Saw (2004)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

James Wan

Writers:

Leigh Whannell (written by)
James Wan (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

29 October 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Death is a shortcut (Denmark)

Plot:

With a dead body laying between them, two men (Whannell and Elwes) wake up in the secure lair of a serial killer who's been nicknamed "Jigsaw" by the police because of his unusual calling card.

Plot Keywords:

Killer | Flashback | Toilet | Bathroom | Chained

Awards:

4 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Leigh Whannell	...	Adam
Cary Elwes	...	Dr. Lawrence Gordon
Danny Glover	...	Detective David Tapp
Ken Leung	...	Detective Steven Sing
Dina Meyer	...	Kerry
Mike Butters	...	Paul
Paul Gutrecht	...	Mark
Michael Emerson	...	Zep Hindle
Benito Martinez	...	Brett
Shawnee Smith	...	Amanda
Makenzie Vega	...	Diana Gordon
Monica Potter	...	Alison Gordon
Ned Bellamy	...	Jeff
Alexandra Bokyun Chun	...	Carla (as Alexandra Chun)
Avner Garbi	...	Father
Tobin Bell	...	Jigsaw
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Oren Koules	...	Dead cellmate (uncredited)
Hans Raith	...	Detective (uncredited)

Directed by
James Wan

Writing credits
Leigh Whannell		(written by)
James Wan		(story) and
Leigh Whannell		(story)

Produced by
Lark Bernini	....	associate producer
Peter Block	....	executive producer
Mark Burg	....	producer
Jason Constantine	....	executive producer
Daniel J. Heffner	....	co-producer (as Daniel Jason Heffner)
Gregg Hoffman	....	producer
Oren Koules	....	producer
Richard H. Prince	....	co-producer
Stacey Testro	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Charlie Clouser

Cinematography by
David A. Armstrong		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Kevin Greutert

Casting by
Amy Lippens

Production Design by
Julie Berghoff

Art Direction by
Nanet Harty

Costume Design by
Jennifer L. Soulages		(as Jennifer Soulages)

Makeup Department
Kashka Banjoko	....	hair stylist: Mr. Glover
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup artist: Mr. Glover (as Scott Eddo)
Michelle Rene Elam	....	key hair stylist (as Michelle Elam Torres)
Rocky Faulkner	....	prosthetics makeup
Richard Redlefsen	....	assistant prosthetics makeup artist
Eleanor Sabaduquia	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Richard H. Prince	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniel J. Heffner	....	first assistant director (as Daniel Jason Heffner)
Alexa Sheehan	....	second assistant director (as Alexa 'Squirrel' Motley)

Art Department
Luis A. Arevalos	....	swing gang (as Luis Arevalos)
Jacob Blecha	....	swing gang
Jill Bream	....	daily art department assistant
Bill Davis	....	property master
Timothy Feimster	....	carpenter
Glenn Fields	....	lead construction (as Glenn 'Fuzzy' Fields)
Amy Frederick	....	prop buyer
Christopher Haley	....	scenic painter
Jonah Markowitz	....	graphics designer
Erin McKenna	....	lead scenic artist
Kelly Morrison	....	art production assistant (as Kelly Kilgo)
Chuck Radtke	....	art production intern
Summer Ramsey	....	scenic artist
Jeffrey Reyes	....	props
Adam Saltzberg	....	art department assistant (as Chris Saltzberg)
Amy Sanders	....	scenic artist
Brook Shafer	....	on-set dresser
Christopher Skeels	....	swing gang
Joshua Towers	....	swing gang
Scott Wheately	....	scenic artist
Ronny Wormser	....	swing gang (as Ron Wormser)

Sound Department
Randy Babajtis	....	sound effects editor
Jeremy Balko	....	foley mixer
Mike Brownsher	....	editorial assistant
Alan Freedman	....	adr mixer
Jerry Gilbert	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott Hinkley	....	post-production sound recordist
Jonathan Miller	....	sound designer
Jonathan Miller	....	supervising sound editor
Andrew Patterson	....	dialogue editor
Speed Ratliff	....	boom operator
Shelley Roden	....	foley artist
Damien Seckinger	....	assistant foley editor
John Taylor	....	sound mixer (as John C. Taylor)
Jonathan Wales	....	sound re-recording mixer
Evan T. Chen	....	additional ADR cueing (uncredited)
Wendy Czajkowsky	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Charles Belardinelli	....	special effects assistant
Thomas L. Bellissimo	....	special effects supervisor (as Tom Bellissimo)
Brad Hardin	....	body fabrication supervisor: Optic Nerve Studios

Visual Effects by
Brian Allan	....	optical compositor
Mark Allan	....	visual effects coordinator
Martin Avitia	....	optical compositor
Robert Beebe	....	digital artist
Derek Bird	....	digital compositor
Joshua D. Comen	....	visual effects line producer: THDX (as Josh Comen)
Catherine Ferrez	....	digital artist
Brian Fortenberry	....	optical line-up
David Hayes	....	digital lineup (as Dave Hayes)
Alex Kravets	....	optical line-up
David Fred Masselink	....	lead compositor
Andrew Midgley	....	visual effects producer
Mike Ocoboc	....	digital compositor
Marlo Pabon	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Keith Adams	....	stunt coordinator
Mocean Melvin	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Todd Baldi	....	second assistant camera
Brandon Cunningham	....	best boy electric
Oscar Garcia	....	key grip
Greg Gayne	....	still photographer
Martin Glover	....	video assist operator
Chris Gordon	....	grip
Josh Harrison	....	first assistant camera
David Katz	....	video playback operator
Thomas Kuo	....	electrician (as Tom Kuo)
Yaron Levy	....	gaffer (as Yron Levy)
John Loveall	....	best boy grip
Jon Myers	....	camera operator
Jon Myers	....	crane operator
Bill Persaud	....	rigging grip
Jeremy Quinlan	....	grip
Aaron Schuh	....	second assistant camera
Ray Skinner	....	electrician (as L. Ray Skinner)
Michael Steffen	....	dolly grip
Andy Steinman	....	director of photography: second unit
Dean Tapia	....	video assist operator
Lisa Villaire	....	camera loader
Vinny Walsh	....	grip
James Pat Whelan	....	electrician

Casting Department
Lisa S. Beasley	....	extras casting
Jennifer Levy	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Christina DeMasi	....	costumer
Kathleen Russo	....	costume supervisor (as Kathy Russo)

Editorial Department
John Coniglio	....	assistant editor
Ian Elias	....	post-production assistant
Scott Hammel	....	assistant editor
Dan Muscarella	....	color timer

Music Department
Cameron Allan	....	music editor
Charlie Clouser	....	score performer
Robert Cross	....	score performer: additional sounds
Peter Freeman	....	musician: bass scrapes
Eric Gorfaine	....	music arranger: strings (as Eric Gorfain)
Page Hamilton	....	musician: guitar
Danny Lohner	....	musician: guitar
Jonathan Scott Miller	....	music supervisor
Jonathan Scott Miller	....	soundtrack producer
Jonathan "Big Jon" Platt	....	music supervisor (as Jonathan Platt)
Jonathan "Big Jon" Platt	....	soundtrack producer (as Jonathan Platt)
Chas Smith	....	musician: exotic instruments
Stew Song	....	music supervisor
Stew Song	....	soundtrack producer

Other crew
Karen T. Bolt	....	assistant: Mr. Glover (as Karen Bolt)
Mary Chamberlin	....	film scheduler
Vicky Choy	....	production coordinator
Chad Cole	....	assistant: Mr. Koules & Mr. Burg
Laura Gary	....	teacher
Jillian Giacomini	....	script supervisor
Sherri Kecskes	....	assistant accountant (as Sherry Kecskes)
Abigail Rose Kirk	....	production assistant (as Abigail Kirk)
Jonathan Leeder	....	assistant to producer
Joni Lefkowitz	....	assistant: Mr. Hoffman
Tory Mell	....	set production assistant (as Tory Ireland Mell)
Kelly Morrison	....	production intern (as Kelly Kilgo)
Monica Muehlhause-Horn	....	production accountant
Pascual Romero	....	promotional consultant
Alexis Ross	....	production assistant
Michael G. Sarno	....	production assistant (as Mike Sarno)
Kenny Selko	....	key set production assistant
Tricia Sherwood	....	craft service
Perry Suppa	....	film scheduler
Alexander J. Wysocki	....	production assistant (as Alexander Wysocki)
Maribel Zuno	....	production intern
Jack Venturo	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Austin Lander	....	very special thanks

Production Companies

• Evolution Entertainment
• Saw Productions Inc.
• Twisted Pictures

Distributors

• Entertainment Film Distributors (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2004) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Asmik Ace Entertainment (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Eagle Pictures (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Amero PT (200?) (Indonesia) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Bazuca Films (2005) (Chile) (theatrical)
• DeA Planeta Home Entertainment (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Hollywood Classic Entertainment (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Hoyts Distribution (2004) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Inspire Pictures (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• LNK Audiovisuais (2005) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• Mirovision (200?) (Korea) (theatrical)
• Paris Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Shaw Renters (200?) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Tatrafilm (2005) (Slovakia) (theatrical)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Eagle Films (2004) (Lebanon) (all media)
• Entertainment in Video (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Independent Film Channel (IFC) (2008) (USA) (TV)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Lionsgate (2006) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Maple Pictures (2005) (Canada) (DVD)
• Nelonen (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• Scanbox Entertainment AB (2005) (Sweden) (all media)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2004) (Finland) (all media)
• Veronica (2008) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)

Special Effects

• Title House Digital (opticals and digital effects)

Other Companies

• Artists' Addiction Records  soundtrack published by
• Cast of Thousands  extras casting
• J.L. Fisher  camera dollies and cranes
• Jeremy Walker + Associates  publicity
• Lacy Street Production Center  sound stages
• Pinewood Sound  additional adr recorded at: Vancouver B.C. (as Pinewood Studios)
• Section Quartet, The  strings performed by
• Song Stew Music  soundtrack published by
• Sonic Magic  sound post-production and mixing (as Sonic Magic Studios)
• Sound One  additional adr recorded at: New York, New York
• Title House Digital  opticals

MPAA:

Rated R for strong grisly violence and language. (edited for re-rating; originally NC-17)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Taiwan:R-18 | USA:Unrated (uncut DVD version) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:R (Alberta) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) | Canada:18A | Netherlands:16 | Germany:16 (cut version) | Malaysia:18SG | Iceland:16 | Mexico:C | South Korea:18 | France:-16 (with warning) | Italy:VM14 (cinema rating) | India:A (cinema release) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-18 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:T | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Philippines:R-13 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:M18 | Singapore:NC-16 (edited version) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R (edited for re-rating) | Greece:K-17

Filming Locations:

Lacy Street Production Center - 2630 Lacy Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Evolution Entertainment

Trivia:

Originally intended for a straight-to-video release. After positive screenings, it was given the nod to become a premier movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dr. Gordon is leaving the hotel, he is seen pinching his nose when the photo is taken; when we see the photo he has covered his eyes completely.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Adam: Help! Someone help me! Is someone there? Hey! Oh shit, I'm probably dead.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "X-Play: Scariest Games (#6.111)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Hello Zepp

Two strangers mysteriously wake up to find themselves in a derelict basement. Together, they find out how to escape, and if they are really strangers...

I have utmost respect for Wan. To my knowledge, he and his buddies were right out of film school. Instead of slowly building status by making mediocre films, he showed the world right from the get-go that he had something to prove.

Along with Silence Of The Lambs, Saw is the only horror movie that truly chills me. You see, I am not easily frightened by gratuitous bloodshed and screams that you might see in films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The plot has to be coherent, and there can't be anything ridiculous like a monster. Saw evokes strong emotions of terror and fear, all the while remaining plausible. Well, the story is actually unlikely, but everything in the film is physically possible.

The scenes that are meant to be frightening don't require things that jump out at you every two seconds, or cheesy orchestral flailings. The situation is what frightens you, not the presentation. Saw does have some second-rate acting, but then again it is a low-budget film and I suppose they couldn't exactly afford Robert De Niro. The script is not fantastic, but one true redeeming quality of the whole film is the story. It is dense, complex, but so captivating. I can only think of a few mystery plot lines that can even compare to this one. The Usual Suspects is probably up there, but Saw stands alone.

I strongly recommend this film who appreciate good stories, and aren't easily scared by the garbage you see in theaters like House Of Wax. For people who get squeamish, steer clear of this film. It is very nice graphic, and very sadistic at times. A brilliant debut, and a terrifying ride. 9/10.