I saw Saw.

by Ross Catrow

I don’t know how you can resist a movie with a tagline like See Saw, I certainly couldn’t (at least I couldn’t resist it on Netflix). You have to have some major marketing cajones to go to press with such a succinctly punny tag. MY HAT IS OFF TO YOU LION’S GATE.

Saw is intense, like Se7en times two, like, 4ourteen or some shit. It’s like the new Se7en for those who aren’t fazed by that crazy hooker + medieval knife scenario, you know, the kids these days. As we’ve rolled along as a society I guess we’ve built up a tolerance to horror movies, so each and every subsequent horror movie must contain more gore, creep, and scares per square minute to keep up (with the kids these days).

Saw follows the same premise set down by Se7en — which is perhaps a premise set down by someone else: killer devises intricate and deadly scenarios to teach people with “problems” a “lesson.” Many people die in the process. It is a good premise and this instance is not without *twists*. Worth a netflix if you’ve got it.

The movie maintained a high level of Scarocity™ while not turning into a snuff film (which according to that wikipedia article, the existance of snuff films may just be an urban legend). Recent movies have resorted to the ol’ hey-I-am-scary-because-I-am-basically- depicting-the-realistic-torture-slash-murder-of-a-human-being trick — The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003) I’m looking in your direction. So good work Saw

I will say that I rarely see movies in theatres these days but if I do there is a good chance I’ll be watching a horror flick. There is something awesomely painful about willing submitting to a horror movie for a couple of hours in a big dark room.

So with that, here are some films that I enjoy and can call to mind at the moment:

  • Se7evn
  • Slugs
  • Misery
  • The Ring
  • The Shinning
  • House of 1000 Corpses
  • The Devil’s Rejects
  • 28 Days Later
  • Descent
  • Saw

PS. who is excited about Saw II and Saw III!?!??!

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