Cutting Class (1989)

Director:

Rospo Pallenberg

Writer (WGA):

Steve Slavkin (written by)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Some People Would Kill To Fit In.

Plot:

A murderer is loose in a high school in this 'whodunit' movie.

Plot Keywords:

Female Nudity | Slasher Flick | Nudity | Female Rear Nudity | Public Address System

Cast

Donovan Leitch	...	Brian Woods
Jill Schoelen	...	Paula Carson
Brad Pitt	...	Dwight Ingalls
Roddy McDowall	...	Mr. Dante
Martin Mull	...	William Carson III
Brenda James	...	Colleen (as Brenda Lynn Klemme)
Mark Barnet	...	Gary
Robert Glaudini	...	Shultz
Eric Boles	...	Mr. Glynn
Dirk Blocker	...	Coach Harris
Nancy Fish	...	Mrs. Knocht
Robert Machray	...	Mr. Conklin
David Clarke	...	Crusty Old Man
Norman Alden	...	Officer Fondulac
Tom Ligon	...	Mr. Ingalis

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Image Transform)

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Excelsior High School - 15711 Pioneer Boulevard, Norwalk, California, USA

Company:

April Films

Goofs:

Continuity: When Paula and the teacher are trying to solve the puzzle to open the right door, the teacher's calculations on the board disappear after he opens the door.

Quotes:

Dwight Ingalls: You know, Your fathers a lot bigger than I am. Of course, I bigger where it REALLY counts!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Grindhouse (2007)

Soundtrack:

GUYS LIKE GIRLS

It's the PITTS! (Get it? Because Brad Pitt is in it, and it's... oh, never mind.)

From that golden age of cinema known as the eighties comes this fiercely average teen slasher flick that seems tailor made to be shown on "USA Up All Night". This movie looks pretty glossy and professional, and therefore bland. The killings take a back seat to comedy scenes starring Martin Mull and Roddy McDowell, the latter of whom is pretty funny (Although McDowell often took crappy parts just for a paycheck- It's hard to imagine him getting excited over the script for "Laserblast"- he was never dull).

To the film's credit, the identity of the killer is kept a pretty good secret till the film's amusing enough climax in the school's metal shop. One of the main suspects is played by a young Brad Pitt, but he doesn't embarrass himself like future star Matthew McConnehey did in "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4". Brad is merely lifeless in his role as a hothead basketball star and reckless driver. Creepy Donovan Leitch is the other probable suspect, and cute Jill Shoelen is the confused gal in a bland love triangle with the two. (Whatever happened to Shoelen? She's got a nice, early-Winona-Ryder vibe going in this and in "Popcorn". I think she's an okay actress, trapped in mediocre movies, like the Robert Englund "Phantom of the Opera").

And that is all I have to say on the matter of "Cutting Class".