***Note to readers: When Baron had encountered medical issues, I the owner of this site thought why not have Baron dictate a review into a voice recorder and we’d type it up – easy. BIG MISTAKE! We will never ever do that again; cause Baron gave us all a huge headache and a constant nightmare. LOL – Glad he’s back! ***

Although many would say that the slasher genre had its glorious gore time in the 1980s, though it dated back the 1970s with Bay of Blood [1971] and of course Halloween [1978] though it had some early rumblings with Psycho [1960] and even the film …And Then there Were None [1945]. However, some will disregard and argue against the inclusion of the last film in the list since it lacks explicit gore and a masked killer and layers itself more as whodunit, though that trope is often a baseline in the slasher subgenre. One thing is truly clear it is a sub-genre that has continued to strive forward through the 90s with of course Scream [1996] which clearly reinvented the slasher model for a new generation the movie had a tremendous impact not only to filmmakers in the United States but worldwide hence this Australia movie called Cut.

I previously reviewed another movie called Cut! [2014] but it has relation to this film which starred Molly Ringwald (Office Killer [1997])). The film is from director Kimble Rendall (Bait [2012])) who was the founding member of an Australian cult band Hoodoo Gurus, a very good feat of this low budget flick is it that made its way to then video shelves and lasting ability to stay on  countless streaming sites, like due to Molly’s name recognition.

Molly Ringwald

The opening sequence of the film by many is considered to have poor cinematography, however, this is done on purpose, as the audiences later realize it’s part of a film shoot that stars Vanessa (Molly Ringwald (Office Killer [1997])) facing off against the killer Scarman (Frank Roberts). A sudden yell of “CUT!” rings from director Hilary (Kylie Minogue (Jack & Diane [2012])) as the scene goes awry due to Brad’s Scarman’s performance. Hilary makes the blunder to assume anyone can wear a scary mask to be a killer; this is reference to Jason’s Hockey mask as well as Ghostface. The firing doesn’t go well …

Kylie Minogue

Then a time jump of 12-years with sizzling blue sparks as a classroom of seniors inquiring with their professor Lossman (Geoff Revell), who worked on the film, over this unfinished movie known as ‘Hot Blooded’ students feel this project is perfect. The back story involving film producer who watched the film died mysteriously through electrocution, it has the promotion all built-in ready for exploitation. In fact, the movie contains a curse when someone always dies whenever the film is shown.

Raffy (Jessica Napier) and her cohort Hester (Sarah Kants) discovers the unfinished film is in the school vault and the remaining film owner Martha (Phyllis Burford) seeking to recoup loss of monies allows the production to commence and tosses in a few extra dollars. Meanwhile Vanessa is encouraged by her manager (Paul Blackwell (100 Bloody Acres [2012])) to take the gig and rounding out their good luck Mr. Drivett (Edwin Hodgeman (The Survivor [1981])) the owner of the mansion where the original film took place allows them a return visit.

Scarman ready for his close up

Before they resume filming the small cast and crew decide to watch the feature set up by archives projectionist (Triel Mora (Queen of the Damned [2002])) for inspiration, which does its version of April Fool’s Day [1986] with Bobby (Simon Bossell (Aberration [1998])) acting as the Scarman assisted Julie (Cathy Adamek (The Babadook [2014])) the special effects guru. The students they escaped the curse although not necessary as a body was turned up and Det. Hollander (Peter Green) and Det. Carter (Caroline Mignon) are now involved. As the crew does night filming Paulie (Matthew Russell) and Cass (Erika Waters) are rehearsing their own private scene until someone makes it a threesome. Soon enough the cast begins dwindling even though Jim finds a way to leave the film set, after all a cast this large in slasher cinema just means more for the slaughter.

Ringwald portrays her character Vanessa with a pitch perfect sarcastic intent of a prissy actress who acts as a wannabe A-list star but relegated to b-movie status. Many fans of hers will recall her ‘good-girl’ qualities herein she gets to play the ‘bitchy attitude.’  One of the main things inexperienced filmmakers seem to overlook for the flicks, if you have a great location use it to the fullest. For example, this film takes a majority the filming on Raywood Manor, located in Aldgate South Australian, you might say well its not a haunted house movie, rather a slasher, – so what Friday the 13th movies often use the woods to set-up slasher scenes. In addition, production designer Steven Jones-Evans, visited plenty of old libraries researching the topic of antique garden tools for inspiration for the shears used in this film. Sadly, most of the blood and gore that make-up designer Jen Lamphee (Wolf Creek [2005]) did for the film was no pun intended cut, from the flick.

Raywood Manor

There were two interesting tidbits that occurred late in the third act, first the movie borrowed from A Nightmare on Elm Street [1984] and Bad Dreams [1988] by pull the evil into the reality of our world while destroying a negative melts away the destruction of a killer. As for the second item, that is far more troubling first one is told the print of the movie only had one copy and a lecturer (Pamela Shaw) stated that anytime anyone tried to finish the film they die which goes against the curse that the audience was informed of earlier in the movie every time the film is shown someone in the audience dies.   Moving along to other elements the plot is ultra-thin, and one needs to skip over plot-holes, most of the secondary characters are mere fodder for the mundane slashing. While the production is a full length feature the scenes feel as if microburst of action, one does not want extra filler sometimes a little character depth is important, sadly this becomes like many other basic slashers in the end.

TAGLINES:

• They just have to finish the film… before it finishes them
• It’s hard to scream without a tongue
• Audience Warning – Important Cinema Safety Notice – Caution: Movies Can Kill
• Finishing The Movie Could Be The Death Of Them
• Warning: Movies can kill

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0189456/

IMDb rating: 4.4/10

Baron’s Rating: 4.0/10