Arriving in theaters on July 31 is Freestyle Releasing's The Collector, which is already receiving a massive push from the studio. Why? Maybe because it's from the duo behind the Feast films and Saw IV-VI! We caught up with co-writer Patrick Melton who talked with us a bit about the film and revealed some really, really interesting tidbits including how The Collector was almost the Saw prequel! Read on for the exclusive story behind one of the summer's big slasher films.
Patrick Melton tells B-D how The Collector was nearly a prequel to the SAW movies!
"Well, the story is that Leigh [Whanell] didn't want to do any more after 3. So, they were looking for writers. They didn't have much of a story for 4, and an executive over at Twisted read The Midnight Man and thought it could be a good prequel, explaining a traumatic incident that happened to John Kramer when young. Mark and Oren didn't want to do a prequel like that, so the idea got squashed, but the script as a sample is what got us the deal to write Saw 4, 5, & 6."
After Twisted passed on making a prequel, Melton explains how the Weinstein Company ended up making it.
"Well, it all sort of happened at the same time. Fortress Features paid us to write the script with the agreement that Marcus directs," he explains. "They were going to fund it, but ended up needing more money and pursued other investors. However, Marcus didn't have a good reel, so Fortress funded a shoot to make a five minute concept teaser (like a fake trailer). Based upon that, we met with a bunch of investors hoping to make it independently (Twisted being one of those companies). Bob Weinstein ended up getting his hands on the concept teaser, and when he saw it, he stomped to his office door, slammed it shut and said, 'You're not leaving this office until I have this movie.' When Dimension showed interest, two other studios also started bidding for it, but Dimension ended up winning out in the end because they agreed to make the film with Marcus at the helm and with a big penalty if we didn't go into production within a year."
With Dimension and the Weinstein Company producing the film, Melton explains how Freestyle ended up with the finished pic.
"Once it was made, Bob found himself in a tough spot. He liked the film and we have a very good relationship, but all his money was tied up in bigger movies (Inglorious Basterds, Halloween 2, Pirahna 3-D, etc.) and he couldn't put it out into theaters. He graciously allowed us to show it to other people and Mickey Liddell ended up buying it, setting it up at Freestyle to distribute theatrically."
Being that this was conceived as a Saw prequel, it shouldn't be all that shocking that the film is quite bloody and violent.
"It's pretty hardcore. We didn't necessarily set out to make an overly violent or bloody movie, but when our lead character finds himself in the deadly situations of the film, it gets pretty violent and bloody," Melton reveals to B-D adding that it's not violent for the sake of violence. "The violence, though, is organic. There is no gore for gore sake. When someone is being hurt, there is a purpose. Information is either being elicited or our hero is hurting himself in order to save others. That being said, by fade out, this might end up being the hardest R in theaters this year.
"Probably the craziest scene is this sex scene in a room filled with potentially deadly traps," he continues talking about one of the most suspsenseful moments in the film. "The people having sex don't know what is going on around them, and the scene is shown from the perspective of the killer and our hero. It's an erotic, titillating moment, but at the same time it's very intense and suspenseful because our hero is trying to save the people before they set off the traps.
It sounds pretty crazy, which is why it took so long to get an R-rating.
"We got an NC-17 for "Pervasive, sadistic bloody violence." I believe we were the first film to get that. It took four times at the MPAA to get that down to an R. But as I said, it's pretty hard. Sorority Row this ain't."
No This Is Awesome News Inputting To Saw VI Because Saw IV Felt Like A Prequel Saw V Felt Like A Straight To Dvd Maybe A Prequel To Saw Was A Great Idea They Could Have Reaveled Doctor Gordan In It And Who Jill Was Even More.
And By The End Get On The Ending Of 3.
And Show That Jeff And Corbett Lived.
See Feast Was Okay So I Did Not See Feast 2 Or Feast 3 Saw 4 Was Good So Seen Saw V Saw 5 Was Not So Good So I'll Wait Till 6 Hits Dvd But The Collector Sounds Good Why Don't They Post The Pic. of The Traps Being Set And The People Having S*E*X* It Would Be A Great Part To The Promotion.
I Did See The Set Of Saw VI And Still Thought That The Film Would Be A 3 1/2 Star But I See The Poster To COllector And Think Of Strangers So Its A Saw Prequel And Strangers Sequel Kinda.
Thats What I'm Getting At It Just Wants Attention Because Tobin Bell Would Be In If He Even Thought It Has Something To Do With "SAW" Thats Why I Wrote Post The Damn Picture~
Doesn't look too bad really. Not sure if the idea of tagging the marketing to it being from the writers of thus far the two most-hated Saw films in the franchise is the best idea though. Has anyone actually seen a TV spot? I've only seen the trailer on BD.
Movies will always be released uncut eventually
It took them long enough to get out "Combat Shock" uncut, but this'll probably be uncut as soon as it hits DVD's (like RZ's Halloween)
Well say what you want I feel that this could be the horror movie I've wanted in Saw IV-VI. The Saw franchise, although I love it dearly, has lost sight of its purpose and origins and has lost its shine. I will still see VI but I don't have my standards very high. That being said, The Collector seems like it has taken the best parts of Saw and put it into a summer blockbuster. Having a new franchise allows it not to bother with stories of old characters and allows it to focus on the plot of the now. Looks to be a spooky film with great tone and plot. Hope I change my mind about Saw VI.
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Patrick Melton tells B-D how The Collector was nearly a prequel to the SAW movies!
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