Spanning 20 years and 10 films to date, it's no surprise that there are a shocking number of behind-the-scenes stories from the Saw franchise ranging from humorous to downright disgusting. For instance, a movie theater mistakenly showed Saw 3D to a group of seven-year-olds. On the other hand, live maggots were used in the pig vat scene from Saw III, and the maggots had to be sterilized in case anybody accidentally swallowed one. More often than not, these behind-the-scenes tales highlight the lengths that Saw's actors, directors, and producers went to in order to create a horrifyingly believable series of films.
Read through all these stories and vote up the one that surprised you the most.
- 1
The Jigsaw Villain Was Inspired When Leigh Wannell Thought He Had A Brain Tumor
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- Saw II
- Lions Gate Films
Saw creators Leigh Whannell and James Wan came up with the basic idea for the first film when they were in film school, but it would take years for them to actually make the original 2004 film. In an interview with AV Club, Whannell revealed that the idea for Jigsaw/John Kramer came about when he was 24 and began having constant migraines. Whannell worried that he might have a brain tumor and went for an MRI. As he sat in the waiting room, Whannell began imagining a man being given one or two years to live, and how the man might use that time. As Whannell put it, “What if you were given the news that you had a tumor and you were going to die soon? How would you react to that?”
Whannell added that Jigsaw and his games were only meant to be a small part of the original film, but fans positive reactions made John Kramer and the games the focus of subsequent films.
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- 2
'The Cube Trap' From 'Saw V' Carried A Real Drowning Risk
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One of Jigsaw's more memorable traps is the water cube from Saw V. The trap was originally meant to appear in Saw IV, but issues in filming and safety led to it being cut. In Saw V, Peter Strahm (Scott Patterson) wakes up with his limbs free, but his head is trapped in a glass box that fills with water. In order to save himself, Strahm performs a crude tracheotomy by shoving a ballpoint pen into his neck.
The scene itself is adrenaline-inducing, and the filming was equally stressful. Filmmakers had to create a box that could easily be drained so that Patterson didn't accidentally drown. Although a stunt double would typically be used in such a risky scene, it only really worked if Patterson himself did it. Patterson would have to hold his breath for 30 seconds, and sometimes up to a minute, as the scene was painstakingly filmed. Despite the clear glass box and clean water being pumped into it, Patterson also couldn't see or hear anything while filming and had to use hand gestures when he needed a break.
Interesting fact? - 3
'The Coffin Trap' From 'Saw V' Was One Of The Most Dangerous To Film
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At the end of Saw V, it appears that Strahm has the upper hand after locking Hoffman in the glass coffin. However, the tables turn as the coffin descends into the floor and the metal walls of the room close in on Strahm, crushing him to death.
The coffin trap was the most expensive in the Saw franchise at that time. It was also the most dangerous because the walls really could crush a person. However, they were controlled by a series of pulleys and cables that moved slowly, and the walls themselves were constructed out of plywood and cardboard. For this scene, Scott Patterson wore a prosthetic arm to make it look as though it had been crushed. In the end, the impressive trap turned out to be the largest and most complex one that the Saw team had ever devised.
Interesting fact? - 4
A 'Give 'Till It Hurts' Blood Drive' Gave Away Free Tickets To Each Movie
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Although the Saw films are hardly uplifting, each installment has helped a good cause. The Saw “Give 'Till It Hurts” blood drive is a series of events sponsored by Lionsgate Films that benefits the Red Cross. In addition to helping others, fans who donate blood have the opportunity to win free tickets and swag for whichever Saw film is being released. Leading up to the release of Saw V in 2008, fans had donated 38,000 pints (approximately 4,750) gallons of blood. These donations could statistically save the lives of 112,500 people, something John Kramer might even approve of.
For the release of Saw X, blood drives were held throughout the United States, including cities such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, Miami, New York City, and more.
Interesting fact? - 5
Billy The Puppet Was Originally Made Out Of Clay And Ping Pong Balls
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- Saw V
- Lionsgate
Billy the Puppet was originally designed by Saw creator James Wan. Wan made Billy in his bedroom, constructing him out of papier-mâché, clay, and ping-pong balls. Billy's torso was just a paper towel roll, and his eyes were drawn on. In the first film, Billy appears in grainy camera footage to hide the makeshift design. Fishing wire turned Billy into a marionette and allowed him to shakily move around set on his tricycle with the help of puppeteers.
Saw II, III, and IV all saw improved versions of Billy, including the addition of mechanics that allowed his eyes and jaw to move. A seemingly bigger version of Billy makes a triumphant return in Saw X.
Despite being a staple of modern horror, nobody ever says Billy's name in the entirety of the Saw franchise. It was simply the name Wan gave the puppet when he made him, well before anyone knew that Saw would be a blockbuster success.
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- 6
A Theater Accidently Showed 'Saw 3D' To Children
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A group of seven-year-olds got a terrible surprise when they gathered at a Massachusetts theater for a birthday party back in 2010. The children and their parents thought they were going to see the animated film Megamind, but were instead treated to a surprise screening of Saw 3D. The switch was a mistake on the cinema's part, and while the error was quickly made apparent, there was still enough time to scar the kids.
In the few minutes it took to realize the gaff and shut down the projector, the children witnessed Dr. Lawrence Gordon with his foot cut off and the character Dina being sliced in half during one of Jigsaw's games. Although the children were told not to look at the screen, at least one child was reported to have nightmares from the incident, though the number was likely higher given the age of the children and the level of graphic violence they saw.
Interesting fact?