By Melissa Garza
Cutting Class is one of those movies that has a bad reputation yet is quite entertaining. Those who dislike old-school horror point out Brad Pitt’s appearance and poke fun.
Admittedly, the film didn’t break any new ground. It came out at the end of the whodunit reign. Nonetheless, it fits perfectly into the genre.
Brian (Donovan Leitch) spent the last few years of his life in an institution as he was suspected of murdering his father. After being released he returns home and starts vying for his ex-girlfriend Paula’s (Jill Schoelen) attention that has since moved onto a new boyfriend, Dwight (Brad Pitt). Dwight is the school rebel and resident bad boy.
Soon, victims start piling up at the school. The list of suspects is a long one. Is it the perverted principal Mr. Dante (Roddy McDowall), the angry gym teacher Coach Harris (Dirk Blocker), the creepy custodian Schultz (Robert Glaudini) or is it one of the boys fighting for Paula?
One of the greatest aspects of the film is the topnotch actors. Roddy McDowall happens to be one of my favorite actors. Whether discussing Overboard, The Poseidon Adventure, Fright Night, Class of 1984, or Planet of the Apes, McDowall always delivered stellar performances. His portrayal in Cutting Class is no different. Dante creates situations where he can look up Paula’s dress and make inappropriate advances. Even as he’s paying a super perv, there’s sweetness to McDowall that viewers can’t help but be drawn to.
Jill Schoelen, as always, did a fantastic job as well. She was most certainly a scream queen of the 80s and her delivery was always spot on. The Stepfather has to be her horror entry, but Phantom of the Opera, When a Stranger Calls Back, and Popcorn are all worthy entries that her performance always made better.
Martin Mull is another fine actor that did a fantastic job. He portrays Paula’s father who suffers a series of bad luck while on a hunting trip. Mull is probably most known for doing the impossible – adding humor to the sitcom Roseanne. Of all his performances, my favorite recent entry was in an episode of Law & Order SVU from 2008. He played Dr. Gideon Hutton who was responsible for the death of his patients. He did not believe that AIDS was caused by HIV and only prescribed vitamins and anti-biotic for those suffering.
Of course, most notably in the film is Brad Pitt. I am not a huge Pitt fan. I think some of his portrayals are done well while others are absurd. For example, Sleepers is a fantastic movie, but his forced accent is so overdone that many of his scenes are laughable. In Se7en, I can’t help but crack up when he starts whining, “What’s in the box?”
Overall, Cutting Class is a fun whodunit that though has a predictable ending is still entertaining to watch.
Scared Stiff Rating: 5.5/10
