Bloody-Disgusting's Mike Pereira was on hand in Toronto, Canada while Lionsgate was wrapping up the production of Saw VI, which arrives in theaters October 23. At a special press day, Mike was able to talk with Director Kevin Greutert, along with many of the cast and crew, who reveal all sorts of inside goodies on Jigsaw's latest game including details on two forthcoming traps! In addition, we've also learned that there is in fact discussion for Saw VII to hit theaters in 3-D. Read on for the story!
In all honesty, optimism and enthusiasm was not in the cards before this SAW VI press event. Like many, SAW V left a bad taste in my mouth. For the first time in the ludicrously successful series, wear and tear was apparent. When you devote a couple of scenes explaining how the obese corpse from the first installment was captured, desperation doesn't quite say it. Still, it's completely dumbfounding that this franchise has managed to stay this engaging for this long. As a fifth chapters go, it could have been a hell of a lot worse and certainly has been as horror fans know all too well (HAlLOWEEN 5 , anyone?). It was quite fascinating to say the least to hear the cast and crew enthusiastically explain why they believe SAW VI is going to prove non-believers such as myself wrong.
Producer, Troy Begnaud promises more of the same but a lot bloodier. In total agreement, Props Master, Jim Murray told Bloody-Disgusting, "We are kicking the gruesome up. When every SAW movie comes out, the fans expect more. People are becoming more and more desensitized to this kind of stuff. We have to take it up a notch. We will push that envelope without being too ridiculous because in the past some of our traps were ridiculous and with this one, we're trying to bring it back." In his feature directorial debut, Kevin Greutert adds, "It's very gory but in a service to the story."
SAW VI puts emphasis on returning to the franchise's roots especially concerning the traps. "I think in SAW IV and V, we kind of got into these bigger room traps with a lot more people," Jim Murray elaborates. "Everything got so big and you have to ask yourself 'how the hell does this guy with cancer able to pull all of this stuff off?' I think the traps in SAW VI go back home to what the traps were. It's more personal. It's about you and the trap." Kevin Greutert promises a nice balance of intimate and "gargantuan" traps. "There's quite a range of stuff going on in the most awful parts in this film. There are some elements that are the most grandiose anyone will have ever seen in a SAW film." The series' Director of Photography, David Armstrong, who just recently announcing this will be his final SAW gig, enthusiastically teases that "the traps are visually stunning." He contunues revealing one of the new "rooms" in SAW VI. "There is a Carousel Room. It's very carnival, playground-like. It's just nasty. [There are] spinning red lights in there. It's really overwhelming to walk in and look at because everything is spinning," also revealing yet another room called the "Steam Room," one of the cooler traps in SAW. "Also, there's one place called the Steam Room that's probably the best looking SAW trap of them all. It's big and expensive. It's got furnaces, fires and steam. It's muti-leveled. The most complex Saw. We had techno cranes flying through. It was pretty amazing."
When asked about the look of SAW VI, David Armstrong thinks visually, it might be his favorite. "We're kind of pulling back a little bit in the color palette. It's going to be more suggestive and not so vibrant, in your face like III and IV. It's more neutral and shows natural flesh tones. On SAW V, I pulled back a little bit and on this one, I pulled back even more."
One of the stronger aspects of SAW has always been the complexity of its characters. With every installment, another layer is exposed. Nothing is ever what it seems. When questioned about the potential difficulty of being lost in the ever-twisting plot, Tobin Bell aka John Kramer aka Jigsaw simply asks a lot of questions and attempts to come up with as many answers as possible. "Try to fill it in your mind about its logic, credibility and purpose. Frankly, I think that's a lot like John Kramer. He is detailed-oriented. There is no end to its depth." Costas Mandylor playing Detective Mark Hoffman uses the fear of disappointing the fans as a major motivation. "I met them (fans) at a convention and they are really clever. It's like having a coach that keeps you on the edge of your seat or otherwise your going to be benched and you don't want to be benched." Betsy Russell, who plays John's wife, Jill couldn't have said it more simply, "(You) always have to keep thinking, stay on top of it or you'll get lost".
When asked about their characters' present state, Betsy promises we will see a lot more of Jill this time around plus what's inside the box from SAW V. "You find out a little more about if Jill is good or evil. Pretty much you'll know (in SAW VI). I don't know if it was ever answered in the previous ones if I knew he was a killer. We will find out in this one that I do know that about him. We have an amazing love affair and I have a reason to be with him. She is definitely in the present main plot, as well as, flashbacks with more backstory to answer more questions." As for the present story's antagonist, Mark Hoffman, Costas feels "the maturity of Tobin's character shows the rough edges Hoffman is still showing. (Hoffman) sort of torn of becoming a mad man or becoming a guy that's more composed, coming from a pure place like Jigsaw. That's my character's dilemma; does he go fucking crazy or follow the rules of the boss?"
Kevin Greutert, who was also the editor for all of the previous installments, believes SAW VI will be a great character drama that settles a lot of issues of the series, as well as, a lot of completion to the line of Jigsaw's overall intent. "To me, (SAW VI) has finality to it and that's something I've always wanted to see in the series. Obviously, there was finality to SAW III but to me; this is the end of a second trilogy". Kevin elaborates, "we have a lot more characters than we ever had in a SAW movie. A lot of new faces and obviously, we had to be true to previous stories. I didn't want any violations of logic and chronology."
There are already plans for SAW VII. Troy Begnaud feels as long as audiences want it, they'll continue making them. "When making an installment, we not only think of year's past but about the future." When asked about the possibility of a SAW sequel in 3D, Troy said there have been discussions but no decisions have been made. Troy feels unlike other films, SAW would lend itself well to 3D without having to trying to hard. "It's not so much about axes flying into the audiences to hit pin-point scares. I think our story could be told really well in 3D and give people a really visceral experience in terms of what these people are going through in their games. I wouldn't be surprised if it happens."
Despite what one may think about the SAW franchise, there's no denying it's stranglehold on the modern horror audience. Six films in and they have yet to be regulated to the video market like most in the genre, which is astonishing in of itself. When asked about an opinion on SAW's staying power, everyone had a pretty common opinion. "If I'm approached by skateboarders, I'd ask what they liked about it," Tobin Bell states, "One little guy responded that it taught him stuff. So somehow you can juxtapose information like that when its surrounded by such intense imagery and experience, it somehow makes stuff like that resonate in a certain way that it wouldn't resonate surrounded by the same thing. So there are sub-textural things we continue to hammer away and try to keep it present in a place where it can be overwhelmed." David Armstrong puts it perfectly when he adds, "You know those movies with people being killed in cabins in the woods? It's just people killed in cabins in the woods. Jigsaw's message prevails. In his own demented, twisted way, he's still trying to communicate a lesson; to get you to appreciate your life. People respond to that. It's a rubix cube. Can I solve this puzzle? Is it solvable? People love a good yarn. When I hear people talk, the visual rollercoaster is one thing that brings them into that. Also, the traps. They're interactive. Everyone thinks of what they would have done. When things are interactive, you have the audience. They'll go away and talk about it and argue."
SAW fans obviously still are and most likely will continue to when SAW VI is unleashed this October.
I don’t think there was a single statement in that interview that wasn’t completely contradicted by something else... in the same interview. Epic fail.
NO more Saw films after this one. It's being overdone, and the Saw IV goes against pretty much everything that the first film set up. Jigsaw wasn't out for revenge (as IV implied). They aren't being original anymore, and V was pretty lousy. The acting was...well, let's just say Cary Elwes deserves an Oscar for his performance in Saw I. Don't get me wrong, I love the first three films dearly, but IV (as much as I hate to admit it, I enjoyed to an extent) and V don't measure up to I-III.
am i the only one or has anyone else been completely confused as to what the fuck is going on in these movies since part 3? the franchise with its many twists and turns and flashbacks has become soooo overblown and over complicated and just flat out silly....should of stopped after 3....hopefully this will be the end of saw....
i have also been somewhat lost since part 3. if you sit down and watch them all together i'm sure you could map out some sort of timeline....but if that's necessary, then its just too much!!
Heather1987, sure the films have been overdone. It is the only series with the balls to do so! And as the creators said, as long as the viewers keep viewing, they'll keep creating. Jigsaw was never out for "revenge". The loss of his child was a revelation. To make people appreciate their lives, and not take them for granted like he once did. That was his intent, or is his intent (if he's still alive, which I hope! Come on people, you have to think about it. If Jigsaw/John has the mental complexities to think all of this up, he has the capability to fake his own death.) I'm sure he has a million more tricks up his sleeve. So pumped for Saw IV. But the 3D idea sounds amazing! I love 3D movies, there arent hardly enough.
Enough with the Fckin flashbacks, just make a damn prequel. Furthermore just because its gorier and bloodier doesn't mean its going to be better.
I'll only see this movie for free.
& Saw VII in 3d thats dumb.
WTF? Ok, I've been a fan of the series so far, but part 7? are you F-kidding me?? what the hell could be about??, they are stretching it beyond words as it is... either I see a good movie this year or I am gone from this series! Just finish it with a bang!
I really wanted it to end here with part 6 but 7 in 3D is very tempting. I really think this one will blow the other sequels out of the water. The multi-leveled steam-room sounds brilliant and reminds me of 'Cube', speaking of which... Will someone make Cube 4 for crying out loud!
Saw 3D? Hahaha, once again the gimmick becomes overused and stale. Just like the franchise. I must admit, the first Saw blew me away, but gradually it's started to suck that little bit more
there are a few plus sides to Saw going on for so long...
We have ourselves a modern day hugely popular horror franchise. In a time of endless remakes, you can always rely on there being a visually inventive horror film is cinemas every damn october! Thanks Saw.
20 years from now we'll all have our Saw I to X box sets and can freak our kids out! Awesome!
And finally, we all have our criqitues of the franchise now cause we're super awesome horror fans always looking for the next big thrill and Saw definitely isn't it... but think about all the other big long running franchises. Freddy 2, 5 and 6 are total crap, but im sure we all own them. Friday part 5 & 6? Does anyone here think they're great films? Nope. But they're essential because they give longevity to what started as an incredibly original horror franchise!
I didn't enjoy Saw 5, but bring em on I say! I'm rooting for a part 10!
There is only one way to finish this monstrosity of a series...they need to go back to the beginning and bring BACK THE DOCTOR...Doctor Gordon I think has potential to not make this suck. But then again...who knows, this series is tired.
I'm one of the only dudes who really liked part 5 (but of course I recognize some of it's faults). I'm *really* looking forward to part VI, because we desperately need closure. Please DO NOT make a part VII!!!
OMFG I am SICK of people hating on the SAW series. Everyone fucking complains that there's too many remakes happening and then go on to bitch about a series that isn't a remake! Everybody fucking complains that 'OMG, More blood doesn't mean good movie' and then go on to bitch about movies like Prom Night saying 'OMG, that didn't have enough blood!'. You're all fucking crazy! Stop bitching. If you aren't interested in the movies anymore then stop reading the posts and wasting your time commenting. Halloween is now on part 10...Nightmare is on part 8 and F13th is on part 11 so what's the big deal about SAW being on 6?! Get fucking over it.
I dont give a shit if they push the Saw franchise up to 10 films, I will see every one of them just as I have done with the first FIVE.
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In all honesty, optimism and enthusiasm was not in the cards before this SAW VI press event. Like many, SAW V left a bad taste in my mouth. For the first time in the ludicrously successful series, wear and tear was apparent. When you devote a couple of scenes explaining how the obese corpse from the first installment was captured, desperation doesn't quite say it. Still, it's completely dumbfounding that this franchise has managed to stay this engaging for this long. As a fifth chapters go, it could have been a hell of a lot worse and certainly has been as horror fans know all too well (HAlLOWEEN 5 , anyone?). It was quite fascinating to say the least to hear the cast and crew enthusiastically explain why they believe SAW VI is going to prove non-believers such as myself wrong.
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