Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) Blu-ray and DVD UPDATED

[Brent_Reid]

This one could be quite complicated, so I've posted it here rather than in the Corrections thread. I had to do a ton of reading and research to ascertain which was the best version to buy and wanted to share my findings!

I suggest amending the footnotes to:

There are two separate restorations available:

• 2005 2K scan from original A/B reversal rolls by Don May of Synapse Films; on all pre-2014 BDs.
  2014 4K scan from original 16mm A/B rolls supervised by director Tobe Hooper; on all releases from 2014 (40th Anniversary editions) onwards.

If you want a 4K disc, the German "4K Ultra HD" (+ 2-BD) set is your only choice at present.

All 40th Anniversary editions have improved A/V (see Caps-a-holic link above*) and copious similar but slightly differing extras, including all those of the earlier BDs, plus additional new ones. Despite this, note that:

• The French "4K Restoration" edition does not include the two newer audio commentaries, is missing two audio options and has slightly fewer extras overall, but does have some exclusive (non-English-friendly) extras. Also, the film has forced French subtitles and most extras have burned-in French subtitles.
  The Scandinavian "4K Restored Anniversary Edition" should be avoided, as its image quality is mediocre due to a low bitrate. Also, it only has one audio option and none of the extras are in HD.

There are some issues with Dark Sky Films' US 40th Anniversary BDs and DVD; these are discussed at length here and here, culminating in this post.

• - The US BD's mono track is actually a downmix of the 7.1 remix and has an error near the end of the film (some of Sally's screams are missing and looped over with previous ones). Second Sight's 40th Anniversary BD has the original mono and thus no error.
  - The US BD has some missing fades (replaced with cuts) to the opening, which are also fixed on the UK disc.

The flawed US master was also used for the Australian "40th Anniversary Ultimate Edition" BD. The corrected UK master also appears on the various German from 2014 (40th Anniversary editions) onward. It's unknown which master was used for the French, Scandinavian and currently-unlisted Spanish (La matanza de Texas, from A Contracorriente Films) [ASIN B00P4X6GVK] 40th Anniversary BDs.

This leaves the UK and German 40th Anniversary editions as the frontrunners, but note the German sets are missing the 5.1 audio track and only have lossy mono and 2.0 stereo tracks. Therefore, the UK set is the overall winner.

The earlier 2K restoration BDs from the US, UK, Germany and Australia also have very good A/V, extensive, slightly differing extras and can now be had very cheaply, so you may be happy with one of those. Note that the UK and German discs have the most extras overall.

There is a 2010 Spanish bootleg from Vértice Cine, titled La matanza de Texas - avoid.

If you agree with my footnote suggestions, please open up 'edit post' and copy and paste them, to preserve the formatting.

*Fix the bloomin' broken link! Here 'tis.
.

[Brent_Reid]

Miscellaneous corrections:

The correct title for the Oz BD is the "40th Anniversary Edition"; no mention of "Limited": https://www.umbrellaent.com.au/movies/2 ... u-ray.html

The correct title for the German 4-disc BD is the "Ultimate Collector's Edition. It's also available in a pared-down 2-disc edition, featuring the BD and the main extras DVD: ASIN B009B2OUQ8.

The ads for the two currently-listed German BDs both point to the same release. The steelcase "40th Anniversary Limited Edition" should be ASIN B00NPNTS9I.
Note that it's also available in a "Limited Edition Mediabook", ASIN B013FO6Q6E. The Mediabook is also included in the "Limited Collector's Box", alongside posters, postcards, number plates, a T-shirt and a Leatherface figure, ASIN B013FO6QG4.

The current French ad also points to the wrong release; the correct ASIN is B00NO94TSS.

Lastly, the German releases are listed as being on "Turbine Media Alive", yet the company also refer to themselves variously as "Turbine Medien", "Turbine Media Group" and "Turbine Home Video". Mostly though, it's plain ol' "Turbine", including on the company logo and the actual releases themselves. I think it's less confusing to use the latter.

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

The correct title for the Oz BD is the "40th Anniversary Edition"; no mention of "Limited": https://www.umbrellaent.com.au/movies/2 ... u-ray.html

Not sure what you mean. I don't see anywhere saying "Limited" unless someone else corrected it.
Update all others. If there isn't any "new" entry, something like this can be placed in the Corrections thread rather than here on its own.

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

All has been updated. Did not go word for word (such as the links to extremely lengthy forums on arguments and decided on simplifying)
As for the Capsaholic link. it's fixed now. A while back their site changed every single link which caused a lot of problems for older links that we had.

[Brent_Reid]

Thanks James. You’ve done a fine job of condensing it; I honestly didn’t expect you to post all that lot up verbatim! The forum links were just to demonstrate my sources. I assumed you’d add the pending German UHD set comparison at the same time, so partly configured my notes to take account of that. Once that set’s added, you’ll still need something like this line in there:

• If you want a 4K disc, the German "4K Ultra HD" (+ 2-BD) set is your only choice at present.

I still think it’s worth reiterating in the footnotes that the Scandinavian set should be avoided.

Insert the word “film” to make it clear you’re not still referring to the audio:

• There are some missing film fades (replaced with cuts) to the opening.

As it was released in 2016, the German "4K Ultra HD" set’s packaging understandably makes no mention of the 40th Anniversary, so amend to:

• The UK Second Sight and German 40th Anniversary editions (2014 onwards) do not have these issues.

I must’ve boo-booed with the Oz set – my head was spinning with differing permutations of BD titles by that point! I should have said to remove “Ultimate”; it appears in the cover’s strapline but its actual title is "40th Anniversary Edition".

Looove Caps-a-holic, but it was remiss (and self-defeating) of them not to put in 301 redirects when they moved all their pages. Of course, that oversight has shafted sites like this one, who have obliged them with so many backlinks.
Caps: if you’re reading this, it’s still not too late to do it!

[James-Masaki_Ryan]

Thanks James. You’ve done a fine job of condensing it; I honestly didn’t expect you to post all that lot up verbatim! The forum links were just to demonstrate my sources. I assumed you’d add the pending German UHD set comparison at the same time, so partly configured my notes to take account of that. Once that set’s added, you’ll still need something like this line in there:

• If you want a 4K disc, the German "4K Ultra HD" (+ 2-BD) set is your only choice at present.

I still think it’s worth reiterating in the footnotes that the Scandinavian set should be avoided.

Insert the word “film” to make it clear you’re not still referring to the audio:

• There are some missing film fades (replaced with cuts) to the opening.

As it was released in 2016, the German "4K Ultra HD" set’s packaging understandably makes no mention of the 40th Anniversary, so amend to:

• The UK Second Sight and German 40th Anniversary editions (2014 onwards) do not have these issues.

I must’ve boo-booed with the Oz set – my head was spinning with differing permutations of BD titles by that point! I should have said to remove “Ultimate”; it appears in the cover’s strapline but its actual title is "40th Anniversary Edition".

Looove Caps-a-holic, but it was remiss (and self-defeating) of them not to put in 301 redirects when they moved all their pages. Of course, that oversight has shafted sites like this one, who have obliged them with so many backlinks.
Caps: if you’re reading this, it’s still not too late to do it!

Was looking for better concrete info on the German UHD disc before adding. Have the info now so will be working on that.