The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 4K UHD Review

4 star restoration of a crazy cult classic.

In 1986, the demented mind of horror master writer/director Tobe Hooper (Lifeforce, Poltergeist, presented us with a return to the brutally bonkers world of the chainsaw wielding cannibalistic Sawyer family.

Co-written by L.M. Kit Carson (Paris,Texas, Breathless), this madcap sequel has enjoyed a 4K restoration, courtesy of Arrow Video and is available to own on Limited Edition 4K UHD from 17th February 2025.

“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre has not stopped. It haunts Texas. It seems to have no end.”

Stretch (Caroline Williams – Days of Thunder, Renfield) is a local radio D.J. working the night shift on Red River Rock and Roll with her trusty sound engineer L.G. (Lou Perryman – Boys Don’t Cry, Natural Selection). When a couple of drunk college boys call the station playing chicken with a pickup truck, she thinks no more of it. But later, they call back again to request a song and this time, she hears chainsaws buzzing in the background as the kids are brutally carved up.

There have been a spate of chainsaw murders up and down East Texas and the police are no closer to solving the crimes. This particular attack has caught the attention of ex Ranger Lieutenant Lefty Enright (Dennis Hopper – Space Truckers, Waterworld), the uncle of the victims of the first film and he visits the crime scene, much to the annoyance of the local law enforcement.

This makes the local papers and is spotted by Stretch, who heads to see him, thinking the tape will help provide his evidence. Initially, he isn’t interested, but he soon changes his mind and persuades her to play it live on air, effectively turning her into bait for the family. It’s heard by the Cook (Jim Siedow – Hotwire), who quickly sends out Chop Top (Bill Mosely – To Your Last Death, 3 From Hell) and Leatherface (Bill Johnson – The Once and Future Smash) to deal with the situation. They head to the radio station and set in motion a chain of events which leads everyone to the old disused theme park, Texas Battle Land, where an epic showdown ensues.

“Yep. One of those boys was so wild he sawed his own head off going ninety miles per hour. Hell. Hell’s exactly what they raised.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 is a very entertaining film. I first reviewed a Blu-ray conversion of it years ago and was very unimpressed, but maybe I was just in a bad mood that day, because this time I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Caroline Williams is a proper scream queen in the good old fashioned sense of the term and in fact all the acting performances are brilliant from the demented brothers, to the over enthusiastic (as ever) Dennis Hopper.

There’s blood, guts and gore aplenty, all brought into high definition crispy focus in this new 4K UHD restoration which really brings this funny and horrifying film to glorious life. Packed with special features, true to form for Arrow, this is an excellent release and well worth adding to your collection.

And remember, it’s all good ’til you hear a Chainsaw…

“You got that last slaughter on tape, you play it on the radio. Maybe then the laws will stop trying to shut me up and start helping me.”

2-DISC LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• Limited edition packaging featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Ilan Sheady and Dare Creative
• Booklet featuring new writing by Johnny Mains, Anna Bogutskaya, Guy Adams and Neil Mitchell
• Double-sided fold-out poster
• Texas Battle Land theme park postcard
• Chili cook-off recipe card
• Three double-sided collector’s postcards

DISC 1 (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY) – THE FILM

• 4K restoration from the original negative
• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
• Original lossless stereo 2.0 audio
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Commentary with director Tobe Hooper
• Commentary with stars Bill Moseley, Caroline Williams and special effects legend Tom Savini
• Commentary with cinematographer Richard Kooris, production designer Cary White, script supervisor Laura Kooris and property master Michael Sullivan

DISC 2 (BLU-RAY) – BONUS FEATURES

• Are We Not Both the Living Dead?, new visual essay by Scout Tafoya
• You’ve Got Good Taste: Cannibal Camp and Perverse Parody, new visual essay by Miranda Corcoran
• Stretch Lives!, interview with Caroline Williams
• Serving Tom, interview with makeup effects artist Gabe Bartalos
• Texas Blood Bath, interview with makeup effects artist Barton Mixon
• Remember the Alamo, interview with actor Kirk Sisco
• Die Yuppie Scum, interview with actor Barry Kinyon
• Extended interviews with Tobe Hooper and co-producer Cynthia Hargrave, from Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films
• It Runs in the Family, (plus outtakes!) on the film’s genesis, making and enduring appeal
• House of Pain, interview with makeup effects artists Mixon, Bartalos, Gino Crognale and John Vulich
• Yuppie Meat, interview with actors Chris Douridas and Barry Kinyon
• Cutting Moments, interview with editor Alain Jakubowicz
• Behind the Mask and Cutting Moments with Bob Elmore, two interviews with Leatherface’s performer
• Horror’s Hallowed Grounds, featurette exploring the film’s locations
• Still Feelin’ the Buzz, interview with horror expert Stephen Thrower
• Behind-the-scenes
• Alternate opening credits
• Deleted scenes
• Trailers and TV spots
• Still gallery