The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Family Portrait Revisited

Starring:Gunnar Hansen (II), Edwin Neal, John Dugan, Jim Siedow, Forrest J Ackerman
Director: Brad Shellady
Studio: Mti Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Director Tobe Hooper and screenwriter Kim Henkel are nowhere to be found in Brad Shellady's 1988 documentary on the notorious 1974 cult film of Texas cannibalism, perverted patriarchy, and other family values. Shellady's investigation is founded almost exclusively on interviews with actors who make up the cannibal family: Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface), Edwin Neal (the hitchhiker), Jim Siedow (the cook), John Dugan (Grandfather), interspersed with film clips and a few outtakes. The result is a bare-bones production largely dedicated to production stories, with little attempt to explore the primal forces the churn through the picture or examine the cult that sprung out of the film, and no interest in addressing the black-humored 1986 sequel starring Dennis Hopper. Fans of the film will appreciate the behind-the-scenes anecdotes, but most viewers will have a hard time working through the interviews, which seem to drone on and on. Without input from the creators, this is little more than a fan's salute to a film he loves.

Amazon.com

Director Tobe Hooper and screenwriter Kim Henkel are nowhere to be found in Brad Shellady's 1988 documentary on the notorious 1974 cult film of Texas cannibalism, perverted patriarchy, and other family values. Shellady's investigation is founded almost exclusively on interviews with actors who make up the cannibal family: Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface), Edwin Neal (the hitchhiker), Jim Siedow (the cook), John Dugan (Grandfather), interspersed with film clips and a few outtakes. The result is a bare-bones production largely dedicated to production stories, with little attempt to explore the primal forces the churn through the picture or examine the cult that sprung out of the film, and no interest in addressing the black-humored 1986 sequel starring Dennis Hopper. Fans of the film will appreciate the behind-the-scenes anecdotes, but most viewers will have a hard time working through the interviews, which seem to drone on and on. Without input from the creators, this is little more than a fan's salute to a film he loves.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting Interviews with cast members........2007-01-21

This is a very good series of interviews with some of the cast members of the original "Texas Chainsaw Massacre."
It gives away how a lot of the stunts were done, such as the one with the girl on the hook, and the one where Leather Face cuts himself with the chainsaw, along with MANY others.

It tells how the people were cast for thier roles, and it is just real intresting to see the cast's real personalities...It takes us pretty much through the whole making of the TCM.

It is a must have for anyone who has or is collecting the series. It will complete your collection.
I HIGHLY reccomend this DVD !

Hitch hiker guy is weirder in real life.......2006-01-27

This is basically a movie-making documentary from the perspective of the actors. The entire documentary is made up of interviews and clips from the movie. There are in-depth interviews with the actors who played Leatherface, the hitch hiker, the cook and Grandpa. They speak about how they became involved with the project and their experiences on the set with Tobe Hooper and the crew. Many anecdotes from the shooting of the film, especially highlighting the 30 hour period dedicated to filming the dinner scene, where they describe the greuling conditions they suffered through.

The DVD also includes trailers, previews for some other garbage movies and a short trivia game. It's a decent DVD. Nothing too exciting, but it provides some insight into the making of the film.

To the reviewer who said "..John Dugan..how the mighty have fallen.".......2005-07-26

You said, about John Dugan, "He's not acting. He currently works as a waiter at T.G.I. Fridays in Terre Haute, Indiana. Ah, how the mighty have fallen."
How the mighty have fallen??? What have YOU done? Did YOU star in the most talked about and influential horror film in the history of cinema? No? Well guess what tubby... John Dugan DID!

replying to James O'Blivion .......2004-11-03

hey man i would love for u to get me an autograph from dugan maybe on the dvd i would gladly pay for it and pay for shipping but if u cant get the dvd signed just try to get anything u can signed. please

email me at dankinem@velocity.net
or just write another review and tell me if u can get it

could have been better.......2003-08-18

well I was in the video store the other day and stumbled across
this documentary. I was looking forward to alot of behind the
scenes stuff but did'nt get it. first off marilyn burns was
not iterviewed and niether was kurk greg or franklin.It was just
gunner hanson,{leatherface} the hitchhiker, and the cook. it really was'nt all that great.

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