Blu-ray Review: Cutting Class

There is an undeniable nostalgia for the music and movies of the 1980s, and certainly for the horror films of that decade. One film, however, that many of us missed the first time around is Cutting Class, which stars Jill Schoelen, Donovan Leitch, Brad Pitt, Roddy McDowall and Martin Mull. The cast alone would make this movie worth giving a second (or first) look. But also it marked the directorial debut of Rospo Pallenberg, known for writing Excalibur and The Emerald Forest. And now that we’re into the month of Halloween, it is the perfect time to enjoy this slasher movie, which received a special edition treatment by the folks behind the MVD Rewind Collection. It includes both an unrated version and the original R-rated release, along with some bonus material.

As the movie begins, a boy is delivering newspapers, and we see the portion of a headline, indicating that a boy who killed someone has been released. Paula Carson (Jill Schoelen) collects the paper, while her father (Martin Mull), dressed as the stereotype of a hunter, is getting ready to leave. He wants the paper, but his daughter keeps it from him, saying, “You’re just going to find something in here that’s going to upset you.” Well, that is a perfect line for our current times, isn’t it? And Paula could not have been more correct, as we soon see the full headline: “Boy Who Killed Father Released From Institution.”  Paula’s father says he’s worried about leaving her alone for a week. Paula counters with the fact that she is the one who should worry, saying, “You are a great district attorney, but you’re a lousy hunter.” So while he may have dressed himself in the garb of a hunter, it turns out that isn’t his element at all. That’s a nice bit of characterization there. He gives his daughter the rules for while he’s gone: do your homework, no boys in the house, and no cutting class.

Well, it’s not long before Paula breaks at least one of her father’s rules. But the boy in question is Brad Pitt, so who could blame her for inviting him in? His character is the jock of the film. Donovan Leitch plays Brian Woods, the boy who was released from an institution where he served some time for the death of his father. He tells his old friend Dwight (Brad Pitt), “I’m better now.” Dwight isn’t buying it. But what is more interesting is something else that Brian says, almost under his breath, “I can forgive you.” That is the first moment that makes us wonder which of these two boys we in the audience can trust, if either.

Roddy McDowall is a delight, as always. In this film he plays the principal of the high school (making me think for just a moment about his role as a teacher in Class Of 1984, which came out seven years earlier). Here he is wonderfully creepy, but is not the only adult in the movie who seems to lust after Paula. There is also the art teacher who has Paula model for his class, instructing her to lean over to pick up an apple. Creepy, for sure. And certainly not to be outdone in the creepy factor is the school custodian. So there are plenty of characters for the audience to suspect as the bodies begin to pile up. Not that anyone takes much notice at first. It isn’t until Paul discovers the vice principal’s body draped over the copy machine that anyone realizes something is wrong.

The movie is a bit goofy, no question about it, and there are things that characters do that leave you wondering if they might be a touch stupid, but it’s an overall enjoyable ride. Perhaps my favorite moment is when the principal in a silly wig from the theatre department asks Dwight, “What are you doing?” Roddy McDowall’s delivery is perfect. It’s a funny moment in an otherwise tense sequence. There is also a great scene where Paula and Dwight, on the school’s stage, read aloud from Brian Woods’ trial transcript. That reminds you of the theatricality of court proceedings, as well as the theatricality of this movie itself and its situations. In addition, Jill Schoelen does an excellent job, and it’s her performance that keeps the film grounded in some idea of reality.

Special Features

The Blu-ray disc includes two interviews. The first is with Jill Schoelen, in which she says she initially didn’t want to do the film, that the script had a lot of problems. But she was excited to work with Martin Mull and Roddy McDowall. Their participation is what helped her decide to do it. She also talks a bit about how women were treated in the industry at the time, and how that has changed in more recent years. This interview is approximately twenty minutes. The second interview is with Donovan Leitch, who talks about being a fan of the movies that Rospo Pallenberg wrote, and being excited to be in his directorial debut. He also talks about meeting Brad Pitt on the first day, and about Roddy McDowall. This interview is approximately sixteen minutes.

The bonus material includes a “Find The Killer” contest VHS promotional piece. The sound is not great here, but considering the source, that’s understandable. As I mentioned, both the unrated and R-rated versions of the movie are included on this Blu-ray disc. There is also a piece that compares various sequences of the two versions, showing them side-by-side. The movie’s trailer is also included.

Cutting Class is available as part of the MVD Rewind Collection.