Cherry Falls (2000)

Director:

Geoffrey Wright

Writer (WGA):

Ken Selden (written by)

Release Date:

25 August 2000 (UK)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

lose your innocence - or lose your life

Plot:

A killer is killing off the virgins of a small town high school.

Plot Keywords:

School | High School | Virgin | Virginity | Sex Party

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Brittany Murphy	...	Jody Marken
Jay Mohr	...	Leonard Marliston
Michael Biehn	...	Sherrif Brent Marken
Jesse Bradford	...	Rod Harper (as Jesse Watrouse)
Candy Clark	...	Marge Marken
Amanda Anka	...	Deputy Mina
Joe Inscoe	...	Tom Sisler, Principal
Gabriel Mann	...	Kenny Ascott
Natalie Ramsey	...	Sandy
Douglas Spain	...	Mark
Bre Blair	...	Stacy Twelfmann
Kristen Miller	...	Cindy
Michael Weston	...	Ben
Keram Malicki-Sánchez	...	Timmy
Joannah Portman	...	Sharon

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence/gore, teen sexuality, language and some drug content.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Brazil:18 | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-15 | New Zealand:R16 | Peru:18 | France:-16 | Italy:T | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Chile:18 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | UK:15 (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating) (2001) | USA:R (certificate #37005)

Filming Locations:

Dinwiddie, Virginia, USA

Company:

Fresh Produce Company

Trivia:

The films German title is 'Sex oder stirb!' meaning 'Sex or Die!' The bizarre title for the Mexico release was 'Corre... no grites' which translates to 'Run...Don't Scream'.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where the murderer is hacking down the front door with an ax, the door and its hinges change. In one shot the hinges are on the left (as we see it) and the door closes. The murderer then manages to hack through the door and the door swings open with hinges on both sides, opening like a swinging door from a western movie.

Quotes:

Wally: Have you ever played Death Quake?
Students: Ok... but you have to use a rubber!

Movie Connections:

References "Batman" (1966)

Soundtrack:

Mouse in the Moon

High School was NEVER this fun!

This is a first!!! A slasher flick where the tramps survive and the goody goody bite it!!! Yippee!!! I've been waiting a long time for this puppy. The bad news is: after its one on one battle with the big bad censors, the end product is softer than what I expected. The good news is: even without the extreme gore and abundant teen flesh that the movie was supposed to have, it still comes through like a lap dance on a Monday morning.

If Twin Peaks and Scream were to have sex, Cherry Falls would be its adorable illegitimate child. I loved the small town vibe with its odd characters and its skeletons in the closet. Something's off in this town. Even the sexuality is a tad out there. Is it me or were the mom and Jody's boyfriend flirting? And why was the mom always pecking her daughter on the mouth? And didn't the dad seem to get a little "too close for comfort" to his own daughter at one point? There's a taboo sexual energy floating about in this flick. Toe sucking never looked this appealing!

I also loved the mystery (wassup with the Sheriff?), the hip dialogue and adored the tense filled stalk sequences. This movie also has a great sense of humor and a hard-core mean streak (this killer doesn't mess around). One second you're laughing and the next you're on the edge of your seat…way groovy.

It's also refreshing to see a slasher flick that doesn't follow the "Scream" mold to the letter. Yes, many elements are familiar but the overall product feels different. First off, the killer here is scary. He/she is even scarier when his/her identity is revealed. This person is whacked out! What a great performance. I also appreciated that unlike all the Scream imitators, this killer doesn't go on a monologue spree to explain his/her motive. Here we're treated to somber flashbacks and one heck of a tense moment. The killer's motive itself is a credible one and once all the pieces of the puzzle are out on the table, it makes for an even more messed up movie. The last twenty minutes of this flick had me grinning with delight from ear to ear.

The teens all look and feel real. The way the kids react to the death of one of their classmates echoes reality. Lots of us are desensitized little brats and it actually made me think to what I would say if I learned that one of my own compadres was hacked to bits (I'd probably crack an off-color joke too). The film addresses relevant and serious issues (peer pressure and loss of virginity are two more) but always has its tongue planted deep in cheek.

But even with its flaws, I still fell hard for Cherry Falls. It entertained me big time, gave me my Michael Biehn fix of the month and had me smiling from frame one. It doesn't reinvent the wheel but it delivers familiar elements in a funny, twisted and non-mainstream way. Wanna see a killer crash a teen sex party? You bet you do. Pop this!