Product Details

• Actors: John Dugan, Jim Siedow, Edwin Neal, Gunnar Hansen, Forrest J Ackerman
• Directors: Brad Shellady
• Writers: Brad Shellady
• Producers: Bob Enlow, Brad Shellady
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Mti Home Video
• VHS Release Date: December 19, 2000
• Run Time: 70 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301589955
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #457,258 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

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.

The DVD is advertised as "digitally remastered and remixed," which is likely true, but the dull shot-on-video interviews and grainy film clips don't look appreciably better in the digital format and sound is soft and mushy. Also included are original trailers and actor bios. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great documentary on the best horror movie ever made., April 30, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Texas Chainsaw Massacre: A Family Portrait [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This documentary interviews Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface), Edwin Neal (The Hitchhiker), John Dugan (Grandfather) and Jim Siedow (the cook). Although the picture quality at times is not completely clear on the VHS version, the commentaries the actors deliver on the documentary is by far the most valuble source of information for any TCM fan out there (besides the additional footage on the DVD collectors edition of TCM). There are good stories shared by the actors that portrays the making of the landmark film an intruiging experience. I highly suggest picking this rare documentary up before it goes out of print!

Visit my Texas Chainsaw Massacre web page at http://www.h-3.com/TCM/TCM.html for more information on the film's location and the family house!

Tim Harden [e-mail]

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Hitch hiker guy is weirder in real life, January 26, 2006

By 

Matt (NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Family Portrait Revisited (DVD)

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Documentary, June 17, 2003

By 

Barbara Morgan (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Family Portrait Revisited (DVD)

When watching this video you will hear what the cast and crew of the film have to say about their experience off and on the set of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It was very interesting to hear what the cast had to say. They all look so much different than they do in the movie. it was amazing to learn that a young man played the part of the old almost dead Grandpa. I recommend this documentart to fans of the originall TCM.