Product: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Original Uncut) [Region 2] (1974)
Rating: 3.0
UK Blu-ray superior
"The Texas Chain Saw Massacre", the 1974 original by Tobe Hooper, is one of my absolute favorite films. It has a certain atmosphere and visual style/cinematographic brilliance that in my opinion is only matched in the horror field by John Carpenter's "The Thing", Sam Raimi's "The Evil Dead", and Dario Argento's "Suspiria". It's an absolute treat to the senses (visually, aurally) for those fascinated by the macabre.The best way to see the film (besides watching a film print) is to watch the UK Seriously Ultimate Edition Blu-ray (BD) released by Second Sight. I'm unsure if it is region-free, but it does play on Region A players, and can be ordered from Amazon's UK site. Note, however, that there are standard definition extras that are in the PAL format, which won't play unless your TV handles it. (Most HDTVs sold in the US do not, a most frustrating restriction imposed by the manufacturers and perhaps by movie and TV show distributors as well.)I own and have watched both versions, and the reason I say the UK BD is better than the US BD released by Dark Sky Films is simple: detail. Both are sourced from the same restoration and HD master handled/supervised by Synapse Films' Don May, Jr.; however, the US release suffers from serious digital noise reduction. There is little grain to speak of, and the removal of grain results in a very soft, murky appearance. It's not an altogether dreadful presentation, but does not do the film's 16mm roots justice.The UK BD shows quite a lot of rough film grain, and the rest of the details in the image are intact as well. Mind you, it IS a rather soft film, and shot on 16mm in the early to mid '70s, so don't expect super refined detail--but there is a lot there to be seen that which is handled properly with the UK disc and not so much the US one.Light is handled properly with the UK disc as well. Whether the source be the sun or a lightbulb, light looks very natural and radiant on this release, giving off a natural glow, whereas on the US disc it looks flat and dull. Regarding light and dark contrast, the UK disc also looks sufficiently dark when needed (shaded areas, night scenes, and shadows), and appropriately bright during daytime scenes and indoors, while the US release is a little weak in this regard.There is an issue of difference in coloring. The color timing on the UK disc I find overall to be much deeper and warmer. The reds are generally a bit more orange-red than on the US disc, but I find the reds and all other colors more accurate to a low-budget 16mm film shot in 1973 (it was filmed during the summer of that year). You can see full resolution screencap comparisons between the two releases, as well as between the US and Austrian BDs, at Caps-a-Holic. Note that the Austrian release looks very similar to the US release, but has more detail and is brighter. I'd like to buy this one eventually, but it is of course expensive to import, is a limited edition, and is Region B-locked. (Eventually I intend on getting a Region B Blu-ray player to take advantage of the great Region B-locked BDs released in the UK and other parts of Europe, but not for some time.) Regardless, based on the screencaps, I find the UK release to be far more visually pleasing than the Austrian one and is likely more accurate to the film and HD sources. The Austrian release appears too bright with not as rich of contrast as the UK release, and detail seems more present on the UK release as well.So, if you want my recommendation, I say skip the US Dark Sky Blu-ray of this film, and get the UK Second Sight Blu-ray instead (you can order it from Amazon.co.uk). It's a far greater visual presentation than what's available here; and again, it WILL play on a Region A Blu-ray player. Just bear in mind that all of the extras are in standard definition PAL format, so they won't do you any good unless your TV and BD player are capable of handling the video signal. The UK BD is truly a treat, and contains original mono, 2.0 PCM lossless, and 5.1 DTS audio tracks. Highly recommended for fans of this horror film masterpiece and for true high definition enthusiasts.As for the US release, I give it three stars. It's not an awful transfer, and all the extras are of course playable in the US. However, since seeing the UK release, I never intend on watching the US one again in regard to the main feature.