Last Updated on August 2, 2021
EDITOR/DIRECTOR KEVIN GREUTERT!
Okay, so how many of you undressed JESSABELLE in theaters this past weekend? Be honest, was she worth the coin? If so, why? If not, why not?
Well, whatever you thought about the flick, the primary person responsible has to be longtime editor-turned-director Kevin Greutert. The L.A. native not only helmed JESSABELLE, he cut the film as well…this in only his third directorial feature behind SAW VI (2009) and SAW 3D: THE FINAL CHAPTER (2010). However, dude’s been in editing rooms since the mid-90s, in the interim forging a solid resume on such genre joints as SAW, SAW II, THE THIRST SAW III, SAW IV, ROOM 6, THE STRANGERS, SAW V and THE COLLECTION. It’s safe to say the tempo, rhythm and pacing of Jigsaw’s entire sadistic reign has been achieved by the hand of Greutert…a feat that shall not be overlooked.
But now that Greutert has returned to the directorial chair after a four year absence, with TWO horror films no less, it’s about that time we give ol’ Kev his own Jigsaw treatment. Ladies, gents…proceed forward if you wish to see the gruesome Dissection of Kevin Greutert!
BEST WORK
I’m pretty confident in saying the best film Greutert has directed so far has been SAW VI. Small ass sample size, granted, having only 2 of his 4 films released into the world at this point, but still. Now, I’m not claiming SAW VI is a quality horror film as it relates to the entire franchise, but for what Kevin has so far turned in, it’s his most accomplished. I mean, consider it this way, SAW VI was good enough to not only warrant a part 7, but it was good enough to rehire K.G. to helm said 7th entry. Now, SAW 3D by contrast…yeah, we all know that, despite making a good amount of money for its modest budget, things didn’t work out quite as fortunately.
But just in terms of the plot and pacing of the story, SAW VI is likely one of the better sequels of the entire franchise. Definitely better than parts 4 and 5, marking a major bounce-back after the two-film sag following part 3. But don’t just take my opinion as gospel. Oh no. SAW VI ranks as the 4th highest SAW film on IMDB (6.0), coming in behind parts 1,2 and 3, respectively. SAW VI also has a higher Metascore (critical aggregate) than parts 5 and 7, for whatever that’s worth.
Interestingly, one of the things that has been praised as setting itself apart from the pack, is the pacing of SAW VI. Of course, this is the first film of the bunch that Greutert did NOT edit himself, though it’s the first he directed. In fact, he didn’t cut SAW 3D either, which could be telling since – moving forward – Kevin is keen on cutting the films he directs as well (as he’s done with both JESSABELLE and VISIONS). Looks like a lesson learned!
WORST WORK
Get SAW 3D: THE FINAL CHAPTER Here
So, through a simple process of elimination, SAW 3D: THE FINAL CHAPTER then becomes Kevin’s “worst” effort to date. I mean, the mere fact there hasn’t been an 8th SAW film should tell you all you need to know. Despite raking in plenty of dough on opening weekend, the lifeblood of the franchise had been so thoroughly drained by the last three-dimensional entry, that the hey, the Jig(saw) was up. Now to be fair, not all of that happens to be Greutert’s fault. It starts with the challenge of a lack of imagination, as would be an issue with any 6th sequel. As a result, writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan seemed to rely on the technological climate the film was made in…3D. As a result, the film felt more of a reverse-engineered showcase tailored to exhibit gaudy 3D set-pieces, rather than coming up with an organically compelling story first, then augmenting the script with eye-popping 3D conceptualizations. Just seemed like the films motives were backwards from the jump, and even though the flick was predictably successful, it didn’t strike enough of a public chord to warrant an 8th film.
TRADEMARKS
It’s easy to associate the entire SAW franchise with Greutert’s trademarks…after-all, dude has lent his hand on every single one of the flicks in some shape or form. But that can’t be all, right? Digging a little deeper, speaking a bit broader, it’s pretty obvious that Greutert has a thing for the torture and physical torment. The entire SAW canon certainly embodies that trend, but so to do other flicks he’s worked on like THE STRANGERS, THE COLLECTION, and even to a lesser extent – editorial work on THE THIRST, ROOM 6, JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE NIGHT, etc. It’s clear Kevin favors the darkness and the depths of human depravity, again and again choosing such subject matter to work on and invest in. And with his new joints JESSABELLE and VISIONS, it looks like the trend will continue!
HIDDEN GEMS
As much as I’d like to discuss the 1998 film Greutert worked on with Ted Raimi called NORMAL JOE, I don’t think anyone’s actually seen it, certainly not me. So, out with that one, and instead we thought it’d be cool to focus on some of the kick-ass genre credits Kevin has earned as an editor over the years. And although said flicks may not be hidden gems themselves, Kevin’s involvements behind-the-scenes most certainly are. For instance, did you know Greutert was the first assistant editor on the DONNIE DARKO director’s cut? Now granted, the original cut is the far better one in my opinion, but it’s still pretty damn cool to learn how integral Kevin was to Richard Kelly’s ultimate vision. Now, how much of DONNIE DARKO’s mysticism is intentional is debatable – one does get the sense that, in the editing room Kelly and company just threw everything at the wall in hopes of seeing what stuck. As a result, the original cut of DONNIE DARKO might be more of a happy accident than a clearly defined auteur vision. That said, there’s no denying how the rhythm, pacing and editing of the flick is key to its enigmatic success.
Another superlative horror picture that Greutert edited, this time in full, was Bryan Bertino’s slow-burning home-invasion thriller THE STRANGERS. Not sure about you, but I still think THE STRANGERS is a tremendously effective fright flick. Actually, for the subgenre it adheres to, I think it’s quite masterful. And I’d argue it’s precisely the deliberate, suspense-mounting tension and pace is one of the chief triumphs of the flick. And if you think about, that kind of more measured pacing and rhythm couldn’t be further from the gritty, in your face, flash-bang violence and choppy edits of something like SAW and increasingly speedy sequels. As with DONNIE DARKO, THE STRANGERS slowly builds steam until the pot finally boils over in the third act climax. Moreover, we all know how incredibly important the role of an editor is, in fact many argue that a movie is actually found if not made in the cutting room. So, with Greutert on board to support a pair of first-time filmmakers in Kelly and Bertino, I’m willing to bet his role was doubly instrumental in shaping the final product. Not sure how willing they’d be to admit it, but I bet Bertino and Kelly leaned on Greutert more than people know.
NEXT PROJECT
For a dude with only a pair of directorial credits stored up till now, it’s kind of surprising if not refreshing to learn Greutert not only has JESSABELLE currently in theaters, but also has an independent genre-joint called VISIONS in post-production as well. Scope it…
First, for those who aren’t too familiar with JESSABELLE, let’s recount its premise. In an usual writing departure for comedian Robert Ben Garant (The State), JESSABELLE shapes up like this:
Returning to her childhood home in Louisiana to recuperate from a horrific car accident, Jessabelle comes face to face with a long-tormented spirit that has been seeking her return — and has no intention of letting her escape.
Okay, so not terribly inspiring on the page. But my guess is Garant, lending an outside eye to the genre, will know enough to avoid stock clichés and rote haunted house tropes. And hell, Louisiana is always creepy on film!
As for VISIONS, it may feature an even more impressive cast, certainly a female one. Starring Gillian Jacobs, Isla Fisher, Eva Longoria and Joanna Cassidy – here’s the much-to-be-desired logline for VISIONS:
After moving to her vineyard to be with her husband, a pregnant woman begins to experience terrifying visions.
A vineyard ay? Perhaps the chick is hallucinating on over-fermented grapes! No? Whatever the culprit let’s hope VISIONS materializes in theaters sooner rather than later.
OVERALL
Get THE COMPLETE SAW BOX SET Here
Though primarily tethered to the SAW series – cutting the first five films of the franchise before helming the final two – it’s becoming clear that longtime editor-cum-director Kevin Greutert is starting to branch out and sew his own horror oats all across the genre’s landscape. The first direct seed to bloom is JESSABELLE, currently playing in theaters across the globe. The second is the upcoming horror/thriller VISIONS, which still awaits distribution (stay tuned). But with contributions of various degrees on additional films such as DONNIE DARKO (first assistant editor), THE THIRST (editor), THE STRANGERS (editor), THE COLLECTION (editor) – hell, even bigger budget A-list fare like TITANIC and ARMAGEDDON (assistant editor) – it’s only going to pay dividends for Greutert’s craft moving forward. No doubt, here’s one name to keep an eye on in the horror genre in years to come!
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