Mini-Reviews
Cutting Class
Cutting Class stars underrated genre goddess Jill Schoelen as Paula Carson; it also features Martin Mull, Roddy McDowell, and a baby faced Brad Pitt in one of his first (credited) feature film rolls. Revolving around a series of murders that take place at Paula's high school after the return of outsider Brian (Donovn Leitch) after a stay in a mental hospital, Cutting Class is unfortunately too silly to work as a straight horror film but not really over the top enough to work as a parody. Still for horror fans, there's a lot to enjoy in this late 80's slasher, particularly Schoelen who always makes for a likable lead. Pitt fans will also want to check it out, if only to see the star before he made it to the A-list.
Popcorn
And Jill Schoelen's back in the significantly more effective, Popcorn, which works better than Cutting Class as both a slasher and as a humorous love letter to horror cinema. While it is often silly and requires some serious suspension of disbelief, Popcorn also has a lot of heart. With the majority of the film taking place at a horror movie marathon in an old cinema, there is also an interesting meta-aspect to the film which predates Craven's more thoughtful and successful efforts, New Nightmare and Scream, by several years.
Terror at London Bridge
David Hasselhoff versus Jack the Ripper? Sign me up! This made-for-TV film, also known as Bridge Across Time, features a time traveling Ripper resuming his work in 1985 Arizona (where, weirdly enough, the former London Bridge does actually currently reside). As ridiculous as that premise sounds, London Bridge is actually a legitimately entertaining movie. The silly set-up and the presence of the Hoff are balanced out by more-than-competent behind the scenes work, including a script by genre genius, William F. Nolan. Adrienne Barbeau is also as entertaining as usual in a supporting role.
Cutting Class stars underrated genre goddess Jill Schoelen as Paula Carson; it also features Martin Mull, Roddy McDowell, and a baby faced Brad Pitt in one of his first (credited) feature film rolls. Revolving around a series of murders that take place at Paula's high school after the return of outsider Brian (Donovn Leitch) after a stay in a mental hospital, Cutting Class is unfortunately too silly to work as a straight horror film but not really over the top enough to work as a parody. Still for horror fans, there's a lot to enjoy in this late 80's slasher, particularly Schoelen who always makes for a likable lead. Pitt fans will also want to check it out, if only to see the star before he made it to the A-list.Popcorn
And Jill Schoelen's back in the significantly more effective, Popcorn, which works better than Cutting Class as both a slasher and as a humorous love letter to horror cinema. While it is often silly and requires some serious suspension of disbelief, Popcorn also has a lot of heart. With the majority of the film taking place at a horror movie marathon in an old cinema, there is also an interesting meta-aspect to the film which predates Craven's more thoughtful and successful efforts, New Nightmare and Scream, by several years.
Terror at London Bridge
David Hasselhoff versus Jack the Ripper? Sign me up! This made-for-TV film, also known as Bridge Across Time, features a time traveling Ripper resuming his work in 1985 Arizona (where, weirdly enough, the former London Bridge does actually currently reside). As ridiculous as that premise sounds, London Bridge is actually a legitimately entertaining movie. The silly set-up and the presence of the Hoff are balanced out by more-than-competent behind the scenes work, including a script by genre genius, William F. Nolan. Adrienne Barbeau is also as entertaining as usual in a supporting role.
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