SAW: The Ride

[Flipper]

Just throwing it out there, "generic" theming...

[JoshC.]

Yep, that's not generic, and does indeed relate to Saw. However, that's a very subtle point within the station area, isn't it. It's great that such subtle pieces of theming exists, but it's a shame that some of the other bigger pieces are very much generic. For example, this can relate to anything...


From TTP.

[Flipper]

On the point you're making you could claim any piece of theming on anything could relate to anything. I have to admit though, what you've shown is a good piece that proves the details from the films being incorporated to be honest. Unless of course, you've never seen the films, and it's just another thing.

[JoshC.]

On the point you're making you could claim any piece of theming on anything could relate to anything. I have to admit though, what you've shown is a good piece that proves the details from the films being incorporated to be honest. Unless of course, you've never seen the films, and it's just another thing.

Not really. With the photo you posted, that clearly relates to the Saw films (for those who have seen it, of course). You can't say that it relates to anything else really; well, in my opinion at least. The photo I posted is arguably related to the Saw films - I guess you could say the monitors and that relate to Saw 2 when the police are in Jigsaw's Lair? - but none of it screams 'Look, I'm from the Saw films' to me.

The point I'm trying to make is, there's very little that does indeed scream 'Look at me, I'm from the Saw films!'. The Billy puppet, catchphrases, Jigsaw's head in the exit walkway, the trap plans, Rack Trap, Barbed Wire Trap and Bathroom trap are, in my opinion, the only things that do scream that (and shotgun trap as well I guess, could go either way on that one though).

Even though that seems a lot, take them away, and you still have pretty much the same ride, with generic theming, bar a couple of neat little touches which could easily be replaced by other generic-like things.

[Coaster]

I think a lot of people are forgetting that they could have just put up a building, made it pitch black and called it a day.

By UK standards I think that Saw is quite well themed, and when it's running well it is a ride that I enjoy - it's just a shame that it runs awfully a lot of the time.

[GladiatorFanKyle]

SAW is my favourite ride at thorpe park and everyone says it is rough but I find it very smooth to be honest. Saying that I always sit on the end of the row so that could be why. It is a wonderfully themed ride it's a great coaster for the uk

[Flipper]

Bottom line regardless is, everyone's gonna have different opinions on it from theming to ride experience.

At the end of the day it probably would have been better as 'The Mill' in the end.

[c1hrisin]

You see though, a lot of the theming could stay if the Lionsgate contract WERE to end. They can keep most of the effects since they barely relate to the films when the reference is taken away. Its a pretty foolproof plan because the only parks (I've seen) that design a ride exactly like a movie or TV show to the extent that you could walk in and just name it without even being told are inside the movie studios parks themselves (Disney, Universal) so they don't have to worry about disagreements and ending contracts

[Flipper]

You see though, a lot of the theming could stay if the Lionsgate contract WERE to end. They can keep most of the effects since they barely relate to the films when the reference is taken away. Its a pretty foolproof plan because the only parks (I've seen) that design a ride exactly like a movie or TV show to the extent that you could walk in and just name it without even being told are inside the movie studios parks themselves (Disney, Universal) so they don't have to worry about disagreements and ending contracts

Well I suppose no official plans were ever announced as inside theming for 'The Mill' but I suppose you are right. Partial bits would have to be removed, with others being changed slightly (and the exterior being themed up again with new materials in places) and bam, you've got The Mill.

[SteveJ]

I think a lot of people are forgetting that they could have just put up a building, made it pitch black and called it a day.

That's basically what they did. If you were to turn the lights on in there, you'll find an empty metal shed with a rollercoaster and some extremely simple effects in it. Mannequins dumped on the floor and a tiny bathroom set (that nobody can see) is not really the epitome of theme park entertainment, is it? The only memorable feature is the spinning blade on the outside, which is at least bold and animated enough to entice people in.

Creating a great themed ride is dead easy and just requires a will to entertain. Saw had a huge budget (much greater than most projects built in the 90s) so it should have been easy, but they compromised massively on its scenic design in favour of marketing and branding. The ride is fun for what it is, but when people defend Saw as being "brilliantly themed" it just seems like they aren't using their own imagination.

Also, "The Mill" was never a real concept, from what I know. I'm pretty sure the ride's theme was always Saw although this was only decided late on in the project. It was just the early marketing that mislead people. Shame, because it sounds much better!

[Dodge2002]

I think you have to keep in mind that the ride does still have to appeal to people that haven't seen the movie. Make the traps too specific and people will end up confused. A lot of people that haven't seen the movie are under the impression that the mannequins are supposed to represent real bodies.

In my opinion this is why Saw Alive is so under appreciated. In reality if its one of the most impressively themed attractions in the country, Easily. And while the cagey acting didn't help, I think the lack of context for people who hadn't seen the film really confused people and caused a lot of disinterest.

There's no way in hell you can call Saw Alive's theming generic, so its not like they just couldn't be bothered or anything...

[Coaster]

That's basically what they did. If you were to turn the lights on in there, you'll find an empty metal shed with a rollercoaster and some extremely simple effects in it. Mannequins dumped on the floor and a tiny bathroom set (that nobody can see) is not really the epitome of theme park entertainment, is it? The only memorable feature is the spinning blade on the outside, which is at least bold and animated enough to entice people in.

Creating a great themed ride is dead easy and just requires a will to entertain. Saw had a huge budget (much greater than most projects built in the 90s) so it should have been easy, but they compromised massively on its scenic design in favour of marketing and branding. The ride is fun for what it is, but when people defend Saw as being "brilliantly themed" it just seems like they aren't using their own imagination.

Also, "The Mill" was never a real concept, from what I know. I'm pretty sure the ride's theme was always Saw although this was only decided late on in the project. It was just the early marketing that mislead people. Shame, because it sounds much better!

I never said that it was brilliantly themed, but to suggest that they haven't made any effort to theme it is ridiculous. I am well aware that the building is a warehouse, but the lighting is used fairly well to hide that - although I do think that there should be some more dividers between scenes.

No it's not got multi million pound effects in it but, at the end of the day, it is a roller-coaster so the theming just comes as a bonus really.

[SteveJ]

I never said that it was brilliantly themed

You didn't but loads of others have, which isn't a bad thing, but...

Thorpe Park is apparently a theme park and a team of people were employed specifically to create the scenic design for Saw, so I don't see how the "theming is a bonus" in any way at all. In fact, the vast majority of the ride's marketing and appeal is based on the theme, and a tonne of money was paid to acquire the IP, so you'd expect a lot more effort. Rides from almost 30 years ago with a quarter of the budget are better than Saw.

I have ridden Saw both before and after seeing the movies. Before it felt pants for what is supposed to be a scary ride, yet fun to ride. Afterwards, I realised how vague and unrelated the ride actually is. Even something instantly recognisable like the Billy puppet is totally the wrong scale, looks pathetic and lacks any of the personality that makes him a memorable character in the film.

[Coaster]

You didn't but loads of others have, which isn't a bad thing, but...

Thorpe Park is apparently a theme park and a team of people were employed specifically to create the scenic design for Saw, so I don't see how the "theming is a bonus" in any way at all. In fact, the vast majority of the ride's marketing and appeal is based on the theme, and a tonne of money was paid to acquire the IP, so you'd expect a lot more effort. Rides from almost 30 years ago with a quarter of the budget are better than Saw.

I have ridden Saw both before and after seeing the movies. Before it felt pants for what is supposed to be a scary ride, yet fun to ride. Afterwards, I realised how vague and unrelated the ride actually is. Even something instantly recognisable like the Billy puppet is totally the wrong scale, looks pathetic and lacks any of the personality that makes him a memorable character in the film.

I find it quite memorable, especially when the screens under the lift hill actually work!

Whilst it isn't the best, by Merlin's standards it's pretty good (doesn't make it good overall haha) and it's well thought out, but could do with a bit of perfection.

Whilst it isn't all high quality theming, there's a lot of it to see. Even the area at the end where you wait has the dummies and billy the puppet congratulating you - they didn't have to put anything there but it's there to look at and makes a memorable ending to the ride.

It could have been better. Much better. But that doesn't mean that it's rubbish.

[SteveJ]

Such a shame when the 'memorable ending' of one of Thorpe Park's major rides is a static puppet with an little LED shining on its face. Of course they had to put something there, it's a theme park! It honestly would have taken 0 effort to place a puppet on a shelf. Guests don't find things like that memorable or entertaining, and it totally matters what they think because they have come specifically to be entertained.

Saw's not rubbish at all, but it's annoyingly bland and unfulfilled. The pitch is so much better than the product, like every single ride Merlin ever made. Strange that.

[Coaster]

Such a shame when the 'memorable ending' of one of Thorpe Park's major rides is a static puppet with an little LED shining on its face. Of course they had to put something there, it's a theme park! It honestly would have taken 0 effort to place a puppet on a shelf. Guests don't find things like that memorable or entertaining, and it totally matters what they think because they have come specifically to be entertained.

Saw's not rubbish at all, but it's annoyingly bland and unfulfilled. The pitch is so much better than the product, like every single ride Merlin ever made. Strange that.

I'm not disputing that as I think that a lot of Merlin's theming is rubbish, but it's not just a puppet, there's dummies, bits of traps and plans etc. What would you suggest was put there?

[JoshC.]

Such a shame when the 'memorable ending' of one of Thorpe Park's major rides is a static puppet with an little LED shining on its face.

Being at the John Wardley talk on Sunday, I think it'll be easier for you to see where I'm coming from with this post...

With Saw's station not on ground level, we have the memorable ending to be the final inversion. We don't have an low-key, dullish ending to the ride; we finish we a finale which is suited to the ride - an inversion which is intense and fast-paced. The car then quickly arrives into the station, and you're given the 'Congratulations' speech.

When you get into the station, you're still reeling from the ride itself really. You're surprised and still trying to comprehend everything. The Billy puppet lighting up and congratulating is simple, yet oh so effective (and works very well with those who have seen the films - especially the first one).

If you look at it as 'Oh, the ending is just a puppet that gets lit up when a piece of audio is triggered', then of course it sounds rubbish. Accompany it with what's just preceding it, then it is a very fitting and memorable finale in my eyes.

[SteveJ]

What would you suggest was put there?

Well I would make the offload area quite a gloomy, claustrophobic area, but with a mood of reflection now that the ride is over.

In 2 minutes I came up with this idea: A life-size animated Billy figure emerges from shadows in smoky silhouette, to congratulate the car as it re-enters the building, before ominously disappearing into pitch darkness again. The walls are dressed with more broken plumbing and ducts, etc, with another digital clock blinking 00:00 now that the games are over. There's also a shot I like in one film where the large shadow of an industrial fan slowly rotates overhead, an effect that could easily be achieved with some lighting and a gobo. Add some outro music and you have a much more memorable ending, before continuing to the offload platform.

But nothing like that can really happen because they didn't install real walls, so light pollution prevents any real atmosphere. They also constructed the building leaving no space for anything interesting to happen, suggesting even the shelf with dummies was an afterthought. A lot of Saw's problems would be solved if they didn't squash so much into one relatively small cuboid (the inside queue in particular!).

If you look at it as 'Oh, the ending is just a puppet that gets lit up when a piece of audio is triggered', then of course it sounds rubbish. Accompany it with what's just preceding it, then it is a very fitting and memorable finale in my eyes.

But... that is exactly what happens? You can't even hear the audio because it's too quiet. The audio and light aren't even timed properly when the car comes in, which should be simple. It's not effective at all, in fact it's pretty laughable. You must see the experience from the average guest's point of view.

Also I didn't need John Wardley to explain about memorable endings to know what a finale is. The inversion into the brakerun provides a great snappy end to the rollercoaster, but Saw The Ride isn't finished until you leave the building as far as the guest is concerned.

[Fred]

SAW's ending is crap. Especially as half the time he'll sit there and then start waffling just as you move off.

Unsure why we've got two pages as to the boring theme that this ride has either

[Coaster]

It's not an amazing ending, but it's better than nothing. Smiler doesn't have anything in particular (unless you count the corridor of projectors), in fact I can't really think of many UK coasters that end with a scene/prop.

[SteveJ]

There's an another world out there beyond the UK.

[Hunter]

Does anyone know why the Saw theme music isn't used anywhere in the attraction?

(

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[JoshC.]

But... that is exactly what happens? You can't even hear the audio because it's too quiet. The audio and light aren't even timed properly when the car comes in, which should be simple. It's not effective at all, in fact it's pretty laughable. You must see the experience from the average guest's point of view.

Also I didn't need John Wardley to explain about memorable endings to know what a finale is. The inversion into the brakerun provides a great snappy end to the rollercoaster, but Saw The Ride isn't finished until you leave the building as far as the guest is concerned.

My point was, you're making it sound awful. Just like saying Smiler's ride ending is just 'A bit of blurry writing on the wall followed by a corridor with some projectors in it'. That makes it sound rubbish, when it's actually clever. Likewise, if you say Saw's ending is 'A puppet that gets lit up with a bit of audio, followed by walking down a staircase', you're making it sound naff.

As for not being able to hear it...Well, when the timings work properly, you hear it fine. Granted, the timings aren't always perfect - and why that is, who knows - but when it does work, which is quite a lot of the time, it's fine really.

As for seeing it from a guest's point of view, that's exactly what I am doing! In fact, I'd say you're the one who is not! Your average guest is probably riding Saw for one if the first times ever. They may have watched the first Saw film, or at least know the gist of it. They might not have been to many parks (they may not be aware of 'a theme park world outside the UK'). For that sort of guest, see it from their view - they've just been whipped round a final inversion, and then crawled into the station to, hopefully, been told they've survived. I don't see how that's not effective to your everyday guest really?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the ending is perfect or the best thing since sliced bread. However, it does the job in my eyes; which is a start at least.

[Benin]

Hmmm, Saw doesn't really need an 'end scene' as the focus is the ride mostly... Both the scenes that feature Billy are incredibly badly done, purely because you can't hear him (or depending on seating position, see him) in the pre-ride section, and the final bit can go past without you even noticing him (probably because you're now suffering from PSS, or Post-Saw-Syndrome)...

As always, I'll be comparing Saw to Fluch von Novogorod, because that also features show scenes (2 in fact, neither of which are used as a stop-gap to space the cars out, another issue with Saw's design there in that 1 car always misses Billy), and actually does have a memorable finale sequence...

The finale on Fluch is of course, completely different, as the lift hill takes place midway through the ride, and from that point on you're in complete darkness going at some speed in a layout that few people can work out... You then hit the brake run and then BAM, air cannons go off and a giant scarecrow (ties in with the theme, apparently) drops down on a cross right in front of the car (so everyone can actually see this happen)...

That dear friends, is a memorable ending that fits the theme, Saw does not have a thematic ending (or a beginning, or an end, or a story, in a comparative sense to Fluch, Saw is simply "you are in one of Jigsaw's traps and you must escape"), but the focus of the ride is on the ride, Fluch seems to have confusing story first, ride assisting it, so they both fit their respective rides, but the difference in quality and effect on the riders is rather staggering...

If they bothered to make Saw's interior darker for the final scene (and the bathroom up to the lift base) the effect could have easily been more pronounced for a finale, and if they'd bothered sound-proofing things we could have even had a decent talk with Billy prior to the ride... It's the level of flaws we've really come to expect of Merlin attractions, great idea, poor execution...

[alexander]

contradicting myself here by discussing the ride, but one of my issues is it doesn't make sense... The whole point of the SAW films is to make you value your own life because of bad things you've done in the past, and when you are put in the seat of life and death, you are in CONTROL of whether you live or die, you have the choice. I appreciate it's a ride but it doesn't work as a roller coaster, not if you're meant to be a 'victim' subjected to the ride, because you cannot control any of the events. It's just got random traps thrown together which relate to the films but don't actually make sense of the ride. They don't even use the actual SAW soundtrack which always baffled me as it builds so much more tension. The game over before the lift hill contradicts the film too because when that happens, it usually results in death, so technically you shouldn't have actually survived, but you have because you've found a loop (hole) through this very intelligent guys games

The ride is fun, somewhat, but honestly the IP is poor and the story doesn't add up. It's a sub-par ride put into a warehouse with some okay theming with random scenes from the films to make it relate

The GP probably haven't even given it this much thought and can tell from the scenes it's a ride based around SAW and it goes upside down and it's good fun

Partly the problem because it doesn't matter as much to the GP as to us enthusiasts who think SAW and Colossus are basically the same rides