Recommended Posts

{SPOILER ALERT}

LYTrules.com EXCLUSIVE: Director David Hackl talks SAW V

I don't have a picture of David, so instead I'm re-running one of SAW V co-star Meagan Good. I doubt you'll complain...

m0j6x.jpg

LYT: So you designed all the traps in the previous movies?

David Hackl: Not all of them myself, but I certainly had a hand in the traps from the past few movies

-How well would they be delineated in the script, versus how you realized them?

Often times in the script it was just a line saying, you know, ?then we see the most horrific Jigsaw trap we?ve ever seen before.? It?s just the sort of thing where a lot of times...sometimes the idea would be there from the beginning, for Darren there were traps in his mind that he wanted to do absolutely. There were traps that changed. For example, in Saw III, the twisty-Tim trap, where Tim gets twisted apart, that evolved form a trap Leigh Whannell had thought of that he wanted in the first Saw movie, which is a trap where a guy gets bent backwards in half and his back splits, and we drew a whole series of sketches and models. But we realized that bending someone backwards in half and splitting their spine doesn?t look great on film, because their feet have to be beside their head, basically, which means that you?re either looking at their belly, or you?re bending them backwards upside down, and no matter what, it?s gonna be so comical that it?s not gonna be visceral, it?s not gonna look horrific. So we eventually developed that into this twisting trap where we twist someone?s limbs off and twist someone?s head right around until it snapped their neck.

-And that, if I?m not mistaken, is one you had to trim for the theatrical cut quite a bit, right?

Yes. The bones jutting out of the arms and legs.

-Because I really didn?t understand it fully when I saw it in the theater, then I watched the first unrated cut ? now there?s another director?s cut ?

Yeah, that?s exactly it, I mean it was something that had to get edited down so badly that in the theater, it almost didn?t make sense

-My favorite, of course, is the pig-pulper

Yes, the pig-pulper was good, but that was something that also developed over time, I mean it was the sort of thing where it grew and grew and grew from a small machine with pig guts coming out of it to this giant pulley system with huge pigs falling from the ceiling into these huge blades, and then of course the little incinerator that was next to it, and the giant vat our man got strapped to the floor in. What else were your favorite traps?

-That was the main one, because it was so insane, how do you even think of that? Putrid pig corpses, you?re gonna liquefy ?em, and you?re gonna drown someone in them, so that was awesome. One thing I still don?t get, in Saw IV, there?s the ?see no evil, speak no evil? one, and I still don?t know who the bald guy was who had his eyes sewn shut. Is that something we get to in the new one?

Ah, no, we never really explain who he was, but we may in the future.

-Because in the first Saw, there?s a big deal about how these are kind of ironic traps based on people?s sins, and I was wondering when I saw that how that was an ironic punishment of sorts

Well, maybe in the future we?ll have to explain that. Certainly for the lawyer it was important, and there?ve been a few traps like that where the dead guy, or the guy who?s gonna die, is just a victim, who may have done something really bad, or may have been just a corpse.

-So now that you?re in the director?s chair, is someone else figuring out the traps, or are you still doing it?

I?m still doing it quite a bit. I still had a very big hand in it, and Patrick and Marcus, the writers, they had a lot to do with them, certainly there were a few things that they didn?t sort out, but for the most part, y?know, I mean we worked really closely in production, early in the script-writing, to make it all work out well. They pinned down a few of ?em, but then there were a few that were just left hanging.

-The big box of glass we saw in Jigsaw?s flashback in the last one, does that pay off in this one?

I can?t tell you that

-That?s a positive sign

Whether it does or it doesn?t, it?s definitely an element that we want to hang on to.

-When you?re coming on a part 5, obviously there?s a visual style and an audio style that?s been well established. Did you feel confined by that, or were you able to bring your own thing to it?

Not at all, I mean, I wanted to maintain that style, because I wanted this to still look and feel like a Saw movie, definitely, and it?s a format that?s worked fairly well. There?s a few things I chose not to do, things like there?s a few transitional shots in this, but I didn?t go for any of the giant transitions that we did in the past, and that was a conscious decision, I wanted to make sure that at no point did the transition become self-conscious or conspicuous, but rather would just be an organic flow from one scene to the next. Because often times if it?s too conspicuous, it can be something that ruins the suspension of disbelief, and I felt like that was something I wanted to make sure was maintained, so that at no point in the movie do you fall out of it, which is my ideal.

-One of the things I noticed after watching all four in a row last year at Sawfest is that the first one has a lot of genuine scares that make you jump, whereas 2, 3, and 4 are more sort of disturbing, but not so many jump moments. How does that carry over into 5?

We definitely have a good mix of both. We definitely have some good jump moments. I love the jump moments, myself, so yeah, they?re there.

-Do we see the pig mask again?

Oh yeah. I can tell you that.

-I?ve heard that this particular arc is supposed to end with part 6. Is that something...are you on for part 6?

I?m not on for part 6, but I don?t know if it?s gonna end. It?ll end when the fans want it to end.

-Well, obviously they?ll find ways to continue, but this particular arc, do you know if that?s set to wrap up with 6?

Uh, not at this point, it?s not gonna necessarily wrap up with 6. We?re very much still in the writing stage, but I don?t think there?s any indication that it will or won?t wrap up at this point.

-Is that tough as a director, to know that you can?t wrap it up too much, that you have to leave it open ended?

No not at all, because I think that I tried to make a contained story as much as possible. It was something where I wanted to make sure that ? while the story may have an ending that hangs, we?re still working on the ending, choosing which one we want to use ? it?s the sort of thing that I?ve always intended to be self-contained. You know, it can?t stand alone, you have that certain history, an assumed knowledge is necessary, but I want it to be an individual story that is strong.

-So it?ll be satisfying to the viewer whether or not there?s a part 6?

Yes. Oh yeah. Absolutely.

-You?re probably sworn to secrecy, right?

Well, here?s what happens...Nahh, I?m not gonna tell you. There?s a trap in it, and then there?s another trap, with a whole bunch of acting in between, and then another trap, seven altogether.

-Can you give us some idea how much Tobin Bell is in the movie?

He?s probably there for, I would say about a quarter. He?s peppered throughout the movie, and he has good presence, but it?s not ridiculous, it certainly makes sense where he is; it?s not something where we?re trying to milk him or anything like that. I think that his presence in the whole franchise is really necessary, and I think because this answers a couple of very big questions about the whole franchise, it has some scenes that are pivotal to the franchise, that are more pivotal than scenes in some of the other movies. And I think that having Tobin?s, Jigsaw?s presence in the entire franchise is necessary because I think you wanna feel that he had a role in all of what?s going on, and certainly you can?t deny his history on this entire story, certainly in this arc. It?s really what Saw?s about.

-Do you think there?s ever a point, like if they got to Saw 10, there?s absolutely nothing more you could possibly learn about Jigsaw?

Yeah, definitely I think that?s a possibility. I think that his legacy will always be there to a certain effect, but yeah, I fear the day that they go to something like what happened with the HANNIBAL RISING movie, it was just unfortunate.

-You don?t wanna see JIGSAW RISING?

I don?t wanna see Jigsaw as a kid, no.

-That?s funny, because my boss at LA Weekly wrote in his review of SAW IV that he?d like to see JIGSAW RISING; I said no, that?s a bad idea!

Not unless he?s rising from the dead

-Well, that?s what we were all afraid of with SAW IV!

Yeah, especially in that first scene where you see his , you don?t want to see that rising, necessarily.

-Was that really his , though, or was it a dummy?

I don?t know. We?ve asked that question a few times, and no-one?s ever given us a straight answer.

-So you weren?t on set for that?

It was definitely a prosthetic, the whole body, but whether that was natural or not, I?m not sure. I?m certain that there was a phone call that went out that said ?Cut or uncut?? at a certain point.

-Do you know if there?ll be any new action figures from NECA for this movie?

There might be, we?ve got some good new characters in this one. There may be one or two.

-You?ve got Meagan Good; I?m not sure I?ve seen her in a horror movie before.

She was stupendous.

-One of the most beautiful women I?ve ever seen in a movie.

Ah, not only that, but she?s a fantastic actor, really really strong, I mean her performances were just amazing. She brought so much to this, I was really pleased.

-Can you tell us anything at all about her character?

I?m not sure what?s out there at this point yet, so I can?t really say.

-I don?t think anything.

All I can say is she?s one of the people who?s in this series of traps, and has to make certain decisions that she is not very happy with.

-Is she connected to Lyriq Bent?s character in the previous films?

No, she?s not. Definitely not. But you never know! In SAW VIII, maybe you find out she was his sister!

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/597054-saw-v/page/6/#findComment-589557642
Share on other sites

Although we have yet to confirm the news (it's 8 AM here), B-D reader 'Oliver' tells us that the first official trailer for Lionsgate's Saw V will be attached to prints of THE X-FILES: I WANT TO BELIEVE this Friday. If this is true, that would mean we'll be seeing it online as early as Friday, maybe even tonight after the panel at Comic Con? In the fifth installment of the popular SAW franchise, Hoffman is seemingly the last person alive to carry on the Jigsaw legacy. But when his secret is threatened, Hoffman must go on the hunt to eliminate all loose ends. The latest sequel arrives in theaters October 24th.

/source

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/597054-saw-v/page/6/#findComment-589580596
Share on other sites

This Thursday Bloody-Disgusting was on hand for Lionsgate's Saw V panel at the San Diego Comic Con, which featured the premiere of the trailer and the entire cast and crew talking about Jigsaw's latest. Read on for the report from the panel of David Hackl's first SAW film, which stars Julie Benz, Tobin Bell, Scott Patterson, Costas Mandylor, Mark Rolston, Betsy Russell, Samantha Lemole, Meagan Good, Laura Gordon, Greg Bryk and Carlo Rota. In the fifth installment of the popular SAW franchise, Hoffman is seemingly the last person alive to carry on the Jigsaw legacy. But when his secret is threatened, Hoffman must go on the hunt to eliminate all loose ends.

The line for the Lionsgate's SAW V and REPO THE GENETIC OPERA! panel was out the door and wrapped around the back of the convention center to places I didn?t know existed Thursday night at the San Diego Comic Con. Then it started, the room was all silent with anticipation as producers Oren Koules and Mark Burg unveiled a teaser trailer for the latest SAW film, Directed by David Hackl... then, the crowd went nuts.

?Darren (Bousman) and I worked very closely on the past SAW films," Hackl explains to the audience. "...it was a natural process. For me it was a wonderful opportunity and I had a fantastic time.?

Co-writer Marcus Dunstan was also on hand and had a bit to say about the hardcore aspect of the franchise. ?Every time that you watch these, we are aiming to kick your ass back into the seat and scare you white.?

"We continue to make these films because we aren't finished telling the story,? Producer Mark Burg adds with much pride about the franchise that kicked off in 2004.

Partner producer at Twisted Pictures Oren Koules adds, ?The SAW films are fun because they are consistent we settle in each year, go to Toronto and get back inside," he continues, "With each film we go two steps forwards (in plot) and one step back for the fans."

The trailer screens:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XEHnVbvwVs.swf

Scott Paterson, who is featured in the trailer shown above, talks about what you just saw. ?That box you see in the trailer, was so frightening. Inside the trap was an all day event - I have never been that frightened in my life. When we did the fast take... all the crew had to get me out because I was so scared and I went into shock!?

Director David Hackl screams "I told you so!"

"I warned him [scott] about the trap, and as soon as he said yes, I was nervous. Scott wasn't nervous until he got in the trap. You will see in the film just what was so crazy. Their was no way to do this with CGI and have it be believable."

SAW V arrives in theaters everywhere on October 24th.

/source

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/597054-saw-v/page/6/#findComment-589587544
Share on other sites

This morning we got our hands on a hi-res poster and a promotional tattoo kit for the upcoming SAW video game, that is slated for release in 2009. Don't forget you can check out the official game site for more info and to sign up for updates, otherwise read on for the images.

73329153.jpg

073fd164.jpg

/source

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/597054-saw-v/page/6/#findComment-589596266
Share on other sites

Wait, there was a third?

And a fourth.

Am I the only person caring? :p

Unfortunately, Lionsgate has screwed the horror community recently twice and I'm done with them for good. I still read up on the latest news, but as for actually caring, I don't, not anymore.

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/597054-saw-v/page/6/#findComment-589612242
Share on other sites

I knew you wouldn't be reading this thread Hurmoth but just wondering for other people, its a shame really that lionsgate just don't respect the films as much as they should.

I like the fact the nurses are back tho.

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/597054-saw-v/page/6/#findComment-589612282
Share on other sites

One of the big secrets in all of Lionsgate's SAW films is who will be returning. With the fifth entry just around the corner (October 24), star Shawnee Smith chats about her return to the franchise, along with her toplining role in Sony's The Grudge 3. Read on for the skinny.

During an interview with Popwrap, Shawnee Smith confirms rumors that she is in fact SAW V, even though she never stepped a foot in the studio.

"That's what I hear," referring to the fact she's been told she's back in Lionsgate's SAW V. "I'm not sure how they keep resurrecting me, but somehow! If I'm in SAW V, it's something I'd already filmed, but I have no idea. This is horror, you're more valuable dead than alive."

/source

Link to comment
https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/597054-saw-v/page/6/#findComment-589622700
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Waymo recalls self-driving software after cars enter closed freeway work zones by Paul Hill Waymo, the self-driving car maker owned by Alphabet – the parent company of Google –, has recalled some of its fifth-generation Automated Driving Systems (ADS). It did so after some of its cars drove through closed construction zones. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the affected vehicles were capable of driving through a closed freeway construction zone and continuing to drive at speed. The listing on the NHTSA website says that Waymo is currently developing a solution to fix this issue, but in the meantime, freeway driving is being restricted. Waymo will update its ADS software so that vehicles can detect when they can avoid entering construction zones. According to the Safety Recall Report, on April 20, 2026, Waymo’s Field Safety Committee began meetings reviewing an event from April 11, 2026, and five events from April 19, 2026, where Waymo’s autonomous vehicles didn’t recognize and drove past ramp closure signs into the pre-planned freeway construction zones. This took place in Phoenix, Arizona. Separately, on May 18, 2026, seven Waymo vehicles entered freeway lanes with active construction in the San Francisco Bay Area by driving between cones that were placed to show the lane was closed. On the back of both of these events, Waymo restricted freeway driving until it could address the issue. In June, Waymo’s Safety Board reviewed the issue and additional information related to ADS performances around construction zones; then, as a result, it decided to conduct a recall. This development is not good for Waymo as it adds to a growing list of technical hiccups its cars have experienced. Ultimately, it will lead to more scrutiny from lawmakers around the world who will be more cautious about letting autonomous vehicles on their roads without tighter regulation. For readers in areas where Waymo operates, does this news make you more wary about stepping into one of these vehicles?
    • I'm still on Windows 10 22H2 because I didn't want to deal with all the issues in Windows 11, so I waited almost a week before installing the latest Patch Tuesday update (KB5094127), I went ahead and did it, and it was a huge mistake—ever since then, my File Explorer has seen a performance drop of about 30% when transferring large files... Once again, Microsoft has outdone itself! This update cannot be uninstalled, either through the Control Panel (via Settings) or by accessing Advanced Startup Options. The only possible alternative would be to use system restore points, but I’d have to reinstall all app and driver updates (and there’s no guarantee it would work). Or there’s the “nuclear option” of a in-place repair without losing files or apps, but even then, all my customizations would be lost! Microsoft just can’t help but mess everything up! Way to go, Microsoft! But I still don’t want your c****y Windows 11!
    • Microsoft: Windows 11 could finally solve a major issue across AMD, Nvidia, and Intel GPUs by Sayan Sen While Microsoft has been trying to improve it, Windows 11 is definitely not flawless, as even today some issues are taking a year to publicly acknowledge. However, one area of trouble that may finally see much better results soon is graphics driver crashes. Work on graphics driver timeouts, also called Timeout and Detection Recovery (TDR), is not new as the latest WDDM 3.2 also has specific improvements regarding it. Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) version 3.2 is supported on Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2. However, with the upcoming version 26H2, TDR crash diagnosis could go to the next level as Microsoft is introducing a new DirectX 12 API feature called "DirectX Dump Files". Similar to how system memory dump files work when a system crashes or freezes or encounters any such major issue, DirectX Dump Files (DDF) will essentially record a snapshot of the GPU execution right at the moment a graphics-related crash or hang or freeze occurs, so that developers can better understand and diagnoze these TDR and timeout detection errors. The dump will be available as a .dxdmp file for analysis and it will be a comprehensive dump file generated with detailed insights about the hardware, drivers, Windows, as well as the affected application. This should be another welcome change in this department. Earlier at GDC 2026, when the technology was first debuted, Microsoft had shared more details regarding it. The company had explained how DDF is designed to gather data from every layer of the graphics stack into a single file, eliminating the need for developers to manually correlate logs from multiple tools. As mentioned above, the dump can contain a lot of useful details like GPU hardware state information such as register values, shader program counters, page fault virtual addresses, shader memory data, and command buffers. Alongside that, it also captures DirectX runtime and kernel information, including D3D objects, pipeline state objects, device error data, adapter details, and CPU call stacks. Microsoft says the feature has been built around two primary use cases: retail device removals and local device removals. The former allows developers to collect crash information from end users' systems in the field, while the latter helps QA teams and developers investigate issues on test machines. Developers will also be able to include up to 2 MB of custom application data through new D3D12 APIs, providing additional context for troubleshooting. In addition, Microsoft is introducing three dump collection modes ranging from zero-overhead capture, which has no runtime performance impact on supported hardware, to higher-detail modes that collect more vendor-specific debugging data. On compatible Tier 2 hardware, zero-overhead dumps will be enabled by default, meaning developers may begin receiving useful crash diagnostics without making any code changes. The table below explains the three tiers: Tier Description NO_OVERHEAD Enables crash capture with no runtime cost and is suitable for broad deployment MEDIUM_OVERHEAD Provides a balance, capturing additional diagnostic data with moderate impact HIGH_OVERHEAD Collects the most detailed GPU and driver state available, enabling deeper investigation at the cost of higher runtime overhead In terms of availability, the company expects broader release to be around the fall of 2026, which should be right around the time when Windows 11 version 26H2 lands. Right now, DirectX Dump Files are available as a preview and currently, only AMD has the compatible AgilitySDK Developer Preview driver version 26.10.07.02. You can find the official announcement post here on Microsoft's website.
    • And with SO much better perf than the laggy mess that is Files.
  • Recent Achievements

    • One Month Later
      Sharbel earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • First Post
      BizSAR earned a badge
      First Post
    • Week One Done
      Jordan Smith earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Reacting Well
      BizSAR earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • First Post
      AndreaB earned a badge
      First Post
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      598
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      190
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      80
    4. 4
      Michael Scrip
      76
    5. 5
      Steven P.
      69
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!