Personally, this is the first time I’ve heard about it, and Bousman himself hasn’t said anything yet. Whatever ever happened to that submarine film he was attached too prior to Mother’s Day? THR is a legit source, and if this is true, someone like Bousman-perhaps in the top few best working new horror directors-could make a seemingly DTV idea way cool. We shall wait and see for confirmed info, as Mother’s Day hasn’t been given an official release date yet, either.

Source: First Showing

The Film:

Do you want to play a game?

And we have, each and every Halloween these last handful of years, and there’s one thing we all can agree on when it comes to the Saw sequels: Jigsaw is the King of Halloween. Regardless of how you personally feel about the quality of each sequel, they make money, and in this business that’s the bottom line. Coming off Saw V, a sequel that left many either confused or left an odd taste in their mouths (even though I personally enjoyed it), Saw VI quickly picks up from that film’s cliffhanger ending, and now Hoffman (Costas Mandylor) is the lone apprentice to Jigsaw, with seemingly no one knowing his identity and involvement. Hoffman now sets the final game into motion.

I really don’t want to talk about the plot, because if you’ve seen a few of these films, then the point of how to have fun with them is the twists and turns of the stories. Saw VI is a very satisfying sequel for a handful of reasons. One of the complaints of the last few sequels, were people felt each entry was incomplete because the film’s would leave plot points left unanswered. Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton make Saw VI into a caper for the previous films, finally answering some long wondered questions, while juggling an interesting solo story. We get questions answered, which should please the long time fans, and tells a sick little moralistic tale that goes back to the origin of Jigsaw. Saw VI won’t win over any newbies, but it doesn’t have too. If you’re late in this game, go back to the beginning. Maybe that’s good advice for all of us Saw fans, because you’ll appreciate this film a lot more, with all of the subplots fresh in your mind.

Another issue this film should rectify for most fans, is the traps. Many felt Saw V’s were weak, or not that inventive, and while I see their complaint, I felt those traps worked for the nature of that story. But here, we get plenty of fun, gory, interesting traps, disproving my own theory that maybe Melton and Dunstan were tapped out of ideas, after the trap-heavy The Collector. Each of the traps are satisfying. From the opening prologue, where two characters must shed more flesh than the other in 60 seconds in order to live, or the spinning carousel that stops for a shotgun blast, they’re constantly fun and sick. That’s exactly how this series came to become famous, was the wicked traps, and fans, they’re back.

On a technical side, long time Saw editor Kevin Greutert turned director for this film, and he uses that editor eye to great success. Saw VI is a well crafted film, probably the best paced and edited film since Saw II. Greutert makes everything clear; from visuals, to the easy-to-follow story structure, Saw VI is one of the more accessible of the Saw sequels. Again, that clears away a gripe many have had with the series, is that it’s a bit hard to follow. I don’t know how he done it, but Greutert gets away with a lot of gore in this film, more so than Bousman or Hackl did in their respective sequels.

Finally, we cannot discuss a Saw film without talking about Tobin Bell. It seems like each sequel, he gets less and less screen time, and even here it feels like he is barely in the film for 12 minutes, but he completely owns the film. True, it’s Tobin’s sixth go-round with the character, and that certainly helps, but if you haven’t considered it yet, do so: Tobin Bell as John/Jigsaw is a modern horror icon that will be in the same discussions as Robert Englund’s Freddy and Kane Hodder’s Jason Voorhees. Jigsaw is a face of horror for this new generation’s nightmares. I know most fans will always have their favorite or least favorite in this series, and that’s fine, but Saw VI perfectly caps the series off in a satisfying manner. Game over! Well, at least the current arc is complete, and while they’ll be more sequels, Saw VI is a thrilling entry. It’s no Saw II, but like that film, it’s a solid torture-infused entry.

The Blu-ray:

Audio/Video: LGF’s Saw films on high def are getting better and better, and this is near the best, if not the best. Blacks permeate the film and the high def transfer holds up great. The little amount of colors in the film are bright and strong, and clarity is top notch. It’s a superb looking disc, and the DTS audio is equally amazing. Aggressive, bass heavy, and a decent array of surround activity, make this another winner from LGF.

Commentaries: The first track features the producers, Mark Burg and others, as they discuss the production of the film, the history, and how this ties into the rest of the franchise. It’s light and fun, but most will enjoy the second track with director Kevin Greutert and writers Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton. That tracks offers up juicy info, focuses squarely on the film, as it breezy and an easy listen.

Traps of Saw VI: We’ve seen this piece on other discs, as they love to tout the inventive work on the famous traps. So fans of props and makeup will dig this. In HD.

Jigsaw Revealed: Tobin Bell talks about his work in the franchise, as well as off-screen related Saw events. In HD.

A Killer Maze: This piece focuses on the new Universal Studios maze, as it’s a mix between a promo and making-of. Eh, but I’m sure going there to this work rock.

Music Videos: We have videos from Mushroomhead, Suicide Silence, Memphis May Fire, and Hatebreed. I really like Suicide Silence, and am glad they’re getting more attention, but I understand many are not into the whole deathcore scene.

Saw: A bonus disc, featuring the original Saw on Blu-ray is here. As far as I can quickly tell, it is just the original Blu-ray release repackaged for Saw VI.

The Trailer, BD-Live features, iTouch and Metaremote material round out the extras.

Conclusion: A great Saw sequel that ties up a lot of loose ends. LGF Blu-ray is a great set for fans.

The Film: Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The Blu-ray: Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

It should go without saying, that as another Halloween approaches, so does another Saw film. Recently, Lionsgate had a Saw VI media day at the Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights Maze, that Killer Film attended. So we hope you enjoy our round table discussion interviews, with the cast of Saw VI: Tobin Bell (Jigsaw), Costas Mandylor (Det. Hoffman), and Tanedra Howard (Simone)!

By Senior Writer Jon Peters and Melissa Molina.

Killer Film: You won a role in Saw VI from VH1′s Scream Queens show. Can you explain the long process from getting on that show to actually winning a role in horror’s biggest franchise?

Tanedra Howard: Actually, doing Scream Queens was actually pretty fun, I almost didn’t do the show. I almost actually quit completely to be honest before the audition processing was started. Oh yea, cause you know how reality shows are so I was like “You aren’t gonna be in a jacuzzi drinking champagne, blah blah blah” and I was like “No way”. But once we did it, once I actually won, I was like oh my God I couldn’t believe it, cause it all happened so fast…

Well you know what, the Scream Queens it was an acting competition with ten girls and each week we had an acting challenge. James Gunn was our directing coach and Shawnee Smith (Amanda from Saw I-III) did our immunity challenges, and then he…

Tobin Bell: Immunity?

Tanedra: Yeah, immunity, like it was a certain little acting skit we had to perform in there, and then Shawnee got to pick who won. Then, if you won, you’d escape from being eliminated.

Tobin: Oh…

Tanedra: So, I won immunity like four times I think, like three or four times. And then after that each week we had a director’s challenge where they direct us in a full scene and then they went over it and then each week a girl got eliminated until there was one left.

Tobin: Yeah? (laughs)

Tanedra: Yeah. (laughs)

Tobin: Yay!

Tanedra: Yeah, and then Mark (Burg) and a few other people went over it cause our final scene was actually having to redo the scene from Saw III with the bomb.

Tobin: Yeah, oh…

Tanedra: We had to recreate that scene, that was our final challenge.

Tobin: Yeah, yeah, cool.

Tanedra: It was fun.

Tobin: Did they have the neck thing?

Tanedra: They remade a whole replica, the whole room, and everything. Well, of course you (looks at Tobin Bell) weren’t there, so they had a little speaker box made with your voice on it.

Tobin: Oh, yeah? Can I expect a check?

Tanedra: (laughs) No they actually used another guy but then just like, I guess slowed it down. Yeah, that was it, so that was how I got to it was doing that scene over again. It was fun.

Costas Mandylor: I was just thinking about, talking to the girls and just like being mysterious on the thing. If it was me I’d be like “Hello girls…what are you wearing?”

Tanedra: (laughs) Yeah, that sounds about right.

Costas: I had a different take on it (laughs).

Killer Film: Mr. Bell, the evolution of Jigsaw/John has been pretty interesting to see unfold throughout the series. Was this something as an actor that brought you back film after film?

Tobin: Yeah, I mean the arc of any character is the most interesting part of playing the character. You guys will all follow your own individual arc in your life as writers or broadcasters or whatever you are, and there’ll be times when there’s conflict, difficulty, struggle and so that’s what makes a character the most interesting and connecting the dots. Thats the part that is the most interesting to me, is like being truthful to what’s preceded in terms of his character. That’s what I care most about is that the scenes seem like they’re happening for the first time, that the stakes are high. Like, even though in Saw II, I was just sitting across the table with Donnie Walhberg, the stakes were high. We worked very hard to recreate those scenes, to reshape the dialogue in those scenes so that it, because two guys sitting across a table in a Saw movie could be deadly.

But with the tension, we needed to keep the it up, and there’s a scene in Saw IV with Costas where he sits in a chair with a shotgun under his chin and we, its a testament to all the actors who work on these shows, that we always are trying to keep the tension up, or to try to. There are lines in that scene that directly connect back to things that have been set up in Saw IV and connect. I think what sets the Saw films apart from other just special effect horror movies, is that there are some smart ideas and smart concepts. So, you know, in that scene in Saw V we were definitely trying to connect to some other thing that proceeded it and try to explain to the fans the relationship between Hoffman and John Kramer. So that’s the fun part of it, I mean the special effects and the blood, make up and the props and all that, these guys are very good at what they do. But the actors need to create what appears to be reality on screen and that’s not always an equation that’s easy to arrive at. Sometimes its really an evolution, a kind of improvisation although by the time we shoot the scene hopefully we know what were going to say. In arriving at that, you know I mean Costas will come up to me and he’ll say ‘You know what? I think, why don’t we do this?’ I remember it was a fuck you?

Costas: Yeah, yeah! (chuckles)

Tobin: It doesn’t seem like terribly Shakespearian, but it was after we pulled the trigger, after I pulled the trigger on the shotgun and we had a number of different things for him to say. By the time we shot it that seemed the most appropriate for his character, for the moment, and to keep him stronger. (To me) So what’d you ask me? (laughs)

Costas: What was that question again?

Tobin: I know what the question was, it had to do with the character’s arc and yes that’s absolutely the most important thing. Is the arc complete? It’s not.

Killer Film: How has it been working with Kevin Greutert, and what did he bring to Saw VI?

Costas: He’s great, he’s very specific as Tobin has said before, (looks to Tobin) he’s edited all of the movies?

Tobin: Since part one.

Costas: Since one, so you know he knows every nook and cranny, every frame and its easy to trust him. He’s got a great sense of humor and we need to laugh once in awhile over there cause it gets a little mundane. He’s got a great eye and Tobin’s seen some of the work that he’s done. I haven’t seen anything but he was great to work with and Tobin says he’s done a great job.

Tobin: He’s smart, he’s a smart guy. He understands the films, he understands the connecting of the dots and where this potential richness, and that’s great. Its absolutely critical, these films that everything that is potentially rich, be everything that it can be. We know the special effects, we know the traps, we know the twists and the turns, or the plot turns, but in terms of shooting the actors in the moments. The camera sees everything; you know, and the smallest moment between two people is giant on the screen and that’s not mechanical, its human so a director who can get that from his actors has got a lot.

Killer Film: How much influence have you had on Jigsaw through the duration, which has been all six (films)?

Tobin: Happily, a lot. You know I’ve been working with writers, producers, actors who care about the result. Not every idea I had is accepted, but it’s a collaborative environment and that’s been great, because I feel that we’ve been able to get more out of that environment than we had. When the script was done, then we start with that script and then we try to make it as good as we can. Like ‘Wait, wait, wait, we’ve got an opportunity here. What if we did this? What if we did that?’ and sometimes it’s accepted and sometimes it’s not, for a variety of reasons creative, financial, or time, they can’t do it.

I’ve done a lot of films and television, and with the exception of I can recall one moment in Washington DC, and going up to Wolfgang Peterson for In The Line of Fire, there’s a scene with Clint Eastwood and I wanted to change one word and it was major discussion. I can’t remember what the word was, but it was a major discussion. With Saw, it’s been a much more theater where you can work on stuff and can make it better. Depending on the situation, it gets in or doesn’t get in. Darren Bousman was very good drawing on people’s ideas. You know, one actor would have an idea, another actor would have an idea, and say ‘Good, that’s better, lets do that’. That’s what a good leader does.

Killer Film: Do you feel you’ve become kind of like a Kane Hodder, Robert Englund where your like this horror icon now or do you feel, personally for you do you feel that way?

Tobin: Some people say that, but I haven’t seen Robert Englund. I haven’t seen any of those films so I don’t know what, I mean, I know what they’re talking about, but horror icons? That’s from like that side of the room that way, I’m on this side, I’m looking that way.

Costas: And he’s not wearing a mask.

Killer Film: (To Costas) I’m sure secrecy is an issue everyone wants protected, but did you know Hoffman’s arc in this film before shooting, and what can we expect?

Costas: Well, you know what, its all a bit of a surprise, because we get the scripts very late. I’ve never been able to take a script home, because I have to go and read it in the office. So they keep stuff, last twenty pages of (Saw) four and five I didn’t have. I think (Saw) five maybe I got way before we shot it. You know what, our secrets, were not allowed to share them, and I kind of love that because every time I’ve seen the movie with an audience, I become an audience member. We’ve shot alternate endings, things like that so it keeps it exciting for me just to see the movie as a movie goer that I happen to be in, and very proud of and very grateful. Yeah, all the secrecy stuff works for me. We can talk to you generally, but we can’t say too much, which is kind of cool too, because you’ll see the movie and if you like this kind of movie you’ll be pleasantly surprised, hopefully.
Oh, don’t worry Costas, Killer Film is. Now, keep it here only on Killer Film, for Part 2 of this round table discussion, as we talk to Saw VI‘s creative team with director Kevin Greutert, writers Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton, along with producers Mark Burg and Oren Koules. Saw VI opens this Friday!

Got something to add? Feel free to leave comments or contact the writers via their emails!

I’m personally a fan of his, as I think his SAW films were the better ones in the series, especially SAW II, and we at Killer Film loved Repo!, so we’re excited to see what he does with this. What about you guys and gals?

Source: Aint It Cool

The Film:

As much as Saw was an original, fun, little film, I firmly believe the success of the franchise as it continues today and the reason the Saw series is what it is now, is because of Saw II. Yes, the first Saw was extremely successful enough to warrant this sequel, for which I’m about to praise, but Saw II offered up a blueprint for the rest of the series as well as establishing Jigsaw as a new horror icon. So what worked so well?

One thing is the brilliant casting of Tobin Bell, to play John/Jigsaw. While he was in Saw, his role was limited; here they get to expand his character. Bell delivers each line of dialogue as if it’s a combination of his last words and doctrine. He has a quite intensity, a rage lurking within, but a controlled cool about him that offers us a truly evil villain. The writing of his character is strong. The screenwriters from the first Saw are back and they must’ve loved exploring his character further because it shows and Bell is willing to deliver. Jigsaw is a brave, unique new slasher villain.

But the real reason people are talking about Saw and have helped the series become one of the most successful horror franchises in Hollywood is without a doubt Darren Lynn Bousman. Initially skeptical but curious, Bousman’s direction of this installment is a vast improvement over James Wan, who started this whole crazy series. I do not want to take anything away from Wan or Leigh Whannell for that matter, as Bousman took things they established, but the reason I’m praising him is that he took this series to a new level. While the traps in the first film were inventive and unique, Bousman’s traps and the way he films them are increasingly brutal. You feel the pain. He has a keen eye for composition too, along with the new expanded nature of the storyline, equals a devilishly grim and beautiful.

You should know the story by now. In fact, the structure of this film is replicated in the other sequels, but I enjoyed the group of characters in the trapped house, Amanda (Shawnee Smith) is an interesting and fun character, and the detective (Donnie Wahlberg) is one of the better characters to hunt Jigsaw. The film is brutal, gory, and one of the best horror sequels in a vastly long time. Saw became Saw here and all thanks to Darren Lynn Bousman.

The DVD:

Audio/Video: I prefer the DTS track as it sounds more developed and nuanced. It has thick bass and clear surrounds, but even if you go with the Dolby Digital EX track you’ll be happy. A new remastered cut of Saw II is offered here and it looks as good as DVD gets.

Commentaries: The first track offers us a soft-spoken, but intelligent Bosuman, along with David Hackl (the production designer and Saw V director), and Editor Kevin Greutert. This is a good track filled with fun info all about the work put into the short time it took Saw II to get to the screens. A must listen.

The other commentary features creators James Wan and Leigh Whannell, who also scripted this film and it’s goofier. I preferred the first track more the info involved with the production, but this is a fine listen either way. All Saw fans should give them a listen or two.

Disc 2:

Zombie: This is where Bousman began as we can view his student short film.

Scott Tibbs documentary: A faux documentary about Scott Tibbs and his investigation on the Jigsaw killings. It’s okay and worth a quick peek, but nothing more. 

Story behind Saw: This is a quick peek at the origins of the idea Whannell and Wan had which inspired the film series.

Gregg Hoffman: In Memorium: This is a quick tribute to the producer who died before it premiered.

Saw II is an amazing horror sequel that takes what the first film created and ups in almost everyway; better gore, better story, better traps, expanded role for Amanda, and the birth of a new horror icon-Jigsaw. But all this wouldn’t be possible if it wasn’t for Darren Lynn Bousman.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars