CUTTING CLASS (1989)
2-Disc Special Edition
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray
Label: MVD Rewind Collection
Duration: 91 Minutes 3 Seconds
Region Code: Region-Free
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated/R
Audio: English LPCM 2.0 Mono with Optional English Subtitles
Video: HDR 2160p Ultra HD Widescreen (1.85:1), 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1)
Director: Rospo Pallenberg
Cast: Jill Schoelen, Donovan Leitch, Brad Pitt, Roddy McDowall, Martin Mull
Late-80s highschool slasher-comedy Cutting Class (1989), directed by John Boorman alum Rospo Pallenberg (who wrote the script for Excalibur), is probably best remembered for being future Hollywood super-star Brad Pitt's (Inglourious Basterds) first leading role in a film, coming a few years before his big break in Thelma & Louise. Originally intended for theatrical release the highschool set slasher whodunit ended up getting a very limited cinema release before being dumped straight-to-video, but it's gone onto developed a bit of a cult status in the ensuing years. It opens with goofball attorney William Carson III (Martin Mull, Clue) preparing for a duck hunting trip, as he leaves he tells his "daddy's little girl" daughter Paula (Jill Schoelen, Popcorn) that there are to be no boys at the house while he's away, and most importantly, not to skip school. Arriving at the wetlands for some duck hunting Mr. Carson III is shot in the chest with an arrow by someone unseen. He survives, but the has to struggle to somewhat comically escape the wetlands for the next couple of days, these scenes are really drawn out, the movie keeps returning to scenes of him attempting to find help and get back to town. Meanwhile, back in town his daughter unaware of all this and is quite occupied with her douche-nozzle basketball-jock boyfriend Dwight (Brad Pitt, Burn After Reading). She also finds herself the object of attention from creepy teen Brian Woods (Donovan Leitch, The Blob), a classmate who was recently released from a mental institution, and it's rumor that he ended up there after he killed his father some years earlier. It's later revealed that Brian and Dwight were former best friends, but Dwight does not appreciate the eyes that his former pal now has for his girlfriend, but strangely starts paling around with him anyway.
NO MORE PENCILS. NO MORE BOOKS. NO MORE TEACHERS' DIRTY LOOKS.
Late-80s highschool slasher-comedy Cutting Class (1989), directed by John Boorman alum Rospo Pallenberg (who wrote the script for Excalibur), is probably best remembered for being future Hollywood super-star Brad Pitt's (Inglourious Basterds) first leading role in a film, coming a few years before his big break in Thelma & Louise. Originally intended for theatrical release the highschool set slasher whodunit ended up getting a very limited cinema release before being dumped straight-to-video, but it's gone onto developed a bit of a cult status in the ensuing years. It opens with goofball attorney William Carson III (Martin Mull, Clue) preparing for a duck hunting trip, as he leaves he tells his "daddy's little girl" daughter Paula (Jill Schoelen, Popcorn) that there are to be no boys at the house while he's away, and most importantly, not to skip school. Arriving at the wetlands for some duck hunting Mr. Carson III is shot in the chest with an arrow by someone unseen. He survives, but the has to struggle to somewhat comically escape the wetlands for the next couple of days, these scenes are really drawn out, the movie keeps returning to scenes of him attempting to find help and get back to town. Meanwhile, back in town his daughter unaware of all this and is quite occupied with her douche-nozzle basketball-jock boyfriend Dwight (Brad Pitt, Burn After Reading). She also finds herself the object of attention from creepy teen Brian Woods (Donovan Leitch, The Blob), a classmate who was recently released from a mental institution, and it's rumor that he ended up there after he killed his father some years earlier. It's later revealed that Brian and Dwight were former best friends, but Dwight does not appreciate the eyes that his former pal now has for his girlfriend, but strangely starts paling around with him anyway.
The faculty at Furley High are a nest of pedophiles, we have a panty-peeping principal Mr. Dante (Roddy McDowall, Fright Night) who lusts after the student body, particularly that of Paula, as well as pervy Coach Harris (Dirk Blocker, Prince of Darkness), nurse Mrs. Knocht (Nancy Fish, Exorcist III), creepy janitor Shultz (Robert Glaudini), plus lecherous art and math teachers. I did think it was a hoot to see McDowall playing such a shameless pervert, and I spotted Brenda James as one of Dwight's pals, you might remember her as the poor lady from Slither that Michael Rooker impregnates by alien slugs and locks up in a barn.
Soon after Brian's returns someone starts killing students and faculty at the school, and of course the recently released mental patient is gonna get the blame 'natch, but while everyone suspects Brian, Paula notices some strange behaviors from her own boyfriend, especially when a xerox made during the murder of the school nurse seems to suggest his guilt. Deaths come by way of the art teacher being fired-up in a kiln, death by xerox, someone is skewered while bouncing on a trampoline (years before Eli Roth did it in Thanksgiving), and throats are slashed beneath the bleachers at a basketball game. It's all pretty solid stuff but it's execution feels a bit flat, like a lot of late-80s slashers did. The tone is all over the place here as well, at times it's a straight-up 80s slasher, then it's a horror-comedy with a bit of a Heathers vibe about. I remember when I first watched this one when it hit DVD I was a bit put off by the tonal duality, watching it now I'm just fine with it, it's that offbeat quality that sets it apart from the rest of the back. It's probably doomed to be remembered as "that slasher flick with Brad Pitt from the 80s", and if it wasn't for that fact I am not too sure we'd be discussing it now, but I think it;s a better film that it's reputation would suggest, just not great. Anyway, the whodunit aspect it weakly attempts to set-up of it all pretty poorly executed, despite some attempts at masking who it could be, I think it's pretty dang obvious, there's just not enough character development and fleshing out of backstory specifics to achieve and effective red-herring.
Looking at the cast, let me just say that I will watch pretty much anything with plucky Jill Schoelen in it, and she's totally adorable and partially nude here, so yeah. Also, Brad Pitt does good work here as the douchey, overconfident boyfriend, but I thought Leitch as the creepy lurker was terribly wooden and awkward, which I could see being a character trait but it doesn't translate all that well, but it didn't ruin it. Also, I just love horror flicks where the adult population are criminally absent, and while they are present they are all horrible human being and do nothing absolutely nothing. This is all taking place at a school were multiple murders of teachers have occurred, and yet school's never canceled and there's hardly and police presence.
This late-80s slasher/teen comedy hybrid might not set the slasher world on fire as it struggles a bit to find its groove but it still offers plenty of entertainment value via the 80s teen comedy, some decent slasher kills, just the right amount of 80s home eroticism between Leitch and Pitt.
Audio/Video: Cutting Class (1989) arrives on region-free 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray from MVD Rewind Collection advertised as being a "2018 4K Restoration (from the 35mm original camera negative) and presented in 2160P HD in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio in HDR". 2018 is when Vinegar Syndrome previously issued the flick on Blu-ray, so I am assuming this is the same HD master prepared by VS, with the addition of HDR color-grading. The source showcases some nice grain textures, details are resolved nicely, the colors are bright and lively, and black levels are quite pleasing. I never did see the VS Blu-ray, so I cannot compare, but I thought this looked terrific on both the 4K UHD and Blu-ray, with the UHD having the edge with superior black levels and contrast and a nice boost to primaries, plus the uptick in resolution.
Audio comes by way of English LPCM 2.0 Mono with optional English subtitles, the track is in great shape, there are no issues with sibilance, hiss or distortion, and dialogue is crisp and intelligible, plus the Jill Fraser (Hardcore) score sounds pleasing, as do the trio of Wall of Voodoo songs that appear on the soundtrack.
Onto the extras we get the 20-min Interview with star Jill Schoelen; the 16-min Interview with star Donovan Leitch; and a 4-min "Kill Comparisons" featurette, plus the 3-min Original Theatrical Trailer. These are all ported over from the VS release from 2018.
Not carried over from the VS release are an Audio Commentary with the Hysteria Continues Podcast crew, and over an hour of Audio-Only interviews with director Rospo Pallenberg and cinematographer Avraham Karpick - so hang onto that release if you're an extras junkie.
Extras not present on the VS release that are found here include the 91-min R-Rated/Edited Version of "Cutting Class" in SD; the 4-min Find the Killer VHS Contest promo which looks to be something that would run during it's VHS release inside of rental shops, plus a selection of MVD Rewind Trailers that includes Vampire’s Kiss, Swamp Thing, Witchtrap, and Jack Frost.
The 2-disc UHD/BD arrives in a dual-hubbed black keepcase with a Double-Sided Wrap, plus we get a Slipcover (first pressing only) with the same artwork, but with a twist, the slipcover artwork looks like a CED Video Disc with a warped label that's bubbling up in spots, that motif is also featured on the backside of the wrap. Inside there's a Collectible Fold-Out Mini-Poster Poster featuring the same CED Video Disc style artwork. Both the slip and wrap have a numbered spine, this being #4 of the MVD Rewind's 4K LaservIsion Collection, but the Reversible Wrap features one side that has the #4 while the alternate artwork features #56 for the MVD Rewind Collection. Also, on the slipcover one spine features the #4 while the other side has #56. FYI, they are saving #3 for the eventail release of Ghoulies 2 on 4K Ultra HD!
Special Features:
Disc 1 (4K UHD + Special Features)
- 2018 4K Restoration (from the 35mm original camera negative) and presented in 2160P HD in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio in HDR
- Original Theatrical Trailer (2:33, HD)
Disc 2 (Blu-ray + Special Features)
- 2018 Scan and restoration of the main feature presented in 1080p HD in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio.
- Audio: LPCM 2.0 Mono
- Optional English and Spanish Subtitles
- Interview with star Jill Schoelen (20:26, HD)
- Interview with star Donovan Leitch (16:25, HD)
- "Kill Comparisons" featurette (3:53, HD)
- R-Rated / Edited Version of "Cutting Class" (91 mins, SD)
- Original Theatrical Trailer (2:33, HD)
Disc 1 (4K UHD + Special Features)
- 2018 4K Restoration (from the 35mm original camera negative) and presented in 2160P HD in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio in HDR
- Original Theatrical Trailer (2:33, HD)
Disc 2 (Blu-ray + Special Features)
- 2018 Scan and restoration of the main feature presented in 1080p HD in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio.
- Audio: LPCM 2.0 Mono
- Optional English and Spanish Subtitles
- Interview with star Jill Schoelen (20:26, HD)
- Interview with star Donovan Leitch (16:25, HD)
- "Kill Comparisons" featurette (3:53, HD)
- R-Rated / Edited Version of "Cutting Class" (91 mins, SD)
- Original Theatrical Trailer (2:33, HD)
Buy the 4K/BD here through our affiliate link, commissions earned: https://amzn.to/42hkYiO
