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
Production
''Cutting Class'' marked the first major role forReception
The film was received negatively by critics. It has an approval rating of 14% on the review aggregator websiteReferences
External links
* * {{rotten-tomatoes, 1005090-cutting_class 1989 films 1989 directorial debut films 1989 black comedy films 1989 comedy horror films 1980s high school films 1989 independent films 1980s serial killer films 1980s slasher films 1980s teen comedy films 1980s teen horror films American comedy horror films American high school films American independent films American slasher films American teen comedy films American teen horror films Films produced by William N. Panzer Films shot in Los Angeles County, California 1980s English-language films 1980s American films English-language comedy horror films English-language independent films English-language crime films