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Cutting Class
Cutting Class
	VHS cover
Directed by	Rospo Pallenberg
Written by	Steve Slavkin
Produced by	Donald R. Beck; Rudy Cohen
Starring	Donovan Leitch; Jill Schoelen; Brad Pitt; Roddy McDowall; Martin Mull
Cinematography	Avraham Karpick
Edited by	Bill Butler; Natan Zahavi
Music by	Jill Fraser
Production; companies	April Films; Gower Street Pictures
Distributed by	Republic Pictures Home Video
Release date	December 13, 1989;
Running time	91 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Cutting Class is a 1989 American black comedy slasher film directed by Rospo Pallenberg in his directorial debut, written by Steve Slavkin, and starring Donovan Leitch, Jill Schoelen, Brad Pitt, Roddy McDowall, and Martin Mull. It was Pitt's second major role, after The Dark Side of the Sun.

The film was released direct-to-video by Republic Pictures on December 13, 1989.^[1]

Plot

A paperboy delivers a newspaper to the house of District Attorney Bill Carson, who has planned a hunting trip. He warns his teenage daughter Paula to do her homework, not to allow boys in the house, and most importantly not to cut class. Paula then puts the newspaper in the bin, showing its headline: "Boy who killed father released from Mental Asylum."

Bill Carson drives to the swamps for his hunting trip. As he takes shots into the air, someone hiding nearby holds a bow and arrows. The mysterious figure fires an arrow into Bill, who cries out and falls down to the ground. Struggling to get help, Bill starts crawling his way back home.

Meanwhile, teenager Dwight Ingalls enters class late after avoiding two accidents on his ride to school. Dwight is questioned by his teacher, Mr. Conklin, about this.

Later, Paula and her friend Colleen take out gym equipment. Paula walks past a set of bows and arrows and notices a leaf hanging off one of the arrows. Paula picks the leaf off. Meanwhile, student Brian is told to climb a rope by the P.E. coach, but Dwight causes him to fall.

At a hot dog stand, Colleen, Paula, and student Gary wait for Dwight. Brian approaches, and Colleen insults him before asserting that he has a crush on Paula. Dwight then pulls up in his car and starts talking to Paula. He asks to go to her house, as Bill is away, which would give them a chance to be alone. Dwight then goes to buy Paula a hot dog but is beaten by Brian who hands her one. Dwight tells Paula to get in the car and makes it clear to Brian that they are not friends anymore and to leave him and Paula alone. They all then drive off in Dwight's car.

Brian and Paula nevertheless become friends, and she starts to trust him. Dwight warns her to stay away from him. A teacher is murdered in the copy room, and the students notice that the killer made copies of the killing on the copy machine. The teacher's face is shown smashed into the copy machine glass along with a ring on the killer's finger. The ring belongs to Dwight. Soon they think that Dwight is the killer instead of Brian.

Brian tries to kill Paula, Dwight, and a math teacher, and the school janitor happens to be around at the time. Every classroom they run into, Brian starts talking to Paula and the teacher through the PA in the principal's office. Still thinking that Dwight is the killer, Paula runs from him. Brian goes into the classroom after hacking the teacher to death. Dwight enters and gets Brian off of Paula, and they run out to the shop class and hide after Brian exclaims, "YOU'RE A YANKEE DOODLE DANDY TOO; YOU TWO MUST KILL OR DIE!" Brian knows they are in there, and follows them while locking them in and turning on all the equipment.

Brian corners Dwight and puts his head in a vice and points a drill towards his face. Paula ends up striking Brian in the head with a claw hammer, making him fall onto a moving saw, which goes right through his torso as Paula rescues Dwight. They leave the school and are in Dwight's car when they see Bill falling down a hill into the road. However, Dwight cannot stop because Brian cut the brakes earlier. They swerve and miss hitting Bill, who responds, "Shouldn't you be in school? You're not cutting class, I hope!". Paula just smiles.

Cast

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

Production

Cutting Class marked the first major role for Brad Pitt in a feature film being third billed in the credits after having previously done mostly television work.^[2] Pitt began a relationship with co-star Jill Schoelen with the two dating for about three months.^[2]

Reception

The film was received negatively by critics. It has an approval rating of 14% on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on seven reviews.^[3]

Felix Vasquez Jr. of Film Threat wrote, "Pallenberg's creaky slasher film is one that you'll either love or hate, and while many will opt for the latter, it's good campy fun with some of the dumbest scenes you can grab from a slasher of this decade."^[4]

References

^ "Cutting Class (1989)". TCM. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
^ ^a ^b Robb, Brian J. (2002). Brad Pitt: The Rise to Stardom. Plexus Publishing. pp. 29–30. ISBN 9780859652889.
^ Fandango. "Cutting Class". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2025-01-14.
^ Vasquez Jr., Felix (2007-12-07). "Cutting Class (DVD)". Film Threat. Retrieved 2025-01-14.