TV Reviews : ‘Ancient Forests’ Revives Chain-Saw Massacre Memories

Horrors before your eyes! Unbelievable atrocities! Great entertainment!

It’s “The Oregon Chain-Saw Massacre!”

The sly folks at the National Audubon Society are calling it “Ancient Forests: Rage Over Trees,” all gussied up as a documentary that premieres Sunday night at 7 on TBS cable. A grim Paul Newman narrates.

Executive producer Christopher Palmer and crew present the debate between conservationists trying to save the ancient forests and entrepreneurs of the timber industry who insist the trees will “last forever” and not to worry.

This hour centers on Oregon’s grand, green Opal Creek Valley, which is blanketed with 800-year-old, 20-story trees and is as glorious a site as there is on the planet.

Beyond the basic fact that the continent once was covered by ancient trees and now only 2% remain, mainly in the Northwest, each side cites figures that prove that everything is great or everything isn’t.

Should the Forest Service continue to sell the public timber? How does such decimation affect the wildlife and the watersheds? How does it affect timber jobs and timber profits? It is complex (especially considering that this review is courtesy of some fallen tree somewhere).

There are brutal images. One is a flight over the splendid Opal Creek Valley, then a sweep across the next denuded hills. Another is the hacking of great behemoths and watching them fall.

Coming to the mind’s eye is that other chain-saw massacre movie in Texas with Leatherface and his family running insane. We advise parental guidance. This could be terrifying for the kids. After all, it’s their trees.