Movies
SDCC ’08: Report From Lionsgate’s ‘Saw V’ Panel
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:
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.
Movies
‘Paranormal Activity’ Broadway Stage Play Sets Earlier Opening Date
The Broadway stage production of Paranormal Activity can’t wait to scare audiences and is acting accordingly; Deadline reports that the opening date has been bumped up several weeks.
Paranormal Activity: A New Story Live on Stage is coming to Broadway for a limited 20-week engagement. The first preview performance scheduled for Friday, August 14, at the August Wilson Theatre, remains in place. Now the play will officially open on Tuesday, August 25, moving up from its initial September 15 launch date.
The official synopsis: “James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape their past, but they soon discover that places aren’t haunted, people are.”
Directed by Felix Barrett and written by playwright Levi Holloway, the stage show weaves “an original story inspired by the film franchise, Paranormal Activity reimagines the modern ghost story with an intimacy that only live theatre can provide.”
The Broadway production will follow a strictly limited pre-Broadway engagement in Boston at the Emerson Colonial Theatre from July 11 through July 30.
Both the Broadway and Boston casts will feature Cher Álvarez, Travis A. Knight, Shannon Cochran, and Andrea Syglowski. Understudies will be Caron Buinis, Caroline Hendricks, and Michael Holding.
Álvarez will play Lou, and Knight plays James.
Paranormal Activity: A New Story Live on Stage premiered at the Leeds Playhouse in the UK before transferring to the Ambassadors Theatre in the West End, where it received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination this year for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play.
Original Paranormal Activity stars Katie Featherston and Micah Sloat attended the Paranormal Activity play last year, and they both shared their thoughts over on Instagram.
Katie Featherston raved, “What a truly fun night seeing the new Paranormal Activity at the Ahmanson Theatre! We had a blast- so scary and so fun. The design and production was amazing and the cast did a fantastic job. Congrats to all involved!”
There’s also a brand new movie on the way.


You must be logged in to post a comment.