Chain Reactions: A Fascinating Documentary That Attempts to Shed Some Light on a Horror Classic (Limited Edition Blu-ray)

The Film:

When Tobe Hooper's "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" was released back in 1974, it became something of a phenomenon with audiences that made it quite a big hit at the box office. Made for under $140,000, the film's visceral, violent nature brought horror lovers out in droves to experience its macabre tale of a group of friends who cross paths with a family of cannibals. The critics may not have cared much for it at the time, but it has since gone on to be regarded as one of the best & most influential films of its genre, with even the Library of Congress selecting it for preservation in the National Film Registry for its 50th anniversary.

Over the course of those 50 years, it's been analyzed quite a bit, with some seeing it as a political commentary for its time, and others merely seeing it as a horror tale based on the crimes of notorious serial killer Ed Gein. However, some viewers go even further than that, which brings us to Alexandre O. Philippe's new documentary "Chain Reaction," in which Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama give their thoughts & theories on the film, with each offering their unique perspective, and divulging intriguing insights that even the most adept fans may have missed. What follows is an appreciation & re-appraisal of a film that has had more than its fair share of controversy, but which has also become a horror classic in the eyes of many.

Before we go any further, I have a small cinematic confession to make. Although I consider myself quite a big horror fan, I have never been all that crazy about "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." I first saw it while I was in high school about 25 years ago, and from that very first viewing, I found it to be a strangely dull & uneventful film that didn't leave much of an impact. I've come back to it two or three times over the years, and while my opinion of the rather bland story hasn't changed, I can still appreciate it on a technical level as being very well-made. There's certainly no denying that it's a very visceral experience, and you have to give Tobe Hooper major credit for several instances of making you think you're seeing a lot more than you actually are (with your brain filling in the more gruesome missing pieces), but overall, it's just never been one that I've been able to place alongside the greats of the genre.

That said, I've always found it fascinating to hear why others find it to be such an amazing film, which makes a documentary like this rather enticing. The five speakers certainly have a lot to say about it in terms of its technical elements (far less attention is given to the narrative, unsurprisingly), with particularly intriguing visual analysis coming from Patton Oswalt concerning the use of the sun & mockingly beautiful imagery, as well as a fascinating story from Takashi Miike about how he tried to go to a screening of Chaplin's "City Lights" when he was 15, but it was sold out, so he went to see TCM at an old theater instead, which he claims made him become a filmmaker that focused on some rather unpleasant subjects.

In fact, all five cover how they first saw the film & how it impacted them, with Stephen King recalling how he tried to watch it with his son while recovering from an accident (but not being able to handle it right then), and Australian filmmaker Alexandra Heller-Nicholas telling us how she had to watch it on an old VHS tape that had washed-out colors & appeared overly yellow. Plenty of praise is shown for Hooper's low-budget techniques, and for pushing the envelope in regards to doing things in his film that may have been seen as taboo at the time, which is hardly surprising because it is indeed a technically well-made film that went on to influence other filmmakers to make their movies on their terms for shoestring budgets.

In the end, their analyses may not hold anything particularly revelatory about the film, but it remains quite fascinating to hear about what they see in it, each from their own unique perspective, starting from how they came across it in the first place & what it stirred in them at the time. Even if you're not a big fan of Hooper's classic, "Chain Reactions" is a rather compelling look at the impact & influence the film has had on a lot of people, including legendary horror maestro Stephen King. Whether TCM is your thing or not, there's no denying that the film has had massive staying power, and if you've ever wondered why, this documentary is a fine place to start.

Video/Audio:

"Chain Reactions" comes to Blu-ray in a 1.85:1, 1080p High Definition transfer of excellent quality, presenting a perfectly sharp picture throughout both its "talking head" portions" & footage shown from TCM and others films. Likewise, the 5.1 & 2.0 DTS-HD MA tracks are outstanding, allowing you to hear all speakers & music clearly for the entire 102-minute duration. Overall, Dark Sky Selects has done a fantastic job in both departments for the documentary's physical debut.

Special Features:

Disc 1:

Commentary with Writer/Director Alexandre O. Philippe

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Outtakes (141 Minutes)

Disc 2:

Four Rare Cuts of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre:

16mm Over Scan (85 Minutes)

16mm 'BBQ Edition' Print (84 Minutes)

35mm Grindhouse Print (80 Minutes)

1984 K-Tel Australian VHS (89 Minutes w/ Trailers)

Disc 3:

Four More Rare Cuts of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre:

1981 Wizard Video VHS (84 Minutes)

1987 Bootleg Czechoslovakian VHS (73 Minutes)

1978 Super 8mm Print (22 Minutes)

1980s Slovakian Betamax (87 Minutes)

Conclusion:

Alexandre O. Philippe's "Chain Reactions" is a fascinating look at how Tobe Hooper's horror classic "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" has impacted the lives of five artists (Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Stephen King, and Karyn Kusama), complete with how each first came across the film & their analysis of it after multiple viewings over the decades. Even if you're not a fan of Hooper's film, Philippe's documentary offers up an intriguing experience that gives a small glimpse into why TCM became & has remained such a phenomenon for the last 50 years, ultimately making it worth seeking out.

Score: 3.5/5

Now available on Limited Edition Blu-ray.

Follow me on Twitter @BeckFilmCritic.