DVD Review: Cutting Class (Unrated Version)

By Jeff Swindoll Oct 25, 2007, 16:35 GMT

High school can be murder. Just ask Paula. Her over-protective father disappears during a weekend hunting trip. She\'s being romantically pursued by a creepy classmate, who recently graduated from a mental institution. Her jealous jock boyfriend is looking for any reason to release his juvenile rage. The lecherous school principal is after her tight student body; her friends and teachers are rapidly falling victim to a silent, shadowy mass-murderer. As ...more

This slasher flick features an early performance by Brad Pitt (note the large headshot of him on the front of the box).  Only his most dedicated fans need apply, as the movie is pretty much a snooze.  

Paula (Jill Schoelen) is the daughter of the vacationing district attorney (Martin Mull).  Her boyfriend Dwight (Brad Pitt) is only concerned about coming over to Paula’s place for a little extracurricular activity since dear old dad is out of town.  Brian Woods (Donovan Leitch) is a teen that has returned to school after serving time in a mental institution and also has a crush on Paula. 

The school’s principal Mr. Dante (Roddy McDowell) also has his lecherous eye on Paula.  Soon the bodies are piling up and Paula has to escape the killer before she becomes his next victim.  

Brad Pitt has, of course, gone on to bigger and better things.  The only reason that people might be tricked into getting this one off of the rental shelves is the large picture of Pitt that graces the cover.  Be afraid; be very afraid since Pitt really doesn’t give a very good performance here. 

It was an early role, but you really don’t get the impression of the stardom that would come to him.  In fact, based on what I saw in this movie it’s pretty shocking that he’s risen to the top of the heap.  The movie really is pretty boring considering that it’s supposed to be a slasher film. 

It forgets the formula, which is suspense and creative kills.  Everything seems so bland.  In fact, a guy’s throat is slit and you don’t even get a drop of blood from it so even gorehounds will be extremely disappointed. 

Donovan Leitch stumbles around as potential killer numero uno looking like a cheapjack Peter Gabriel.  Jill Schoelen had a career as a minor scream queen and manages to sound both girlish and breathy at the same time.  We do have old hand Roddy McDowell sleazing his way through the infatuated principal and Martin Mull might get a snicker or two in his limited role. 

The mystery is not very mysterious and you’ll be sound asleep before the attempt at a twist ending is (yawn) thrown at you.  

Cutting Class is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) and is enhanced for 16x9 televisions.  This version is billed as the “unrated” version so I think it adds a sliver more of gore, but whatever it adds it doesn’t make the movie any better.  Don’t look on the back of the box because it will spoil the twist for you, not that it matters much.  

A pretty pedestrian slasher flick that was made in a time when slasher films were not in the vogue anymore and it really doesn’t have much to offer.  The only claim to fame is that it was an early performance by Pitt.  It certainly offered no clues that he’d be an international superstar, but it surely will make Lionsgate a little change banking on his stardom.  

Cutting Class (Unrated Version) is now available at Amazon. As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.