‘Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III’ Blu-Ray Review – Loopy, Gory Sequel Is A True Family Affair

A pair of college students driving coast to coast are lured off the main highway and on to a deserted Texas road. Here they are stalked by the menacing Leatherface and his demented family…a bizarre cannibalistic clan with blood on their hands and a feast on their minds. Their only chance for escape is a survivalist with enough firepower to blast Leatherface and the rest of the grizzly predators to hell. A depraved shocker of intense terror from the gruesome beginning to the bloody finish.

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Video Quality

Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III arrived on Blu-Ray courtesy of Warner Archive in 2018 with a 1080p master sourced from what appears to be a 2K scan of the Interpositive. Even earlier in the run, the company was putting out exceptional work, and this transfer holds up really well with the lovely natural film grain intact and resolved well. You will not spot much in the way of any compression artifacts or other such digital anomalies. 

This disc handily showcases the sprawling, dry desert setting and nightmarish interiors with equal care. There are elements in the disgusting makeup and production design that are clearly visible for the first time ever on home entertainment. Some deep, natural colors saturate the picture well. Skin tones look consistent, and the presentation offers firm highlights and mostly deep black levels. There are moments when the characters are stumbling through the darkness at night that shadow definition becomes a bit more hit or miss. Nevertheless, Warner Archive has done unimpeachable work with this one. 

Audio Quality

Warner Archive delivers a Blu-Ray with a dependable DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix that captures the soundscape of this horror outing. The music is not a star factor here, but it sounds great on disc as it flows throughout with ideal fidelity. Dialogue permeates the room with the utmost clarity, although some radio broadcasts are intentionally a bit more fuzzy. Environmental effects give the experience a bit of life such as the revving of the titular weapon and other confrontations. The rear speakers are not stealing focus, but they inject eerie noises effectively. There are no age-related defects to the track such as pops, hissing, or audio dropouts. This is a track that gets the job done without any issues. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided.

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Director Jeff Burr, Gregory Nicotero (Special Makeup Effects), R.A. Mihailoff (Leatherface), writer David J. Schow, William Butler (Ryan), and New Line executive Mark Odesky provided a stitched-together, worthwhile track that delivers tons of tidbit and behind-the-scenes Hollywood tales. 

• The Saw Is Family – Making Leatherface: A 28-minute archival documentary is provided featuring the cast and creative team who discuss the inspiration for the original film, how this film came to be made, the special effects work, the performances on screen, and more. 

• We Knows What To Do With Them Parts… Deleted Scenes Documentary: A 10-minute piece in which director Jeff Burr guides you through the moments that didn’t make the final cut. 

• Alternate Ending: A nearly six-minute alternate ending is provided. 

• Theatrical Trailer: The nearly minute-and-a-half-long trailer is provided here. 

Final Thoughts

Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III is nowhere near the level of the original film, but it holds up pretty well especially compared to some of the sequels and reimaginings we would get over the next couple of decades. Some of the character decisions are maddening, but you expect as much in a horror movie. The kills are gross and goopy in a way that should satisfy gorehounds. The script is loopy and ridiculous, but it keeps things fun in the end. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray featuring a consistently good A/V presentation and great special features. If you are a fan of the franchise, you should have a good time. Recommended 

Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.