Saw [WS]

Director: James Wan James Wan

Overview

The directorial debut from filmmaker James Wan, this psychological thriller comes from the first screenplay by actor Leigh Whannell, who also stars. Whannell plays Adam, one of two men chained up in a mysterious chamber. The other, Dr. Gordon (Cary Elwes), like Adam, has no idea how either of them got there. Neither of them are led to feel optimistic by the man lying between them dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Together, Adam and Dr. Gordon attempt to piece together what has happened to them and who the sadistic madman behind their imprisonment is. Also starring Danny Glover and Monica Potter, Saw premiered at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/15/2005
UPC:	0031398165415
Original Release:	2004
Rating:	R
Source:	LIONSGATE - 600000-AEC LGE
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Surround EX]
Language:	English
Sales rank:	47,576

Special Features

16:9 widescreen version; English 6.1 DTS ES digital audio; English 5.1 Dolby Digital surround EX; Audio Commentary with director James Wan and writer/actor Leigh Whannel; 2 music videos including and exclusive unrated version; Making of the music video; Sawed Off minifeaturette; Trailers and TV spots; Saw promotional art gallery; English and Spanish subtitles

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

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
Tobin Bell	John/Jigsaw
Monica Potter	Alison Gordon
Makenzie Vega	Diana Gordon
Ned Bellamy	Jeff
Alexandra Bokyun Chun	Actor,Carla
Cary	Actor
Leigh	Actor
Avner Garbi	Vater
Hans Raith	Detective
Charlie Clouser	Composer

Technical Credits

James Wan

Leigh Whannell

James Wan	Director,Screenwriter
Leigh Whannell	Screenwriter
Mark Burg	Producer
Gregg Hoffman	Producer,Producer
Oren Koules	Producer
Peter Block	Executive Producer,Producer
Stacey Testro	Executive Producer,Producer
John Constantine	Executive Producer,Producer,Executive Producer
Charles Belardinelli	Special Effects
Keith Adams	Stunts
Randy Babajtis	Sound Effects
Oscar Garcia	Key Grip
Amy Lippens	Casting
Jon Taylor	Sound Mixer

Scene Index

Side #1 --
1. Main Title/Opening Credits [2:39]
2. Cold Awakening [:58]
3. "Why are We Here?" [4:40]
4. "Play Me" [5:25]
5. The Tool to Their Freedom [1:56]
6. The Jigsaw Killer [7:24]
7. The One Who Made It [6:28]
8. "I can See You" [7:19]
9. Kidnapping [4:31]
10. Running Scared [8:23]
11. Suspecting Detective [4:47]
12. X Marks the Spot [5:33]
13. A Charade [6:05]
14. "I Remember how I got Here" [4:14]
15. "Don't Believe Adam" [:03]
16. "His Name is Bob" [8:01]
17. "You Failed" [4:18]
18. "You Have to Die" [4:06]
19. "There are Rules" [5:21]
20. End Credits [6:33]

Menu

Side #1 --
   Play Movie
   Scenes
   Special Features
      "Sawed Off": Inside Sneak Peek at the Making of Saw
      Trailers and TV Spots
         1
         2
         3
         4
         5
      "Bite the Hand That Bleeds You" Music Video by Fear Factory: Rated Version
      "Bite the Hand That Bleeds You" Music Video by Fear Factory: Unrated Version
      Making of the Unrated Video
      Poster Gallery
   Setup
      Audio Commentary With Writer/Actor Leigh Whannell and Director James Wan: On/Off
      Subtitles: English
      Subtitles: Spanish
      Subtitles: None
      Languages: English 6.1 DTS ES Digital Audio
      Languages: English 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround EX
      Languages: English 2.0 Dolby Stereo Surround

Editorial Reviews

Few movies in recent years have opened with such a compelling gambit: Two men awaken in the filthy utility area of an obviously abandoned industrial complex, their feet chained to pipes at opposite sides of the room, with a dead man sprawled on the floor between them. One of the prisoners, Dr. Lawrence Gordon (Cary Elwes), faces a horrible choice -- with his wife and daughter in the hands of his ghoulishly sadistic captor, his only chance of saving them lies in freeing himself and getting to a phone to call the police. Apparently, the only way he can do that is to sever his leg above the shackles using a dulled hacksaw left him by the unseen tormentor. Gordon's fellow prisoner -- whose role in this setup is far from coincidental -- is played by Leigh Whammell, who also collaborated on the screenplay with his friend, director James Wan. Together they have crafted an unusually horrific thriller (one that originally earned an NC-17 rating for its graphic gore scenes) designed to keep viewers in a constant state of agitation. The suspense becomes almost unendurable as the two captives bicker with one another, each realizing that every tick of the clock brings them closer to the grisly death promised by their kidnapper, a demented serial killer known as "Jigsaw." Although the basic premise is simple and the setting claustrophobic, Whammell and Wan enhance the story with subplots involving a dogged detective (Danny Glover) and Gordon's wife (Monica Potter). Undeniably intended for viewers with strong stomachs, Saw offers a surfeit of visceral thrills for those who relish hardcore horror.

Barnes & Noble - Ed Hulse