Saw

2003
15
9m

IMDb RATING

YOUR RATING

David, an orderly at a hospital, tells his horrific story of being kidnapped and forced to play a vile game of survival.David, an orderly at a hospital, tells his horrific story of being kidnapped and forced to play a vile game of survival.David, an orderly at a hospital, tells his horrific story of being kidnapped and forced to play a vile game of survival.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

13K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
The "Reverse Bear Trap" used in this short film was made by an engineer friend of Leigh Whannell and James Wan. The device was not actually rusty as it had to be placed in Leigh's mouth. Also, it was completely working, but ultimately safe for obvious reasons. In the feature length film, Saw (2004), the device was also safe and coated with fake rust and Shawnee was holding the trap steady by biting down on wooden tongue depressors, not metal hooks from the trap.

Quotes
Jigsaw: Congratulations David you are still alive, most people are so ungrateful to be alive but not you, not anymore

Connections
Featured in The Cinema Snob: Saw (2021)

Soundtracks
Happiness In Slavery (Remix)
(uncredited)
Written by Trent Reznor
Performed by Nine Inch Nails

User reviews24

Review

Featured review

7/10

Before Saw, there was Saw.

In order to pitch their concept for Saw (2004), director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell filmed this 9-minute short in which unfortunate hospital orderly David (Whannell) is forced to play a tortuous game of survival devised by an unseen maniac whose aim is to make his victim appreciate life.

With an ingenious concept, stylish direction from Wan and a solid central performance from Whannell, the short clearly impressed the honchos at Lionsgate, who gave the guys the green light to make the full-length Saw the following year (with Shawnee Smith replacing Whannell in the now infamous 'reverse beartrap'). The rest, as they say, is history.