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List Price: $14.98 | | Label: Lions Gate
Salesrank: 26199
Released: October 18, 2005 |
| Our Price: $5.00 |
| Used Price: $1.22 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
OBSESSED WITH TEACHING HIS VICTIMS THE VALUE OF LIFE, A DERANGED, SADISTIC KILLER IS ABDUCTING MORALLY WAYWARD PEOPLE AND FORCING THEM TO PLAY HORRIFIC GAMES FOR THEIR OWN SURVIVAL. FACED WITH IMPOSSIBLE CHOICES, EACH VICTIM MUST STRUGGLE TO WIN BACK HIS/HER LIFE, OR ELSE DIE TRYING.
Description of Saw - Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition):
Saw opens with a gruesome scenario: Two men are chained to the walls of a grimy bathroom with a bloody corpse lying on the floor between them. Tape recordings tell them that one of the men has to kill the other, or his wife and child will die. The corpse is holding a gun in one hand, but it's out of reach...but whoever has locked these two up has thoughtfully provided a hacksaw that can't cut through the heavy chain, but might cut through a little flesh and bone. From there, Saw jumps back and forth as the two men slowly unravel how they know each other and that their tormentor is one of those all-knowing, all-capable serial killers (it goes without saying that Saw is hugely influenced by Seven and the movies of Dario Argento), a fellow known as Jigsaw who disguises his voice and lets a creepy puppet (lifted almost directly from the eccentric animations of the Brothers Quay) be his visual representative. But imitation isn't inherently bad; what puts Saw ahead of its horror compatriots is a gleeful enthusiasm that a dozen sequels to Halloween couldn't muster. Saw has problems--it's clumsily overwritten (every detail of what's going on, no matter how visually evident, will be explained by the characters); most of the situations are static and implausible; and though the cast includes talented veterans like Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride) and Danny Glover (Lethal Weapon), the acting has the depth of a puddle. The rapid pace and frequently frenzied camerawork keep things in motion and while the philosophical underpinnings of Jigsaw won't challenge Hegel or Schopenhauer, they do offer more food for thought than most contemporary horror. Discriminating fans of the genre who like their gore with a glimmer of an idea will embrace Saw.
The Uncut Edition differs only slightly from the theatrical release; it reinserts a little more gore that was cut to get an R rating and tightens up the editing (the uncut version is actually a teensy bit shorter than the theatrical release). The extras are plentiful (if a bit thin): Two audio commentaries (one by director James Wan, screenwriter/actor Leigh Whannel, and Elwes), one by the producers--thankfully, no one takes themselves too seriously. Also included are a trio of typically self-congratulatory making-of featurettes ("He was amazing to work with" etc.), an animated storyboard of a sequence they couldn't afford to shoot, a DVD-ROM game in which you can construct your own puppet, a couple of self-mocking Easter Eggs, and lots of promotional stuff for Saw II. There's a very curious faux-news show purporting to be an investigation of the "real" Jigsaw, which uses clips from the movie as if they were documentary footage--it's hard to say whether this is a misguided attempt to make the movie seem creepier or a bit of flimsy humor. Most fans will find the regular DVD release satisfactory; this special edition is largely for hardcore enthusiasts. --Bret Fetzer
Saw - Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition) Reviews:
A true horror classic... 
2009-11-30 - I haven't seen this movie since it's release, but it's Halloween and I decided to do a Saw marathon. This movie is perhaps the best in the series. It has a lot of mystery and suspense. I think not knowing who Jigsaw is adds to the enjoyment. The later installments peeled the mystery away from him and it hurt the overall feel of the franchise. This movie does not have a lot of traps, they are not as elaborate as the traps in the sequel, but they are nicely used. There are so many twists and turns in this movie it's hard to even guess the next turn. I personally like Danny Glover and he does a great job. He should have been a more central character. The entire movie your trying to figure out who jigsaw is and that adds to the movie's greatness. As the series progressed the mystery element was taken away piece by piece. There are a lot of characters interacting around this "game" and that adds to the overall feel of desperation of this movie. This movie is a classic. The rest in the series decide to stand on gore instead of real suspense. This is a classic worth treasuring.
Great movie, disappointing Blu-ray 
2009-11-21 - Saw is a great movie, all the sequels can be skipped. However the video quality on the Blu-ray is pretty disappointing. Very grainy, never once really looked like a high-def video even in bright scenes. But what makes it even worse is that there are no extras whatsoever. No commentary, no deleted scenes, nothing besides some previews. Sad,sad,sad. At least it was cheap.
"I've Given Your Life a Purpose"
2009-11-01 - Initially I will admit that I had no desire whatsoever to watch 'Saw'. My expectations were that it was going to be nothing more than just another one of those splatter films whose sole aim was to nauseate and repulse the audience.
Miracle of miracles, I happened to be wrong. While the gore element is there, for the most part it is an anticipated horror more than an actually realized one (at least by today's standards). For most of the film the terror and dread is psychological in nature and proceeds from an intelligent storyline and a thought-provoking script which dialogues with the audience on such concerns as the nature of life, death and what a person would be willing to do to retain ones life.
For me what really makes the film work is the protagonist nicknamed Jigsaw. While his actions are indeed horrific and grotesque his reasoning comes across as rational, his goals subtle and his attention to detail flawless. Well worth a watch, or two.
My Rating: -3 1/2 Stars-.
Great Film, One Of My Favorites
2009-10-22 - I love the Saw series, and I noticed that this was a really great price on the UMD format of the film. Overall I am satisfied with the product and I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys an intense, gruesome movie experience with a shocking ending!
Bloody but good! 
2009-10-18 - The whole series is very, very gory, but at the same time has a very plausible plot line. Definitely falls within the "Psychological Thriller/Horror" genre. Plus, it has the cute Cary Elwes of "The Princess Bride" one of my favorite movies.
