Today marks the anniversary of SAW which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2004. Coincidentally, today is also the day I just got my latest issue of HorrorHound magazine where my Horror’s Hallowed Ground article appears!
With a small budget and 18-day shooting schedule, Saw became a huge hit with a worldwide gross over $100M and launching a lucrative franchise. The many sequels that followed were mostly produced in Canada, but this first film shot in Los Angeles.
Nearly the entire movie was shot at Lacy Street Studios, located at 2630 Lacy Street in Los Angeles. The buildings were converted into a studio in 1982 and was home for the entire Cagney & Lacey series, which you may recognize as Saw’s police department set.
The parking garage is actually just another large room in the studio.
The production used nearly every inch of the studio.
The hospital is a standing set at the studio.
The studio was also used by both Leprechaun in the Hood movies as well as Lord of Illusions and LA Confidential.
Many building exteriors were also used.
A few pickup shots were done outside the studio in downtown Los Angeles, such as the Barclay Hotel at 103 West 4th Street.
The Nate Starkman Building, located at 544 Mateo Street, was used for several shots. The building has been used hundreds of times, but is now best known as the location for Paddy’s Pub on It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.
Obviously the street sign was changed here.
Now we are getting closer to the prime location of the bathroom.
Danny Glover drives up to this spot and the actual set is right behind that door!
The door to the bathroom set…
This is what the area looks like in real life, certainly not as grungy!
Horror fans will also recognize Lacy Street as home to another icon. One of the buildings was used as the shelter in Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare.
