Cherry Falls

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Horrorphile - October 2007

Cherry Falls

October 15th 2007 05:12

There are those horror movies which are really terrible, and there are those movies that are superb examples of the genre, and then there are those that fall into a limbo between the two. They’re technically proficient, well acted, and have promise, but somewhere between the shooting script and the editing room several things went awry.

In the case of Cherry Falls (2000), directed by Aussie Geoffrey Wright (his first American flick), the main problem lies with the ambitious script in a morally conservative climate ie. Serial killer offing virgins in small town America. In what should’ve been an in-your-face genre-busting horror, instead is a tame, prophylactic-wearing thriller with minimal thrills.

One of the first virgin victims

Shame, really. Cherry Falls had several things going for it: Brittany Murphy and Jay Mohr in the leads, Candy Clark and Michael Biehn as co-stars, Geoffrey Wright at the helm, a provocative theme, and a black sense of humour. Okay, so Biehn doesn’t really cut the mustard, the only good thing he did do was The Terminator (1984).

Cherry Falls Michael Biehn and Brittany Murphy

Sheriff Marken (Michael Biehn) and daughter Jody (Brittany Murphy)

Apparently the movie was severely cut by the MPAA before release, and then in America was relegated to TV bypassing a theatrical release altogether. As for Australasia, it was only a DVD release. UK was one of the only major countries to see the film on the big screen, after it first screened at several film festivals (Canada, Spain, Germany).

Jody eavesdrops on her father and learns some hard facts

Jody Marken (Brittany Murphy) is the daughter of Cherry Falls sheriff Brent Marken (Michael Biehn). Like many others at her high school she’s a virgin waiting for the right moment/right person. But tragedy strikes the small town when a serial killer brutally murders three of students. A post-mortem reveals they were virgins (well, the two girls were, and it’s assumed the boy was). A town meeting is called and the sheriff delivers the warning.

Grabbin a shag partner at the Pop Your Cherry bash

Immediately the news is leaked to the students and a "Pop Your Cherry" shindig is organized. Sheriff Marken is concerned for the welfare of his virginal daughter, whom is set on finding out who the killer is herself. Is it her unhinged boyfriend Kenny (Gabriel Mann)? Or perhaps her camp egocentric buddy Timmy (Keram Malicki-Snachez)? Or could it be the principal Mr. Sisler (Joe Inscoe), or even Jody’s favourite teacher Mr. Marliston (Jay Mohr)? There are numerous red herrings swimming around the menstrual waters of Cherry Falls.

Timmy (Keram Milacki-Sanchez) ... virgin? I think so

According to imdb.com the “orgy” (guffaw, gaffaw) scenes at the end of the movie were shorn off graphic sexuality. Say wha ..?! Pull the other one its got bells and whistles. The students are all in their damn underwear! You don’t even see a bare ass, let a lone a slipped nipple. Sure, there’s some serious necking, but call me old fashioned, but in my books that hardly constitutes an orgy, even if the director refers to it as one as well.

I ducktaped the sheriff, but I did not ducktape the deputy

But more disappointing is the screenplay’s poor excuse for the killer’s rationale. There is none. I’m the first to champion killing for killing sake (Halloween anyone?), but when the movie sets itself up with a character who takes it upon themselves to avenge a pack rape from twenty odd years earlier, you expect some kind of correlation, don’t you? Seems screenwriter Ken Seldon thought it would be fine to have Jody and mom (Candy Clark) interviewed and released with no understanding of the killer’s motives. Seems they aren’t the only ones.

Just because you've got a small dick doesn't mean you have to go round slicing up virigns!

Cherry Falls is really only for Brittany Murphy or Jay Mohr completists. For stalk’n’slash fare you could can do better, but then again, you can do much worse.

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

2 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Damo

October 15th 2007 06:07

For the Sake of Argument
My Apologetics

flush it huh?

Comment by Bryn

October 15th 2007 06:19

Horrorphile

Yeah, I reckon ... although not nearly as annoying as Scream.

[ Previous - MADNESS & MULTIPLE MURDER IN MOSCOW! ]

[ Next - THE GOREGASM TEST ]

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