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Author Topic: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
James N. Savage 3
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 - posted November 24, 2004 04:53 PM      Profile for James N. Savage 3     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I'd like to give a little personal history on this super 8 release before the review. Please indulge [Razz]

I purchased this feature from Iver Films back in 1978. This super 8 print was all the rage here in America, since the movie had been released to theaters here in 1974 to huge publicity and controversy, then dissapeared from existence for a few years (after Bryanstone Pictures ran off with all the profits). Many teens my age at the time had never gotten to see it, and it would'nt be until the early 80's that it would recieve wide release again by New Line Cinema.

Everyone asked me "how in the world did you get this? is it boot-leg? this can't be the REAL TCM, is it?" Needless to say, I was the life of many parties for the next few years [Big Grin]

REVIEW:
Iver Films of the U.K. released this in I believe three versions-

- a single 400 foot version

- a 4 x 400 foot version (very slightly abridged)

- full length 5 x 400 foot version (unconfirmed)

This review is for the 4 x 400 foot version:

Picture Quality-
the colors on most of the film were very good and sharp, with exception to a few daytime scenes, which seemed a little on the red side. The night scenes were just fine, easy to see what was going on (not always the case on super 8 prints back then, as sometimes night scenes leaned more on the dark side). Grade B.

Sound Quality-
The sound was good, though a little high-toned, which was usually easy to clear up through the tone control switch.
Grade B.

Film Quality-
The film itself was of a thin texture. It did tend to shake a little from time to time, but seemed to improve with each showing. Grade B.

Content-
the following scenes were edited out of the 4 x 400 version-
-The pre-title narration and words that come up on the screen before the first scene in the movie telling the history of the "true" story.

-Part of the scene where Sally is beat with the broomstick at the BBQ shack.

-The scene where the younger brother is kicking and slamming the door to the father's truck.

I won't go in to the plot (info available on IMDB). This is a cult horror classic not for all tastes, but one of my favorites, its well made with little on screen gore.

Misc. neat stuff-
- Two very nice clam shell type cases that open up with one 400 foot reel on each side. Nice color illustration on the front. Only a synopsis on the back.

- The Bryanstone Pictures opening logo- this was the original logo that played on the original feature in 1974- VERY COOL, and a little creepy [Eek!] Actually my favorite scene in reel one! Wish they would put it on the DVD. I know, it wouldn't be practical.

Please feel free to add or correct me on this review.

Nick.

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Adrian Winchester
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 - posted November 24, 2004 08:39 PM      Profile for Adrian Winchester     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Nick,
I can confirm that it was released full length before the 4 x 400' version was released. I had briefly had a copy which was part of a collection I bought (for other items) and I'm still kicking myself for selling it! I do now have the Iver 400', which is pretty good and a very full reel. In fact Derann also released a different 400' version - which I've never owned - a bit shorter than the Iver version. I heard Derek Simmonds say at least once that the Iver 400' was better! I don't think Iver released the trailer individually, but it appears on two different US horror trailer reels that I have.
Adrian

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Adrian Winchester

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James N. Savage 3
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 - posted November 24, 2004 08:46 PM      Profile for James N. Savage 3     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks Adrian-
Thats interesting. I didn't know about the Derann version.

I have a trailer for TCM that was released by Canterbury Films here in the U.S. Very good content and quality.

Nick.

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Joe Taffis
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 - posted November 26, 2004 02:25 PM      Profile for Joe Taffis   Email Joe Taffis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I also had the 4X400' Iver Film Service edited version in the nice vinyl clamshell cases, and I agree with everything you said about it Nick. I never saw or heard of a full length version...Adrian, who released that one? Do you remember? I also bought a 400' version before I got the IFS one...it had a poor, faded look, and opened with Jerry going to look for Kirk and Pam. I thought it was a Niles release.

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Joe Taffis

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Tom Photiou
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 - posted December 07, 2004 12:22 PM      Profile for Tom Photiou     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Yes indeed. A classic horror and an excellent super 8 release. I still have the iver 4 x 400 mounted onto 2 x 800. I also did have the Derann 400ft which contained two extended scenes cut short in the Iver feature. The qaulity of the Derann 400ft was not quite up to the Iver feature, still goo d though so i didnt put it in. There was a 9 reeler but only for rental. In fact a dealer in Scotland almost sold it to me with Low volume sound. When i wrote to Iver asking if i could have the sound re-recorded they were VERY upset that this 9 reeler was even offered to me and i inadvertantly got that Scottish dealer into big trouble as this was only ever meant to be a Hire copy which when finished with had to be returned to Iver films. Hence why i bought the 4 x 400ft brand new. Incidently, the iver 400ft version was far better that the Derann release as it showed all the murders and was a very full 400ft. [Wink]

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Adrian Winchester
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 - posted December 07, 2004 04:46 PM      Profile for Adrian Winchester     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
OH NO!!!
It was bad enough that I sold a full-length print years ago, but now I've found out that it was an ultra-rare not-for-sale copy - and the sound was fine! I'd never previously heard Tom's information on the 'hire only' copies - the person who sold it to me did not mention that, but he had worked in the film industry so maybe he had connections that helped him to buy it. He gave me the impression that Iver had initially released it full length and had then decided that it was more practical to make it 4 x 400' rather than put no more than 200' on the 5th spool.

Adrian

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Adrian Winchester

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Tom Photiou
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 - posted December 09, 2004 12:10 PM      Profile for Tom Photiou     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I no. I often want to kick myself for not buying it and just getting the sound re-recorded. Mind you back then there was no DVD's and no feature released in this country where i could get the sound as the film was still initially banned outside of London in this country. My big mistake was simply and innocently writing to Iver films to ask if they could get them to record it for me. This resulted in a sale to me of the 4 x 400 from Iver and unfortunatley getting a dealer into big trouble for offering me the full length copy. [Frown]
Oddley enough Iver even recommended the 400ft version as opposed to the feature length version as they said it was fast moving and contained all the murders and would be a better buy. Odd:confused
I'm glad i got the 4 x 400. I must say if anyone gets a chance of the 9 reeler it is very very rare.

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Adrian Winchester
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 - posted December 14, 2004 05:48 PM      Profile for Adrian Winchester     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Tom's reference to hire copies reminds me that a man called Mark Tyler - who used to work in Portland Films - once told me that he hired it (I think it was from Perry's Movies when they were near Wimbledon) while he was still at school, and advertised a screening, with a moderate admission charge to cover costs, at his home to school friends, etc. He was so packed out that he had to show it again the following night!

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Adrian Winchester

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James N. Savage 3
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 - posted July 31, 2008 03:17 PM      Profile for James N. Savage 3     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi-

I just found that super-cool BRYANSTONE PICTURES logo from the original release of "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre".

If you saw the movie at theaters when it was released, or own one of the super-8 prints from Iver Films in the 70's, I'm sure you will remember it.

Its ashame that none of the video or DVD releases have kept the logo. It was such a part of that time period.

If you whish, you can view the logo at-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWEJXR-sOvk&NR=1

Enjoy!

James.

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Tom Photiou
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 - posted July 31, 2008 03:28 PM      Profile for Tom Photiou     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Yes indeed, on TCSM the writting is red and not yellow, the same logo also appears at the front of the Dark feature which i am also fortunate to own.

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Joe Taffis
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 - posted July 31, 2008 04:51 PM      Profile for Joe Taffis   Email Joe Taffis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I remember well that creepy start of the feature, loved that opening, that music... but I thought it actually said Bryanston Pictures in that Iver 1st reel opening logo? not just BP... [Confused]

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Osi Osgood
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 - posted July 31, 2008 06:57 PM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I was rather unimpressed with this film when I saw it. As a photographer, I thought the filming was quite sloppy (if I'm not impressed with the film, I tend to then observe the technique itself), with an enormous amount of steadicam or the equivilance of it.

The story was rather convoluted in general.

I will say this for it ... I can't think of another film that so ushered in the modern slasher/gore film more than this one.

Sure there are the Mario Bava films, but this "Texas" film really did lower/raise (depending on who you talk to) the bar.

It certainly ushered in the end of the "Vincent Price" styled horror films that I used to love, as it seemed like everybody started to try to ape this film.

Now, "Horror Express", I really enjoyed THAT film! (great cast too!).

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Tom Photiou
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 - posted August 02, 2008 05:46 AM      Profile for Tom Photiou     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Joe, you are right, it does have the full logo with Byanstan films, it then morphs to the BP logo,
The opening to the film itself with black screen, the bone crushing sounds and the flash of a red image of various body parts decompossing together with the camera click and electronic sound starts the film well,
Then its bit slow for 30 minuites or so but once it kicks off it doesnt relent,
Compared to todays films it does seem tame but in its day it was quite a movie being banned in most towns and citys over here. Personally i still think its a very good horror film and unlike todays teen slasher shit films it doesnt have to relay on filthy langauge, youngs girls with next to nothing on being knocked up before there hacked up, or a 1000 tons of gore, the TCSM is a well put together film and only costing 300,000 to make and was shot quickly and cheaply using 16mm cameras, not 35mm, it made £6 million in its first year, a pretty good return i'd say for 1974 and certainly for BP pictures.

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Osi Osgood
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 - posted August 03, 2008 10:42 PM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Tom,

I always thought that looked like 16MM, It didn't have the look of 35MM. I must say that for 16MM, it looks better than expected.

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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James N. Savage 3
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 - posted August 04, 2008 07:59 AM      Profile for James N. Savage 3     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
That's correct. It was 16mm. And I believe everyone envolved in making this movie back in 1974 were students in film school. In fact, the whole production story is really quite interesting. CINEMAFANTASTIQUE magazine did an increadibly in-depth story on this movie back in the early 80's (when it was still a good magazine). It tells of the horrendous conditions that had to be endured by everyone envolved, and how mafia-owned Bryanstone Pictures kept all of the money. The actors don't even get royalties [Frown] .

Osi- Yes, this movie did cross boundries in some ways. It certainly wasn't the bloodiest movie to date in 1974 though. Herschell Gordon Lewis had made much bloodier movies in the 60's (Blood Feast, Wizard of Gore, etc.) I think TCM was probably one of the first "good", or "mainstream" movies to depict these kind of demented acts (meathook, chainsaw, etc), while actually displaying MUCH less gore to the viewer.

As a teenager, I did like gore movies, but have no desire for them now. I havent even seen any of the "Saw" movies. I did watch the TCM remake though, and was very dissapointed. I happened to catch part of "Hostel" on cable last year, and it really worries me that these movies take so much pleasure in gratuitous blood, pain, and violence. Why do they keep making these types of movies? Because its what many audiences (especially the young) want to see. And thats REALLY scary.

I still consider TCM (1974) a well made film. With its incredibly low budget, amature film makers, and terrible working conditions, and lack of on-screen gore, its so VERY effective. Which is why its become such a cult-classic today. People even travel across country to see the old house (which is a resturaunt now). But, I'm afraid TCM probably does bear some responsibility in ushering in more violent content and slasher movies.

James.

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Osi Osgood
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 - posted August 04, 2008 08:41 PM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
James,

I agree and I think that this TCM did have, (because of the low budget and amatuer film-making), an almost documentary feel at times. I don't think that they intended to make it have that look or feel but with the budget that they had, they couldn't help but have it come out that way.

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Lee Purkis
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 - posted December 23, 2011 11:14 AM      Profile for Lee Purkis   Email Lee Purkis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Tobe Hooper had worked on many documentary films before he made TCM.

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Joe Taffis
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 - posted December 24, 2011 12:40 PM      Profile for Joe Taffis   Email Joe Taffis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
And this was definitely NOT amateur film making. Daniel Pearl was a professional cinematographer even though this was early in his career, and the actors and crew were mostly paid professionals.

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Pasquale DAlessio
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 - posted December 24, 2011 07:39 PM      Profile for Pasquale DAlessio     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Anybody got any version for sale?

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Brian Hendel
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 - posted December 24, 2011 08:11 PM      Profile for Brian Hendel     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
All this talk of TCM has put me in the mood to watch my Iver feature print - so here I am on Christmas Eve watching probably the most inappropriate holiday film of all time! At least I watched "Mickey Mouse's Xmas Carol" first...

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Pasquale DAlessio
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 - posted December 24, 2011 09:28 PM      Profile for Pasquale DAlessio     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Brian

At least you have it to watch!

Merry Christmas!

Pat

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Bill Phelps
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 - posted December 25, 2011 10:39 AM      Profile for Bill Phelps     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Here comes leatherface....here comes leatherface....

Bill [Big Grin]

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Steve Klare
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 - posted December 31, 2011 08:04 AM      Profile for Steve Klare   Email Steve Klare   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
They shoulda' remade it as a musical!

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All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

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Lee Purkis
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 - posted January 11, 2012 03:50 PM      Profile for Lee Purkis   Email Lee Purkis   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
CHC should reissue it, i think they would shift a few copies no problem.

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Osi Osgood
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 - posted January 12, 2012 12:53 PM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
... right down leatherface lane!

He's got it revved and he's got it oiled,
to hack and slice again!

--------------------
"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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