‘Saw’ Stays Sharp

Franchise has B.O. Bite;
‘Dan’ turn on the lite

Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures’ “Saw IV” easily slaughtered the competition at the weekend domestic box office, becoming the highest opener of the troubled fall and upsetting conventional wisdom that hardcore horror no longer works.

“Saw IV” grossed an estimated $32.1 million from 3,183 locations, just shy of the $33.6 million domestic opening of “Saw III” but ahead of the $31.7 million opening of “Saw II,” according to Rentrak. It gives Lionsgate its third film of the fall to come in No. 1 after “3:10 to Yuma” and Tyler Perry’s “Why Did I Get Married?”

The “Saw” loyalty is amazing: Exit polls showed that 90% of the “Saw IV” aud has seen all the films in the franchise. Also, of the aud, 52% were female and 48% were male, repping a 3% bump in female turnout.

By Pamela McClintock
Date in print: Mon., Oct. 29, 2007,
Variety (Los Angeles)