Cut
Directed by Kimble Rendall
Starring Molly Ringwald, Frank Roberts, Kylie Minogue, Geoff Revell, and Jessica Napier
Release Date: 2001
DVD Encoding: Region 1
Rated R

The screen fades in from black, and we find a young girl at home alone. Something on the stove begins to burn, creepy music plays, the phone rings and when the young teen picks up the phone, a voice on the other end informs her that she’s going to die. Suddenly, the killer is there, frightening mask and all!

No, this is not Scream, this is Cut, but then again Cut does make reference to nearly every horror movie in existence. This Aussie film tries to touch on the classics and ensure its fan-base by bringing in the long-ago, big-screen idol Molly Ringwald.

So what’s the premise? Fifteen years ago, the director of the movie, Hot Blooded was violently murdered during the filming. Dear Molly barely escaped. Now, a group of college students decide to complete the movie even though a curse lingers about the film. People who see the incomplete film die. Gee, that has a ring of familiarity. A ring indeed.

Luckily, the movie wastes no time in killing people off and quite brutally. The wood splitter has to be a bad way to go. Also, check out the death scene for the camera guy. People that stupid deserve to die. In all, the visual gore is quite minimal. Most is implied. The silhouette murders and blood splatters reign supreme. More than likely, all of the special effects money was spent on the first decapitation.

Interestingly, unmasked, the killer bears a striking resemblance to Freddy Kruger, sans fingernail gloves. Then again, he too suffered the ill-fate of fire. His weapon of choice: modified limb shears, made for doing bad things to people. Like most movie monsters, he walks faster than most can run and he only goes after fresh meat. When he finally has Molly in his nefarious clutches, he leaves and goes elsewhere after she faints. If fainting is all it takes to avoid a brutal death then...

Use this same tactic at the video store. If you see Cut approaching, drop to the ground. More than likely, it will move on to someone else.