Torture devices

For our A level horror opening we will be constructing our own torture device to use in the film. We have studied old devices that have been used in the past as punishment to put together a suitable torture device that would provoke an appropriate response in the audience - fear.

Here are some examples we have looked at:

First is the cat's paw, the victim would be hung up to a board and, using an instrument, would have their flesh torn from their bodies - from top to bottom.

The Judas cradle is a device where the victim is hoisted up above a pyramid and then slowly lowered onto its sharpened pinnacle crotch first, depending on the weight of the prisoner would depend on the pain given to them.

A standard form of punishment in the middle ages was impalement, they would have a long, sharp pole inserted into their anus and out of their mouth and left there to die, which could take more than a day.

We decided to use a different torture device but modernise it. The saw is a device where the victim is strapped upside down so the blood will go to their head, so when the sawing begins the victim will not pass out and would feel the pain. The saw would then start at the crotch and get to the navel before the victim would lose consciousness.

For our opening we will be using the saw idea but slightly changing the setup, firstly we will be using a chainsaw rather than a more conventional saw. Secondly, we will be lying the victim on her back so the saw will gradually move horizontally towards the crotch.