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Revisiting The Texas Chain Saw Massacre On The Big Screen

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This year, Tobe Hooper’s seminal The Texas Chain Saw Massacre celebrated its 40th anniversary with a brand new 4k transfer.  The restoration was mainly for blu-ray and DVD release, but the film has also been getting a limited release theatrical run.  Beginning this past summer, the 40th anniversary restoration print of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has been slowly but surely trickling its way through theaters, and it came to my neck of the woods for a single midnight showing last Saturday night.

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The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is one of those movies that gained its huge cult following in the years after its release, so many of the film’s fans have never seen it on the big screen.  Until Saturday, I was included in that group.  So, in order to cross that one off the list, there I was, midnight on a Saturday night, sitting in a theater full of rowdy horror fans, waiting for the familiar buzz of the saw.

The film itself was shot on 16mm slow film stock, so The Texas Chain Saw Massacre looks like a low-fi indie movie.  That’s actually a big part of its charm; it has the feel of a grindhouse documentary, and that only makes it seem more real.  In retrospect, it’s not as effective as it should be, as the modern horror climate is saturated with found footage duds and faux-documentaries.  But, in the context of when it was made, it’s a knockout – the gritty look helped initial 1974 audiences believe that The Texas Chain Saw Massacre was a “true story.”  Because of the limitations of the original film, there is only so much that the restoration can (or even should) improve.  The picture is cleaned up, and some of the darker scenes can be seen more clearly, but the movie is what it is.  It still looks great.

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The real noticeable difference between the original film and the new restoration is in the sound.  The new 7.1 mix brings out little details that were imperceptible on earlier versions of the film – the song that is playing on the radio in the van, the squeal of the pigs in the background of the slaughterhouse.  These little particulars are cool, but they are also there in the blu-ray.  The real fun of seeing this version of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre in a theater is the saw itself.  When Leatherface cranks up the hardware, the noise is earth-rattling.  By the time the film reaches its conclusion, and Leatherface is swinging the chainsaw around in the iconic final shot, the sound of the gasoline engine on the power tool is deafening, leading to an eruption of full-on applause from the audience.  It’s awesome.

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Classic horror movies are best enjoyed with an audience, and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is no exception.  The audience in my particular showing was respectful, but it was a group that was already intimately familiar with the movie; no one was worrying about missing an important plot point because the person next to them was laughing or screaming.  Everyone was just having fun.  The theatrical revival of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre may be running the end of its course, but it is still happening; you’ll just have to keep an ear to the ground in your city to find out when it’s there.  If you want to see the movie, watch the blu-ray.  If you want to experience the film, go to a theater.

 

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Watch ‘The Burning’ At The Location Where It Was Filmed

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Fangoria is reporting that fans of the 1981 slasher The Burning will be able to have a screening of the film at the location where it was filmed. The movie is set at Camp Blackfoot which is actually the Stonehaven Nature Preserve in Ransomville, New York.

This ticketed event will take place on August 3. Guests will be able to take a tour of the grounds as well as enjoy some campfire snacks along with the screening of The Burning.

The Burning

The film came out in the early ’80s when teen slashers were being churned out in magnum force. Thanks to Sean S. Cunningham’s Friday the 13th, filmmakers wanted to get in on the low-budget, high-profit movie market and a casket load of these types of films were produced, some better than others.

The Burning is one of the good ones, mostly because of the special effects from Tom Savini who had just come off of his groundbreaking work on Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13th. He declined to do the sequel because of its illogical premise and instead signed on to do this movie. Also, a young Jason Alexander who would later go on to play George in Seinfeld is a featured player.

Because of its practical gore, The Burning had to be heavily edited before it received an R-rating. The MPAA was under the thumb of protest groups and political bigwigs to censor violent films at the time because slashers were just so graphic and detailed in their gore.

Tickets are $50, and if you want a special t-shirt, that will cost you another $25, You can get all the information by visiting the On Set Cinema webpage.

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‘Longlegs’ Creepy “Part 2” Teaser Appears on Instagram

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Longlegs

Neon Films released an Insta-teaser for their horror film Longlegs today. Titled Dirty: Part 2, the clip only furthers the mystery of what we are in for when this movie is finally released on July 12.

The official logline is: FBI Agent Lee Harker is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes unexpected turns, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

Directed by former actor Oz Perkins who also gave us The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, Longlegs is already creating buzz with its moody images and cryptic hints. The film is rated R for bloody violence, and disturbing images.

Longlegs stars Nicolas Cage, Maika Monroe, and Alicia Witt.

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Exclusive Sneak Peek: Eli Roth and Crypt TV’s VR Series ‘The Faceless Lady’ Episode Five

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Eli Roth (Cabin Fever) and Crypt TV are knocking it out of the park with their new VR show, The Faceless Lady. For those unaware, this is the first fully scripted VR horror show on the market.

Even for masters of horror like Eli Roth and Crypt TV, this is a monumental undertaking. However, if I trust anyone to change the way that we experience horror, it would be these two legends.

The Faceless Lady

Ripped from the pages of Irish folklore, The Faceless Lady tells the story of a tragic spirit cursed to wander the halls of her castle for all of eternity. However, when three young couples are invited to the castle for a series of games, their fates may soon change.

So far, the story has provided horror fans with a gripping game of life or death that doesn’t look as if it will slow down in episode five. Luckily, we have an exclusive clip that may be able to satiate your appetites until the new premiere.

Airing on 4/25 at 5pmPT/8pmET, episode five follows our final three contestants in this wicked game. As the stakes are raised ever higher, will Ella be able to fully awaken her connection with Lady Margaret?

The faceless lady

The newest episode can be found on Meta Quest TV. If you haven’t already, follow this link to subscribe to the series. Make sure to check out the new clip below.

Eli Roth Present’s THE FACELESS LADY S1E5 Clip: THE DUEL – YouTube

To view in the highest resolution, adjust the quality settings in the bottom right corner of the clip.

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