Category Archives: documentary

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” 50th Anniversary Special Edition

classic, documentary, horror

The hell-raising bloodshed of 1974’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre disrupted the movie theatergoers worldwide. Leatherface is running after a group of friends wielding the iconic chainsaw.

Directed by Tobe Hooper, the studio marketed this horror film based on actual events to attract public attention and sell tickets. Ed Gein, who committed gruesome crimes of murder, inspired Leatherface and minor plot points. Otherwise, the horror film’s storyline is predominantly fiction.

Ed Gein was a serial killer and body snatcher, robbing grave sites, also known as Butcher of Plainfield, The Mad Butcher and the Plainfield Goul. Gein’s murders were so horrific that his killing spree filled popular horror films: Psycho, The Silence of the Lambs and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre celebrates its 50th Anniversary this year, making it the perfect time for horror fans to grab popcorn and their favorite beverage and pop the DVD or VHS in their machines.

Dark Sky Selects sent me The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 50th Anniversary Chainsaw Edition. To my surprise, I opened the box to pursue multiple theme-based features. A collection of many interviews on a multi-disc set will include:

  • Three new 4K UHD editions.
  • AA Blu-ray bonus disc containing new extra features.
  • Exclusive VHS movie release.

The special edition collector’s set is housed in a custom-made box replicating the iconic chainsaw from the film. The chainsaw is among the best swab gizmos I have ever seen. Opening it triggers the sound of Leatherface wielding it in the movie. They numbered each box set and only created 5000—I own #1251. 

This limited edition also features a newly designed 50th Anniversary O-card and brand-new bonus content, including The Merchandise of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and The Restoration of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 50th Anniversary Chainsaw Edition will be available for $299.98 exclusively at darkskyselects.com.

Here is a breakdown of what you get:

DISC 1: 4K UHD (FEATURE FILM)

BONUS: 4 FEATURE COMMENTARIES

  • Writer-Producer-Director Tobe Hooper, Actor Gunnar Hansen, Cinematographer Daniel Pearl
  • Actors Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, and Paul A. Partain, and Production Designer Robert Burns
  • Writer-Producer-Director Tobe Hooper
  • Cinematographer Daniel Pearl, Editor J. Larry Carroll and Sound Recordist Ted Nicolaou

DISC 2: BLU-RAY (FEATURE FILM)

BONUS: 4 FEATURE COMMENTARIES

  • Writer-Producer-Director Tobe Hooper, Actor Gunnar Hansen, Cinematographer Daniel Pearl
  • Actors Marilyn Burns, Allen Danziger, and Paul A. Partain, and Production Designer Robert Burns
  • Writer-Producer-Director Tobe Hooper
  • Cinematographer Daniel Pearl, Editor J. Larry Carroll and Sound Recordist Ted Nicolaou

DISC 3: BLU-RAY BONUS FEATURES

  • NEW The Merchandise of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
  • NEW The Restoration of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
  • Feature-Length Documentary: The Legacy of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
  • The Cinefamily Presents FRIEDKIN/HOOPER: A Conversation About The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Between William Friedkin and Tobe Hooper
  • Flesh Wounds: Seven Stories of the Saw
  • A Tour of the TCSM House with Gunnar Hansen
  • Off the Hook with Teri McMinn
  • The Business of Chain Saw: An Interview with Production Manager Ron Bozman Interview
  • Deleted Scenes & Outtakes
  • Grandpa’s Tales: An Interview with Actor John Dugan
  • Cutting Chain Saw: An Interview with Editor J. Larry Carroll
  • Blooper Reel
  • Horrors Hallowed Grounds: TCSM
  • Dr. W.E. Barnes Presents “Making Grandpa”
  • Still Gallery
  • Trailers
  • TV Spots
  • Radio Spots

The film’s low budget, gritty style, extreme gore, and violence boosted its popularity. Since then, we’ve had horror films like The Blair Witch Project, Friday the 13th, Halloween and Night of the Living Dead.

The group of friends intends to visit an old family homestead. On their journey, they encounter a hitchhiker who behaves strangely. The stranger eventually turns on them and attacks them, leading to a harrowing chase through the Texas countryside.

They arrive at a farmhouse and meet cannibalistic killers, including the iconic Leatherface with a mask of human skin and a wielding chainsaw. Michael Myers copied the masking technique so beautifully on Halloween.

Upon its release, the film sparked controversy because of its graphic violence, a stark contrast to the Coen Bros. films or the SAW franchise. This controversy, however, only cemented its status as a cult classic and the most influential horror movie of its genre.

It generated many sequels and remakes, influencing countless horror films that tried to be deemed worthy.

The last of the sea women

“The Last of the Sea Women” Trailer and Poster

Apple TV, documentary, foreign movie

Sue Kim directed the documentary The Last of the Sea Women. It tells the story of an extraordinary band of feisty grandmother warriors who wage a spirited battle against vast oceanic threats.

Often called real-life mermaids, the haenyeo divers of South Korea’s Jeju Island are renowned for centuries of diving to the ocean floor — without oxygen — to harvest seafood for their livelihood. Today, with most haenyeo in their 60s, 70s and 80s, their traditions and way of life are in imminent danger.

But these fierce, funny, hardworking women refuse to give an inch, aided by a younger generation’s fight to revive their ancestral lifestyle through social media. Peering into what drives haenyeo young and old, this moving documentary zeroes in on their tight-knit friendships, savvy independence and infectious sense of empowerment.

The story unfolds into an uplifting tale of women taking on world powers to protect their beloved ocean and inspire a new generation.

Superman Reeve

“SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY” Trailer and Poster

documentary, true stories

Most people know the story about Christopher Reeve, who returned Superman to the silver screen.

He rose to stardom when he landed the role in the 1970s. Yet in 1995, he had a near-fatal horse-riding accident that left him completely paralyzed. Reeve spends the remainder of his life supporting the search for a cure for spinal cord injuries.

Ian Bonhote and Peter Ettedgui directed the documentary, which surely will bring audiences to tears.

Apple TV Cowboy Cartel

“Cowboy Cartel” Trailer

Apple TV, crime, documentary, true stories
Cowboy Cartel documentary

Cowboy Cartel is a four-part documentary series featuring the remarkable story of a rookie FBI agent. Scott Lawson cracked the case of one of Mexico’s most ruthless cartels, Los Zetas and the multimillion-dollar money laundering operation they ran through the heart of the American Quarter Horse racing industry.

The documentary is an unbelievable true story of an unlikely hero from rural Tennessee. Lawson’s investigation took down the Treviño brothers, the leaders of Los Zetas, one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico. While the Treviños terrorized thousands in their pursuit of power, money and influence, Lawson risked his life on a hunch.

He tracked the brother’s racehorse transactions in the United States, infiltrating the deadly cartel and uncovering their international money laundering operations.

Cowboy Cartel features first-time interviews with FBI agent Scott Lawson, who broke the case; IRS agent Steve Pennington; Irving police officers Steve Junker, Brian Schutt and Kim Williams; Assistant United States Attorney Doug Gardner; Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist Ginger Thompson; and Joe Tone, the author of “Bones: Brothers, Horses, Cartels, and the Borderland Dream,” among many others. 

Clearly, Apple TV continues to expand its nonfiction programming, adding Cowboy Cartel to the list, which includes The Dynasty New England Patriots, Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend and Stephen Curry: Underrated.

Cirque Du Soleil

“Cirque Du Soleil: Without A Net” Trailer and Poster

documentary, on Amazon

Dawn Porter directed Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net, a documentary focusing on the reboot of its renowned production after a year-long global shutdown.

The film follows performers who strive to maintain a positive attitude while waiting in uncertainty if they’ll ever perform again. The day arrives when the crew finds out Cirque du Soleil will perform, once again, in Las Vegas, and they must meet their legendary high standards.

They have eight weeks to prepare themselves because the show must go on!

Celine Dion documentary

“I Am: Celine Dion” Trailer, Clips, Images and Poster

documentary, true stories
Celine Dion documentary by Irene Taylor

Directed by Academy Award nominee Irene Taylor, I Am: Celine Dion gives us a raw, honest, behind-the-scenes look at the iconic superstar’s struggle with a life-altering illness.

Serving as a love letter to her fans, this inspirational documentary highlights the music that has guided her life while showcasing the human spirit’s resilience.

Celine reminisced about her childhood.

Other films by Taylor:

Trees, and Other Entanglements

Leave No Trace

Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements

Disney The Beach Boys

“The Beach Boys” Documentary Trailer, Featurette and Clips

biography, Disney+, documentary

If you are lucky enough to have Disney+, catch The Beach Boys documentary celebrating the legendary band.

Frank Marshall directed the film about the legendary band that turned pop music on its ear. The iconic boy band created a harmonious sound that personified the California dream. Generations after generations listened to their music.

The documentary follows the band’s humble beginnings with family and features footage you probably haven’t seen before. The film includes new interviews with the band and other luminaries in the business.

The Beatles: Let It Be

“The Beatles: Let It Be” Restoration Trailer

classic, Disney+, documentary, music, re-release

Michael Lindsay-Hogg directed Let It Be, a 1970 film about The Beatles. The release arrived during their breakup. You can now stream the fully restored documentary on Disney+.

Sorry, Disney+ has blocked two of these clips, but hopefully, they will lift the ban.

Disney's Tiger

Disney’s “Tiger” Trailer and Interviews

children movies, documentary, family movies, kid movies

There is hardly any information about Disneynature’s Tiger movie. The trailer says most of what you need to know. The production went to India’s jungles and filmed tigers.

I included this interview because the co-directors explain what the film is about and where it was filmed.
Conti’s enthusiasm and joy of working on this film come through in this generic interview.
The film follows the newest class of Navy and Marine Corps flight squadrons and the veterans of the elite flight group

“The Blue Angels” Trailer, Featurette, Clips and Poster

documentary, on Amazon

Paul Crowder directs the documentary The Blue Angels with J.J. Abrams and Glen Powell producing.

The film follows the newest class of Navy and Marine Corps flight squadrons and the veterans of the elite flight group. They undergo intense training and adventure, a season of heart-stopping, gut-wrenching aerial artistry.

You’ve had mouth-gapping entertainment if you have witnessed a Blue Angels performance.

Films directed by Pat Crowder:

UFO

1

Billy Joel – The Last Play at Shea

Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who

Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos