Saw a Woman In Half: Difference between revisions

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{{quote|''"Sawing a lady in half is easy. Sawing a lady in half and then joining her up together again is less easy, but can be done with practice."''|'''Dirk Gently''', ''[[Dirk Gentlys Holistic Detective Agency]]''}}
{{quote|''"Sawing a lady in half is easy. Sawing a lady in half and then joining her up together again is less easy, but can be done with practice."''|'''Dirk Gently''', ''[[Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency]]''}}


Almost as famous as the [[Pull a Rabbit Out of My Hat]] trick, this death-defying [[Stage Magician]] trick involves a pretty woman (the magician's assistant) being placed into a coffin-sized lidded wooden box, with a neck-hole in the top and ankle-holes in the bottom. Then, producing a large floppy hand-saw, the magician proceeds to saw through the box, ''through the woman's midsection'', and through the table on which the box is resting. After that, the magician shoves in a pair of bizarre rectangular blades (sometimes called dividers) through the middle.
Almost as famous as the [[Pull a Rabbit Out of My Hat]] trick, this death-defying [[Stage Magician]] trick involves a pretty woman (the magician's assistant) being placed into a coffin-sized lidded wooden box, with a neck-hole in the top and ankle-holes in the bottom. Then, producing a large floppy hand-saw, the magician proceeds to saw through the box, ''through the woman's midsection'', and through the table on which the box is resting. After that, the magician shoves in a pair of bizarre rectangular blades (sometimes called dividers) through the middle.
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== [[Comic Books]] ==
== [[Comic Books]] ==
* In ''[[Les Femmes En Blanc]]'', a surgeon uses laser surgery to operate on his patient, but accidentally cuts his body in half. The patient, who is still alive, says his life is screwed up, and the last panel shows him as working as a magician's partner for this sawing magic trick.
* In ''[[Les Femmes en Blanc]]'', a surgeon uses laser surgery to operate on his patient, but accidentally cuts his body in half. The patient, who is still alive, says his life is screwed up, and the last panel shows him as working as a magician's partner for this sawing magic trick.
* In ''[[The Sandman]]'' #26, Cain and Abel do a version of the trick to entertain Morpheus' guests; like all interactions between the two, it ends very badly for Abel.
* In ''[[The Sandman]]'' #26, Cain and Abel do a version of the trick to entertain Morpheus' guests; like all interactions between the two, it ends very badly for Abel.
* The non-serious 34th issue of [[Marvel Comics]]' ''[[What If|What if?]]'' series proposes an alternate reality where [[Doctor Strange]] and associates were this kind of magicians instead of arcane sorcerers. Baron Mordo's betrayal of the Ancient One is interpreted as him performing his latest trick; sawing the Ancient One in half!
* The non-serious 34th issue of [[Marvel Comics]]' ''[[What If|What if?]]'' series proposes an alternate reality where [[Doctor Strange]] and associates were this kind of magicians instead of arcane sorcerers. Baron Mordo's betrayal of the Ancient One is interpreted as him performing his latest trick; sawing the Ancient One in half!
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== [[Film]] ==
== [[Film]] ==
* In the opening of ''[[Kiss Kiss Bang Bang]]'', Harmony starts screaming as she's cut in half, but when they open the box, she's fine. "I'm going to be an actress."
* In the opening of ''[[Kiss Kiss Bang Bang]]'', Harmony starts screaming as she's cut in half, but when they open the box, she's fine. "I'm going to be an actress."
* In ''[[Beetlejuice (Film)|Beetlejuice]]'', one of the ghosts at the [[Celestial Bureaucracy|afterlife waiting room]] is a magician's assistant who did not survive being sawed in half.
* In ''[[Beetlejuice]]'', one of the ghosts at the [[Celestial Bureaucracy|afterlife waiting room]] is a magician's assistant who did not survive being sawed in half.
* In ''[[Leprechaun (Film)|Leprechaun]] 3'', the titular villain kills Fazio the magician (in front of a live audience) by doing this 'trick' (except for real, guts and all).
* In ''[[Leprechaun (film)|Leprechaun]] 3'', the titular villain kills Fazio the magician (in front of a live audience) by doing this 'trick' (except for real, guts and all).
* In the film ''[[Houdini]]'' ([[Very Loosely Based on a True Story|based very loosely]] on the life of Harry Houdini) Harry brings a "saw a woman in half" kit home, wakes his wife, and makes her get in. A [[Jump Cut]] happens as he's sawing, so he didn't do any "trick"; he just sawed, and she was OK.
* In the film ''[[Houdini]]'' ([[Very Loosely Based on a True Story|based very loosely]] on the life of Harry Houdini) Harry brings a "saw a woman in half" kit home, wakes his wife, and makes her get in. A [[Jump Cut]] happens as he's sawing, so he didn't do any "trick"; he just sawed, and she was OK.
* Attempted by the protagonists at the end of ''[[Road To|Road to Zanzibar]]''.
* Attempted by the protagonists at the end of ''[[Road To|Road to Zanzibar]]''.
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* Harry Blackstone once hypnotized [[Reading Rainbow|LeVar Burton]] and cut through him, apparently without even severing one part of Burton from the other.
* Harry Blackstone once hypnotized [[Reading Rainbow|LeVar Burton]] and cut through him, apparently without even severing one part of Burton from the other.
* In ''[[Sabrina the Teenage Witch]]'', Cousin Mortimer saws Hilda in half. Things go awry when Hilda's legs run off.
* In ''[[Sabrina the Teenage Witch]]'', Cousin Mortimer saws Hilda in half. Things go awry when Hilda's legs run off.
* Mentioned and used on ''[[Arrested Development (TV)|Arrested Development]].'' In this case, Gob explains how the trick works to his brother... [[Did I Just Say That Out Loud?|and a nearby kid overhears it]].
* Mentioned and used on ''[[Arrested Development (TV series)|Arrested Development]].'' In this case, Gob explains how the trick works to his brother... [[Did I Just Say That Out Loud?|and a nearby kid overhears it]].
* The live-action version of ''[[The Flash]]'' has [[Mark Hamill]] playing an [[Ax Crazy]] version of one of the more prominent [[Rogues Gallery|Rogues]], the Trickster. Before adopting the Trickster identity, James Jesse (in the identity of a magician) kidnaps a woman and attempts to saw her in half...with a chainsaw.
* The live-action version of ''[[The Flash]]'' has [[Mark Hamill]] playing an [[Ax Crazy]] version of one of the more prominent [[Rogues Gallery|Rogues]], the Trickster. Before adopting the Trickster identity, James Jesse (in the identity of a magician) kidnaps a woman and attempts to saw her in half...with a chainsaw.
{{quote| '''Jesse:''' Other magicians may give you the ''illusion'' of sawing a woman in half... (produces the chainsaw and slices through a nearby mannequin) ...but there's no substitute for the real thing!}}
{{quote| '''Jesse:''' Other magicians may give you the ''illusion'' of sawing a woman in half... (produces the chainsaw and slices through a nearby mannequin) ...but there's no substitute for the real thing!}}
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== [[Video Games]] ==
== [[Video Games]] ==
* Rank 4 in ''[[No More Heroes]]'' is a stage magician who fights Travis at his show; before the fight, one of the two tricks he does involves cutting a woman in half -- ''with a buzzsaw''. He later uses the saw in an attempt to bisect Travis vertically {{spoiler|and it plays a role in his own demise}}.
* Rank 4 in ''[[No More Heroes]]'' is a stage magician who fights Travis at his show; before the fight, one of the two tricks he does involves cutting a woman in half -- ''with a buzzsaw''. He later uses the saw in an attempt to bisect Travis vertically {{spoiler|and it plays a role in his own demise}}.
* ''[[Are You Afraid of the Dark|The Tale of Orpheo's Curse]]'', a point-and-click adventure game, has one ghost who has suffered from the trick and now has a wandering bottom half as a result.
* ''[[Are You Afraid of the Dark?|The Tale of Orpheo's Curse]]'', a point-and-click adventure game, has one ghost who has suffered from the trick and now has a wandering bottom half as a result.
* In ''[[Monkey Island 2 Le Chucks Revenge]]'', if you close the coffin on Stan and try to use the saw on the coffin, Guybrush will say, "I'm no magician."
* In ''[[Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge]]'', if you close the coffin on Stan and try to use the saw on the coffin, Guybrush will say, "I'm no magician."
* In ''[[Sam and Max Freelance Police (Video Game)|Sam and Max Freelance Police]] Season One'', the season finale takes place in a magician's lair with various tricks around the place. Saving the day involves taking the saw from the saw-a-woman-in-half trick and using it to saw through something else instead.
* In ''[[The Adventures of Sam & Max: Freelance Police|Sam and Max Freelance Police]] Season One'', the season finale takes place in a magician's lair with various tricks around the place. Saving the day involves taking the saw from the saw-a-woman-in-half trick and using it to saw through something else instead.
* In ''[[Dead Rising 2]]'', there are a pair of magicians attempting to perfect this trick. They have a giant circular saw, a woman strapped to a table, and a complete misunderstanding of how the trick is supposed to work. It doesn't end well.
* In ''[[Dead Rising 2]]'', there are a pair of magicians attempting to perfect this trick. They have a giant circular saw, a woman strapped to a table, and a complete misunderstanding of how the trick is supposed to work. It doesn't end well.
* Played for laughs at Sullah's Sideshow in ''[[World of Warcraft]]''. Two NPCs are practicing the trick with a box containing two pygmies. When the first saws too slowly, the other attacks with a flashy blow, shattering the box and killing both pygmies.
* Played for laughs at Sullah's Sideshow in ''[[World of Warcraft]]''. Two NPCs are practicing the trick with a box containing two pygmies. When the first saws too slowly, the other attacks with a flashy blow, shattering the box and killing both pygmies.
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** Another [[Warner Bros]]. cartoon had Egghead (a precursor to Elmer Fudd) going on about how fake the trick was as he volunteered for it. At the end of the trick, Egghead jumps out and walks away... with his upper and lower halves going in opposite directions.
** Another [[Warner Bros]]. cartoon had Egghead (a precursor to Elmer Fudd) going on about how fake the trick was as he volunteered for it. At the end of the trick, Egghead jumps out and walks away... with his upper and lower halves going in opposite directions.
* When [[Garfield and Friends|Garfield and Jon]] visit a magic shop, the shop owner's dog, Merlin, chases Garfield while Jon is looking for a trick. At one point, Merlin is tricked into entering such a box, and Garfield sets to sawing the box in half. Sure enough, despite fretting on the part of Merlin, the box and Merlin are halved without injury to the latter.
* When [[Garfield and Friends|Garfield and Jon]] visit a magic shop, the shop owner's dog, Merlin, chases Garfield while Jon is looking for a trick. At one point, Merlin is tricked into entering such a box, and Garfield sets to sawing the box in half. Sure enough, despite fretting on the part of Merlin, the box and Merlin are halved without injury to the latter.
* ''[[The Mask (Animation)|The Mask]]'': The Mask gets sawn, even having the guts to walk out of the box in two.
* ''[[The Mask (animation)|The Mask]]'': The Mask gets sawn, even having the guts to walk out of the box in two.
* This was also done by [[The Pink Panther]], in one of the skits in "Pink Outs".
* This was also done by [[The Pink Panther]], in one of the skits in "Pink Outs".
* In one 1976 episode of ''[[Scooby Doo]]'', Shaggy and Scooby volunteered for one of these tricks after the magician offered them two free dinners.
* In one 1976 episode of ''[[Scooby Doo]]'', Shaggy and Scooby volunteered for one of these tricks after the magician offered them two free dinners.
* In ''[[Futurama]]'', where Bender tries to become a magician, he saws Zoidberg in half with human feet sticking out of the opposite end where upon he opens the case, and reveals that he has not been really sawn in half, much to Bender's detriment, and to the disapointment of the rest of the crew.
* In ''[[Futurama]]'', where Bender tries to become a magician, he saws Zoidberg in half with human feet sticking out of the opposite end where upon he opens the case, and reveals that he has not been really sawn in half, much to Bender's detriment, and to the disapointment of the rest of the crew.
* Used by ''[[Teen Titans (Animation)|Teen Titans]]'' villain Mumbo in his barrage of magic tricks-turned-deadly. He actually calls for a lovely assistant from the audience and yanks Starfire down with a cane. As he prepares to perform the "trick", he adds:
* Used by ''[[Teen Titans (animation)|Teen Titans]]'' villain Mumbo in his barrage of magic tricks-turned-deadly. He actually calls for a lovely assistant from the audience and yanks Starfire down with a cane. As he prepares to perform the "trick", he adds:
{{quote| '''Mumbo:''' It's only fair to warn you... [[I Have No Idea What I'm Doing]].}}
{{quote| '''Mumbo:''' It's only fair to warn you... [[I Have No Idea What I'm Doing]].}}
* Invoked in an episode of ''[[Animaniacs (Animation)|Animaniacs]]'', where the Warners end up in Transylvania, which of course means an encounter with a vampire. Toward the end of the short, he's sealed himself in his coffin, and Wakko uses a ''[[Chainsaw Good|chainsaw]]'' to get him out. After Wakko cuts the coffin in half, the vampire's head pokes out of one half, and his feet from the other. Embarrassed, Wakko quickly slaps the halves back together.
* Invoked in an episode of ''[[Animaniacs]]'', where the Warners end up in Transylvania, which of course means an encounter with a vampire. Toward the end of the short, he's sealed himself in his coffin, and Wakko uses a ''[[Chainsaw Good|chainsaw]]'' to get him out. After Wakko cuts the coffin in half, the vampire's head pokes out of one half, and his feet from the other. Embarrassed, Wakko quickly slaps the halves back together.
* The plot of an episode of ''[[Cat Dog]]'' is that the titular pair are separated by this trick, but the magician is pulled away before he can reunite them. The pair at first enjoy their newfound freedom before trying to find a way to re-attach themselves.
* The plot of an episode of ''[[Cat Dog]]'' is that the titular pair are separated by this trick, but the magician is pulled away before he can reunite them. The pair at first enjoy their newfound freedom before trying to find a way to re-attach themselves.
* Is done to Barney Rubble on ''[[The Flintstones]]'' while he's hypnotized. The magician doing the trick shows Fred (and the audience) how it's done -- Barney is in the top half bent in two, and the bottom half has fake legs.
* Is done to Barney Rubble on ''[[The Flintstones]]'' while he's hypnotized. The magician doing the trick shows Fred (and the audience) how it's done -- Barney is in the top half bent in two, and the bottom half has fake legs.
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