The frights came alive in Tenleytown the night of Oct. 26, when the “Saw 3D” display truck made its promotional stop at AU.
As part of a promotional tour featuring artifacts from the movie franchise, the moving exhibit parked outside of the Tenleytown CVS offered fans a peak into the goings-on inside the “Saw” universe. The truck carried the hideout of iconic movie mass-murderer “Jigsaw,” and was open for all the public to see. Making stops in Chicago, D.C. and Philadelphia, the moving display has set up its mobile shop of horrors within each city’s college communities, gathering crowds and promoting the upcoming release of “Saw 3D.”
As onlookers safely watched Jigsaw at work in his lair behind a sheet of thick glass, they were given goodies courtesy of Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures. These ranged from “Saw 3D” movie posters to complete “Saw” DVD box sets, with all six of the previous films. Nearly every person who passed the truck was also given free tickets to see “Saw 3D” when it opens Oct. 29.
“Saw 3D” is the sequel to the sequel to the sequel to the sequel of last year’s sequel that is said to be the final chapter in the movie’s franchise; it marks the seventh — yes, seventh — “Saw” movie. The series is so successful that it is even officially listed in the “Guinness Book of World Records” as the “Most Successful Horror Movie Series,” surpassing such cult classics as “Halloween,” “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Friday the Thirteenth.” Made on a budget of only $1 million, the original “Saw” movie was released Oct. 29, 2004. It made a killing in the box office, earning $100 million in total revenue over its nine-week run. It didn’t take an evil genius to realize the potential; each subsequent October after the original, another sequel has materialized. As the “Saw” series bloodied up the silver screen, it left a trail of solid gold.
When asked about how a horror movie like “Saw” could use 3D to enhance the story, Chris Santo said, “The storyline at this point is very complicated and kind of convoluted and I hope they don’t get distracted by the use of 3D.”
However David Falco, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, feels it can be done successfully. “I could see them incorporating the storyline into it and it making sense,” he said.
“Saw” is to Halloween like Tom is to Jerry, Siegfried is to Roy, cheap beer is to college parties: it just goes together. Should you go see it? Why not? If you are anything like most students, you have been sneaking in to see it every year since you were in middle school anyway, why break tradition?
Like it or not, “Saw 3D” opened in theaters last Friday.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
