20 Mind-Blowing Facts About The Saw Franchise
10. Rob Zombie Helped Saw III Earn Its R Rating
Filmmakers usually try to avoid an R-rating if possible since it limits how many people can see the film, which impairs ticket sales. This was a serious problem for Saw III since... well, have you seen the movie?
After receiving the NC-17 rating six times, director David Lynn Bousman decided to consult an expert. Because Rob Zombie's films like Halloween, The House of 1000 Corpses and The Devil's Rejects received R-ratings, Bousman thought he was the perfect person to speak to. According to Zombie, it was the nudity in the Frozen Woman Trap that earned Saw III a NC-17 rating. (This is ironic since this is considered the tamest trap in the film by far.) After Bousman tweaked the scene to Zombie's specifications, Saw III was finally certified with an R-Rating.
Bizarrely, the censor board had no problem whatsoever with the brain surgery scene, reasoning the same content could be viewed on most medical shows.