is over four hours long (much of the screen time depicting the artist at work). His next, Joan the Maid, a sympathetic portrait of Joan of Arc, runs over five hours. Yet the butt-numbing running times actually enhance these films, methodically drawing the viewer into both the stories and the unique characters. It’s only after the end credits roll that we’re aware of the epic journey we’ve undertaken.

Conversely, Love on the Ground is the shortest Rivette film we’ve reviewed here, but ironically feels much longer. It could be that the setting simply isn’t as interesting, or his characters aren’t as well-realized, or the story itself is just a little too convoluted to justify its length. When the credits rolled on this one, what I mostly felt was relief.

Not that Love on the Ground is a bad film. Quite the opposite, actually. The basic premise is pretty intriguing, with two young actresses, Charlotte and Emily (Geraldine Chaplin & Jane Birkin), hired by renowned playwright Clément Roquemaure (Jean-Pierre Kalfon) to rehearse and perform his newest play. What makes this situation unusual is that the play will be performed in his mansion, the audience following his characters around the house as the story unfolds. Not only that, the final act remains intentionally unwritten. 

"That helicopter's been following me around all day."

The play itself is based on an ambiguous love triangle between Clément, his lover Beatrice and their friend Paul (André Dussollier). Beatrice has since left under mysterious circumstances, but when both Emily and Charlotte begin having strange visions, the narrative suggests something supernatural going on, perhaps related to Beatrice’s disappearance. Meanwhile, rehearsals continue, with everyone involved making changes to the script as it progresses. This aspect is especially interesting. Like the painting sequences of La Belle Noiseuse, Rivette dedicates long stretches of the film to showing how the play evolves from what Clément originally conceived to the version they perform a week later. These scenes are immersive enough that we’re sometimes more invested in the plot and characters of the play than the actual film. Even the supposed ‘ghost’ story eventually feels out of place.

About two hours in, Love on the Ground begins to lose its footing. The developing - sometimes combative - relationships between the principal characters is often perplexing, occasionally a little tedious, as are emotional breakdowns experienced by both Charlotte and Emily. The latter, in particular, has a patience-testing monologue where she rambles on and on about the men who’ve hurt her, all while Paul tries in vain to get frisky. I dunno…maybe smarter viewers can infer a meaningful connection to the play and/or suspicious doings in Clément’s mansion, but I felt like much of the last hour could have been chucked without seriously affecting the story.

Things liven up during the climax, when the play is finally performed before a live audience and doesn’t conclude as anyone expects. It’s possible the viewer won't expect how the film ends, either, or fully understand what the hell they just spent three hours watching. Love on the Ground is watchable for the performances and scenes depicting the creative process, but superfluous baggage ultimately makes it more exhausting than some of Rivette's longer films.

EXTRA KIBBLES

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By film professor Richard Peña

RE-RELEASE TRAILER

THE FABELMANS: Spielberg Gets Personal

THE FABELMANS (Blu-ray)

2022 / 151 min

FROM UNIVERSAL

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😺

Directors drawing inspiration from their formative years is nothing new, nor is creating an entire film based on their childhood. But those movies tend to come from independent-minded filmmakers whose work is almost always personal. But Steven Spielberg? Mr. Summer Blockbuster? The most successful director of all time? That’s sort of a surprise.

The fact that The Fabelmans even exists might ultimately be a testament to his Hollywood clout. Personal narratives have never been sure things at the box office. In this era of superheroes and FX-driven spectacles, it’s doubtful even Universal thought this film had a shot at turning a profit, no matter how many accolades it racks up. But I’m sure they forked-over the budget without batting an eye. Hell, it’s the least they could do after all the cash he’s made for them.

The Fabelmans is Spielberg’s own coming-of-age story. Though somewhat fictionalized, it features characters who - despite different names - clearly represent his family and friends. The narrative chronicles the early life of Sammy Fabelman (Gabrielle LaBelle) from the moviegoing experience that changed his life to his first step into the film business. In between, he develops a growing love and talent for making movies with friends, which his mother, Mitzi (Michelle Williams), encourages while self-absorbed dad Burt (Paul Dano) repeatedly dismisses as a hobby. 

Sam's experiences a 'close encounter.'

Sammy’s parents grow increasingly estranged over the years, especially when Burt keeps moving the entire family around the country as his career advances, and Mitzi reveals her love for family friend, ‘Uncle’ Bennie (Seth Rogan). In addition to facing the reality that his parents are fallible human beings, Sammy eventually experiences anti-semitism and the hands of classmates, meets his first love in high school and even considers following Dad’s suggestion to forget aspirations of being a filmmaker.

Affectionate and nostalgic without being overly sentimental, The Fabelmans is obviously Spielberg’s most personal film, but still has his aesthetic stamp all over it. There’s great attention to period detail, right down to depicting the filming and editing techniques Sammy employs while making his grassroots little movies. Those segments are easily the most charming aspects of the film and we get the impression Spielberg relished the opportunity to recreate them.

At times, the episodic structure of the narrative renders the movie a little too meandering, particularly during the final act. But for the most part, The Fabelmans is a heartfelt journey featuring a likable protagonist, relatable family dynamics and strong performances by the entire cast (which includes brief, scene-stealing turns from Judd Hirsch and none other than David Lynch). 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - “The Fabelmans: A Personal Journey”; “Family Dynamics”; Creating the World of The Fabelmans.”

DVD & DIGITAL COPIES

Saying Goodbye in BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (Digital Release)

2022 / 161 min

FROM MARVEL/DISNEY

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😽

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was stuck with an insurmountable task...not only moving forward after the loss of its irreplaceable star, but acknowledging the death of the previous film’s main character in a manner that pays respect to both…all while still giving audiences what they’ve come to expect from a Marvel movie. By and large, it succeeds, though there ain't much in the way of surprises.

The prologue offers some closure in the form of a wake intended for us to mourn both T’Challa and Chadwick Boseman. As expected, it's a moving tribute, mostly dialogue free and aided by a suitably somber score that punctuates a sense of finality: Wakanda has lost its king, the world has lost a hero and a franchise has lost its main character. It’s also the most emotionally engaging part of the movie.

To Marvel’s credit, they didn’t simply stick another guy in a Black Panther suit and charge full speed ahead. There’s a big void to fill here, which the narrative acknowledges as it unfolds. Though T-Challa’s brilliant sister, Shuri (Letitia Wright) emerges as the main protagonist, the film is more of an ensemble piece, which has Wakanda at-odds with Talokan, a water-breathing race led by Namor (Tenoch Huerta Meji). Like Wakanda, Talokan’s society is made powerful by vibranium, the mineral coveted by every other country in the world. 

Kitty's favorite sandbox.

When vibranium is discovered on the ocean floor by the U.S. using a device designed by MIT student Riri (Dominique Thorne), the Talokans kill everyone on the ship. Soon after, Namor implores Wakanda to join him in keeping vibranium out of the wrong hands, which involves killing Riri. After some kidnappings, soul searching and the prerequisite quota of Marvel-brand spectacle - including an attack on Wakanda’s capital - Namor’s plea becomes an ultimatum: join forces to wage war against the rest of the world, or be destroyed.  

For the most part, Wakanda Forever is enjoyable, meeting expectations without ever actually exceeding them. The poignant changing-of-the-guard notwithstanding, it follows Marvel's established formula pretty closely. Those who love that formula will have no complaints, but it’s too bad there’s no real attempt to shake things up with a few narrative curveballs. In the end, it’s just another Marvel movie...and a looong one at that.

Still, the film boasts imaginative, colorful production design, especially the sequences depicting Talokan’s underwater kingdom. Elsewhere, the returning characters don't completely fill the void left by T’Challa, but it's nice getting to know them all a little better. And of course, Wakanda Forever bids a heartfelt farewell to a character (and actor) taken away too soon. As for the action and story…well, you know what to expect. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - Coming of Age; Envisioning Two Worlds; Passing the Mantle.

BLOOPER REEL

4 DELETED SCENES

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Ryan Coogler, writer Joe Robert Cole & cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw.