Saw (2004)

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 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 | Police | Serial Killer | Bathroom

Awards:

4 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Leigh Whannell	...	Adam Faulkner-Stanheight
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)
• Hoyts Distribution (2004) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Eagle Pictures (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• New Films (2005) (Bulgaria) (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)
• Hollywood Classic Entertainment (2005) (Czech Republic) (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) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• 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 (2004) (Finland) (all media)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2005) (Sweden) (all media)
• Veronica (2008) (Netherlands) (TV)

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 | DTS (5.1 surround)

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:

James Wan and Leigh Whannell had tried to sell their script to studios in Melbourne before Hollywood bought and produced the movie.

Goofs:

Continuity: Early in the film, Adam breaks his saw while trying to cut his chain. Later in the film, while Adam is getting shocked, we can see his saw lying next to him, completely intact.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Benchwarmers (2006)

Soundtrack:

Bite the Hand That Bleeds

The game begins

Not since Se7en's John Doe has there been a serial killer with such a bizarre philosophy behind his actions (not that Jigsaw actually kills anyone; more on that later). Sure, in light of the increasingly deteriorating sequels it's hard to think of Saw as little more than a franchise- starter (something the writer and director never planned), but viewed on its own, astonishing merits, it's a good, nasty thriller, filled with solid scares and (especially compared to the follow-ups) quite well written.

According to the film's notorious back-story, it took only 28 days to shoot it. Not that strange, given most of the action takes place in just two locations: one is a bathroom where Adam (Leigh Whannell) and Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes) fins themselves with their feet chained to the wall, with no recollection whatsoever of how the hell they got there; the other is the lair of the mysterious Jigsaw, a serial killer whom Detectives Sing (Ken Leung) and Trapp (Danny Glover) have been tracking down for weeks.

The two facts are linked in a most ingenious way: Jigsaw doesn't really kill anyone, but "plays a game" with his victims. In the case of Adam and Dr. Gordon, as the tape recorder found in a dead man's hand tells them, each of them has two hours to free himself and kill the other, or they will both die. Problem is, the only way to get rid of the chains is to saw your foot off. And so, while the two unfortunate cell-mates have to choose who gets to live (that's Jigsaw's perverse logic: he offers you a choice), the police close in on the elusive psycho, whose previous deeds and MO are shown in flashbacks.

Whereas the subsequent Saw films use the messy chronology just for the hell of it (though they do get away with some neat narrative tweaks thanks to it), the first installment takes advantage of its non-linear storytelling to increase the suspense and provide some valuable clues to how everything fits together. It is to James Wan and co-writer Whannell's eternal credit that they, like Se7en writer Andrew Kevin Walker, went beyond slasher clichés and came up with something more. Okay, so Saw's philosophical undertones aren't entirely original, but what the heck, they do manage to keep the audience interested in what's going on. In addition, adding a little more depth to the killer ensures that the movie's more gruesome parts (and there are a lot of them) don't come off as gratuitous bloodletting (for an example of the latter, look no further than the countless sequels to A Nightmare on Elm Street or Friday 13th).

Furthermore, the intelligence behind the film's structure might also have had a positive effect on the performances, given the acting is more convincing here than in most post-2000 shockers: Elwes and Whannell's desperation is conveyed with an intensity that's almost too painful to behold, Glover plays the aging cop role resisting the temptation to do a Lethal Weapon in-joke (you know, the "too old for this sh*t" gag) and when Jigsaw himself appears... well, it's the horror equivalent of Keyser Soze - chilling and impossible to forget (and, for once, not played by Kevin Spacey). Just like the movie.