THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE BEGINNING (2006)

3 stars

Arrow Video. Limited edition 4K UHD. 25th August

With the numerous sequels, reimaginings or whatever spun off from Tobe Hooper’s seminal horror movie, I guess it was inevitable that someone would try and explore the origins of the characters – this is a prequel to the 2003 THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, which was a remake of the 1974 original, which seems fairly redundant from the off… still Arrow have seen fit to give this a 4K outing – which includes the original Theatrical version and an extended Uncut version.

August 1939. At a slaughterhouse a female worker collapses and gives birth. When the newborn is discarded in a dumpster, it is discovered by Luda Mae Hewitt (Marietta Mariah) who takes it home to an isolated house. She raises the child, naming him Thomas, as her own. Thirty years later he works at the self same abattoir – it is about to close down, but the hulking Hewitt (Andrew Bryniarski) doesn’t want to leave. Thomas – or Leatherface to you and I – kills his supervisor and decides to take home the chainsaw he finds… of course he does!

Meanwhile brothers Eric (Matt Bomer) and Dean (Taylor Handley) are driving to go fight in Vietnam – along for the ride are their girlfriends Chrissie (Jordan Brewster) and Bailey (Diora Baird). We know they will soon end up as victims – they are run off the rode by a biker gang, with Chrissie being flung from the car into the field. She watches as ‘Sheriff Hoyt’ (R. Lee Ermey) ‘arrests’ her friends – he is actually Uncle Charlie Hewitt, who has killed the local lawman and assumed his identity. Will she be able to rescue them…?

This time out we learn how the family came to be the way they are and you kind of know what to expect here, though Hoyt/Charlie is the main killer here – it isn’t till late in the film that Leatherface fully features. You know the drill, who will live, who will die… nothing really new here but it is well shot, often in sepia tones, by Lukas Ettlin and looks great on this disc release. It is directed with some style by Jonathan Liebesman, but feels unnecessary.

Steve Kirkham

EXTRAS

Two commentaries on the Uncut Version: Dread Central co-founder Steve “Uncle Creepy” Barton and co-host of The Spooky Picture Show podcast Chris MacGibbon/director Jonathan Liebesman and producers Andrew Form and Brad Fuller

Interviews with actor Lew Temple (10 mins); special effects makeup artist Jake Garber and special effects makeup technician Kevin Wasner (15 mins); director of photography Lukas Ettlin

Archival making-of documentary featuring many interviews with cast and crew members (45 mins)

Deleted and extended scenes (13 mins) with optional commentary from director Jonathan Liebesman and producers Andrew Form and Brad Fuller – includes alternate endings

Theatrical trailer

Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Aaron Lea/Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Aaron Lea and an Illustrated collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by Michael Gingold