Screenplay by Krist Rufty (from an idea by Steve Beaver)

Directed by Krist Rufty

Featuring Lyla Sullivan, Noelle D'Amato, Shaun O'Rouke, Chace Ambrose, Vanelle, trent Haaga, Langley Mcarol, Nikky Irene, Jyllyan Dixon, Katie Lester, Jan Jackson

Maxim Media/Brain Damage Films

75 minutes

The Cutting Room is kitschy, but at times very hilarious. It's about a woman named Angel Corman (a psychotic portrayal by Lyla Sullivan) who barters with a producer named Brian (Trent Haaga) to make a film called "Summer of Blood". When they finish the film, they approach an industry giant by the name of Linwood Meyerhoffer (Lloyd Kaufman) of "Care-amount" pictures (wink-wink!), and pitch their work. Linwood says no way man. I want safe. I want Parker Posey!

Don't we all, she's pretty hot.

So the dilemma is set: Do it for love? Or do it for money? Brian wants a life of luxury and fame. Angel wants her vision to live infinitely, no matter what the cost.

Brian tells Angel that there needs to be some serious changes to the script so that they can sell it. Changes like, cut a little nudity here, a little gore there...Angel is upset by this news because she doesn't want anyone "fucking" with her "vision"! That and she has invested one year of her life in this film. She is not going to easily let it go. But what's a film-maker to do? They have got to eat! They have got to pay bills. How far is one film-maker ready to go for her vision? Will she kill for it? DIE for it?

I got the feeling that Angel's "art" was the only thing that kept her homicidal fantasies in check! Case in point: I can see scalping the main star, but licking the inside of her scalp when done? And how come NO ONE noticed the blood on her shirt? They must have been seriously desensitized. Like, "Oh, it's Angel. Covered in blood--again."

My disappointments during the film were that there wasn't more "meat" in it. I realize budgets and time constraints can really put a damper on things, but I'm the opposite of Meyerhoffer--I would have liked a bit more gore and a little better sound mixing. Constraints aside, I was led into conversations involving a sex-addict named Carrie (Vanelle) to seriously question if she is a lesbian. 

Carrie  and Helen, a punker who looks a bit like Wendy-O meets Cyndi Lauper (Nikky Irene) have a tender moment outside and they kiss. This freaks Carrie out and she chases Helen away with her fearful words of sexual self-confusion. Helen goes off somewhere, and Carrie goes back into the house. She meets Ethan (Langley Mcarol) there, who asks her how she is. Carrie looks over her shoulder, a bit sad, a bit pensive, and says, "How fast can you get it up?" and Ethan gets a serious face and says, "As quick as you want me." All this to prove, or disprove to herself whether or not she is truly a lesbian.

And, there's a creative use of a banana and walnuts!

There's a porn-star hopeful named David (Chace Ambrose) who delivers some gut-spilling lines. He is seen flexing in a mirror with no one else in the room but Bill and Ethan, and says something stupid like, "Don't think I'm gay, but, do you think I have a hot body?" The joke is, he doesn't. Then Bill asks, "How big is your dick?" David says he never measured but never got any complaints and then whips it out. Bill shouts, "Nobody wants to see your dick! Put that bad dog away! Where the HELL is the pizza guy?" David doesn't miss a beat when he says, "Maybe he'll wanna see my penis!" and does a little dance.

Bill (Shaun O'Rouke) reminds me a little bit of Bruce Campbell in appearance and is hilarious in his own right. Who doesn't get sick of hearing some self-important drama school cast-off talk on and on about himself?

All of this transpires at Angel's house after she had called each cast and crew member and told them to meet there, "Until it is done". So everyone shows up, everyone wonders what is going on and at some point, everyone wonders where everyone is (including the pizza guy) but no one wonders where Liz is (Jyllyann Dixon)! You know, the one whose scalp Angel licked?

Meh, who cares, right?

My most favorite part happens at the end--not because it was the end either. And it's not the very end, but I felt it should have been. It was a great character finale, I thought. Seriously, you may take a few smoke breaks, fetch a beer or two, or even zone out and yawn during some of this movie but I tell you, in order for the ending to take the same effect on you that it had on me, you need to allow yourself to be immersed into this odd world of low-budget film-making---into Angel's world.

Oh, and the lawnmower scene was pretty cool too.
 
One of my favorite lines? "Their idea of special effects is let's throw Karo Syrup on them and tell them to play dead! Who cares if they can be seen breathing, no one will notice!" We will notice, you crazy bastards!

Tiny spoiler alert: I have to give some of it away, but only very little. I love that some fight scenes and death scenes coincided with the movie posters. The music for the finale was spot on and I kind of wish it would have went no further. It was truly an homage!

Overall, The Cutting Room has its cracked moments and it has its dull moments, but I was entertained and I enjoyed the message of don't-take-yourself-so-damn-serious. Besides, it is all about the fans and that's what Cutting Room is really all about. That and great moments in film that do not come from Sundance Film Festival winners.