Reviews

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: A Family Portrait

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: A Family PortraitAs the title suggests, documentarian Brad Shellday confines his scope to Saw’s killer kin through intercut interviews with Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface), Ed Neal (Hitchhiker), Jim Siedow (Drayton Sawyer) and John Dugan (Grandpa).

The production values may not be that great — beards bludgeon the mics, weird video effects distract — but there’s plenty of candid insights such as Hansen’s love ‘n’ frustration relationship with his character and his fear it’ll even overshadow him in death. While Neal channels the earnestness of an elder Jerry Lewis. Siedow offers sheepish recollections of Ms. Burns encouraging him to whomp her good. Speaking of, Dugan recalls a late-night rewrite session with designs on getting Marilyn’s top off.

Fun stuff that really would’ve worked best as a DVD supplement.