The slasher that’s probably traumatized everyone who’s seen it turns fifty this year, and director Alexandre O. Philippe’s examination into its effects on our psyche will soon be available to enjoy from the comfort of your home. Dark Sky Films has announced that Chain Reactions will be available on digital and on demand later this month, bringing Leatherface right into your living room as some of cinema’s biggest names break down his influence on us.
Written and directed by Philippe, the film chronicles the fifty-year legacy of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, charting its profound impact through interviews with five Hollywood icons: Patton Oswalt, Takashi Miike, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Karyn Kusama, and the king of horror himself, Stephen King. Featuring contemporary footage as well as never-before-seen outtakes, the film aims to recontextualize how we see one of the bloodiest — and most memorable — slashers of all time.
The film’s official logline is as follows:
Fifty years after Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre shocked the world and forever changed the face of global cinema and popular culture, Chain Reactions charts the film’s profound impact and lasting influence on five great artists through early memories, sensory experiences, and childhood trauma.
By crafting a dynamic dialogue and delving into personal impressions triggered by distinct audiovisual formats (16mm, 35mm, VHS, digital), Chain Reactions goes to the heart of how a scruffy, no-budget independent film wormed its way into our collective nightmares and permanently altered the zeitgeist.
Chain Reactions is executive produced by Kim and Ian Henkel, Pat Cassidy, Hamza and badie Ali, and Greg Newman, with producers Kerry Deignan Roy and Robert Muratore, the latter of whom also served as director of photography. The documentary won the Venice Classics Award for Best Documentary on Cinema, and featured as an official selection at Telluride Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, Beyondfest, BFI London Film Festival, and more.
Chain Reactions hits digital and VOD on October 21. Check out the trailer below:
