PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Writer Rospo Pallenburg (Deliverance) only had one other directing credit (albeit, uncredited), the 1977 stinker Exorcist II: The Heretic when he went dove headlong into 1988’s Cutting Class. Largely formulaic, but with a solid cast, budget and some inventive kills, Cutting Class gets the 4K treatment from MVD Visual’s “Rewind Collection.”
Synopsis
A murderer is loose in a high school in this ‘whodunit’ movie.
Check out the trailer!
In the 1980’s high school students had it rough. I know, I lived it. We couldn’t go to camp without getting murdered. We couldn’t go to prom without getting murdered. We couldn’t dream without getting murdered. We couldn’t have casual sex without getting murdered. And we certainly couldn’t go to school without getting murdered! Cutting Class embraces every tired “kids being stalked by an unseen killer” trope there is, but it manages to be a fun, irreverent little film because of a talented young cast, and some elevated production value.
Virginal final girl Paula (the gorgeous Jill Schoelen; The Stepfather) is the girl everyone wants (trust me, everyone is in love with her…), unfortunately, she’s torn between her stud-boy jock boyfriend Dwight (a very young Brad Pitt; Interview With The Vampire) and his just-released-from-the-mental-hospital former friend, the creepy loner Brian (Donavan Leitch Jr.; The Blob, also son of pop star Donavan, and frontman of Nancy Boy). Along for the ride, and to pad the body count, are the sexy Colleen (Brenda James; Slither) and her boyfriend Gary (Mark Barnet; Family Ties).
Our band of brave teen stereotypes must navigate: pervy principals (Roddy McDowall; Fright Night), teachers without boundaries, a sinister janitor (Robert Glaudini; Bugsy), a total disregard for gun safety, and Paula’s poor bastard of a father (Martin Mull; Roseanne) while a mysterious killer is stalking and gruesomely killing them. Who is the murderer? A jealous Dwight? Their fellow students?? The disturbed Brian?? One of the many weirdos working at the school??? Red herrings abound in this fun, if predictable, slasher romp!
Despite the near constant feeling of déjà vu, Cutting Class is a great popcorn film because of both a quality production, and enough humor (maybe unintentional) to take the edge off so to speak. A crisp pace keeps the viewer guessing, for a while anyways, even with all fingers pointing at Brian from the outset (he DID have shock therapy, after all), Pitt’s loveable douchebag portrayal of Dwight hints that he was destined for bigger things (trivia! Pitt and Schoelen met and started dating on set, eventually getting engaged, but alas, never tying the knot), and the addition of McDowall and Mull, even in peripheral roles, add a bit of legitimacy to the film, making it stand out from most slashers of the decade.
Leitch is disturbingly convincing as the haunted, damaged Brian, and seems to relish the kooky ending set piece. Nancy Fish (Exorcist III) also pops up as the assistant principal (death by copier!), so there’s more than a few familiar faces for genre fans. Inventive kills (largely bloodless until the second half, then all bets are off) will satisfy the gorehound in you too—flag impalement, and a very un-Toxic Avenger like mop attack are among the more fun entries.
The two disc set has both the 4K Ultra of the unrated feature, scanned from the 35mm negative, and a Blu ray containing the R rated version, interviews with Schoelen and Leitch, a short featurette, and both video store and regular trailers. Look for the fun video store “Find the Killer and Win” promo. The laser disc style slipcase wraps the black snap-case with reversible artwork, and comes with a mini poster. Really cool, retro style, collector friendly stuff!
Packed with familiar faces, familiar plot threads, and familiar characters, Cutting Class is nonetheless a great trip down memory lane for fans of 80’s slasher flicks. Just don’t ever try to convince me that teenagers anywhere, drank beer while eating ice cream and apples!
MVD’s Rewind Collection 4K Ultra/Blu-ray edition of Cutting Class is available now from fine retailers everywhere.
