Inferno in diretta

Cut and Run (1985)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Reporter Fran Hudson (Lisa Blount) takes her cameraman Mark (Leonard Mann) to the jungle to try and locate the son (Willie Aames) of a television executive who went missing. Pretty soon they learn that someone who was believed killed at Jonestown actually survived and appears to be building a new cult around the drug cartels.

Ruggero Deodato's third film in his cannibal series isn't nearly as known as JUNGLE HOLOCAUST or CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST but in its own way CUT AND RUN is a memorable little movie as long as you don't go into it expecting anything like the first two films. Apparently this screenplay was originally meant to be directed by Wes Craven but when he walked the screenplay pretty much stayed. This isn't your typical Italian cannibal movie but instead an attempt to make a more mainstream picture. In a lot of ways this here reminded me of a Cannon picture.

I say that because you've got an exploitation movie that has the budget of something you'd expect from Cannon. I will give Deodato credit in the fact that he managed to turn in a fairly good adventure and he didn't shy away from the sleaze. There's all sorts of nudity in the film, some insane violence and all of this makes for a very entertaining film. There are all sorts of violence in the film including some decapitations and various other body parts being chopped off. If you're idea of fun is gore then there's certainly plenty of that here. The sleaze factor is certainly up there so fans of that should be happy.

Another major plus is the fact that you've got some very familiar faces. I thought Blount, Mann and Aames were all quite good in their roles but you've also got Richard Lynch, Richard Bright, Karen Black and cult favorite Michael Berryman. While none of the characters are well-written, the cast is at least entertaining enough to keep you into the movie. There's even a pretty good jump scare where the director puts your focus on some crocodiles only to have something else happen.

CUT AND RUN doesn't have the greatest idea for a plot and there are some other minor issues but if you're a fan of this type of movie then it makes for a good adventure film.

Intriguing and violent Italian movie about two journalists follow a lead to the former South American home of Jim Jones but they are instantly pursued by local guerrillas and natives . These journalists are the following ones : a reporter woman , Lisa Blount, and her cameraman Leonard Mann, both of whom go to South America to find clues of the son : Willie Aames, of a wealthy man : Richard Bright, and to connect a surviving Jonestown leader : Richard Lynch . There they become involved with drug smugglers, kidnappers and bloody native tribes led by Michael Berryman, being finally captured. This is the one story you won't be seeing on the 6 o'clock news. Assignment : survival.

A strange mix of noisy action, adventures, jungle fights, grisly killings and gory scenes. Dealing with an expedition searching for a missing son when they are caught up in a drug war and violent natives that threaten to take their own lives. It is a mediocre but passable film and full of blood and gore. Main cast and support cast are acceptable. Lisa Blount plays an intrepid journalist, the Italian Leonard Mann is her camera helper, Willie Aames an abducted young, Richard Bright as his father, Karen Black as an Tv manager, Michael Berryman as an ominous, creepy native chief, being special mention for Richard Lynch as a nasty, mean preacher, Jim Jones-lookalike and brief appearance by Eriq La Salle.

It contains an atmospheric and glimmer cinematography by Alberto Spagnoli. As well as an anticlimatic musical score composed by Syntesizer by Claudio Simonetti of Goblin, usual musician to Dario Argento's films. Being shot on location in Venezuela and Miami, Florida. The motion picture was regularly directed by Ruggero Deodato. He is a notorious Italian director especially known for today considered classic "Cannibal Holocaust". He has directed all kinds of genres with particular penchant for terror, violence, and adventure movies, such as Jungle holocaust, House on the edge of the park, Bodycount, Dial help, Phantom of death, The washing machine, The raiders of Atlantis, Concorde affair, Live like a cop die like a man, Lone runner, The barbarians, among others . Rating 5/10. Average

Cut and Run is one of Deodato's strangest films due to the bizarre mix of genres. The film balances horror, action and adventure elements with gritty cocaine smuggling and hostage situation subplots. There is even an Apocalypse Now inspired crazy Colonel living with natives in the jungle. To say that the film bites off more than it can chew is an understatement, but that the fact that the film works at all is a great testament to Deodato's unique talent.

There is little point passing comment on the film's plot because it virtually makes no sense. There is, for example, no explanation at how the Indian killings in the Amazon jungle simultaneously take place in Miami and the entire subplot involving Colonel Horne remains a mystery. The jumbled plot does have the advantage of giving Deodato the opportunity to dabble in different genres and he shows yet again why he is such an underrated filmmaker. Deodato's direction is technically brilliant and he brings his usual sense of flair to the film's action and horror set pieces. The dramatic moments are less successfully handled and unusually for a Deodato film, some sentimentality creeps in towards the end of the film.

The film really picks up every time the Indians attack. Horror fans might be annoyed by the infrequency of the gore, but when the killings do occur, Deodato does not disappoint. There are beheadings, spears through the neck, darts in the neck and one of Deodato's best ever deaths when a man is literally ripped limb from limb (according to Deodato, inspired by the Vietcong). Part of the fun is watching legendary genre actor Michael Berryman camping it up as a demented Indian. He has several great moments in what is one of his more memorable roles. The other actors are also pretty good. Lisa Blount makes an impression as Fran and Richard Lynch always does a good job of acting crazy, making a perfect Colonel Horne.

Also worth a mention are Claudio Simonetti's great synth score and the beautiful photography of the jungle landscape (Venezuela doubling for Colombia). Fans of Deodato should check out the accompanying "Uncut and Run" documentary in which Deodato rather amusingly talks about the shoot, stealing Wes Craven's job as the director and even bluntly says which actors he did not enjoy working with. Cut and Run might lack cohesion but it remains a highly enjoyable minor work from a truly great director.

From the director of Cannibal Holocaust - undoubtedly one of the most impressive movies ever made - comes this action packed thriller about drug dealing and ruthless murder. The film has also a strong adventure-oriented impact that makes other adventure-films as the Indiana Jones-trilogy look like The Adventures of Winnie Pooh (oops - I'm not even sure how to spell this cuddly bear...). Michael Berryman and Richard Lynch give fine performances, and make sure you get the strong uncut version of this film: unfortunately, it was released in two different cuts, the more common one looks like an arbitrary action movie, while the rare version is packed with gross gore FX that strengthen the impact of this enjoyable pic.

I held off seeing this movie until I was able to get the full-length version with all the blood and guts that were cut out of the original American release. The gore sequences are spectacular at times, and they also contain some information that makes the movie easier to follow than in the cut version.

Other than that, though, there's really nothing about the movie that's compelling. The story is really boring, slow-moving, and with some plot points that remain murky despite the added footage. The action sequences, minus the gore, are unimaginative and barely can be considered "action". The protagonists are a snotty bunch that seem to have little brain material in their heads. Fans of Richard Lynch and Michael Berryman will be most disappointed; these two actors only appear for a few minutes each!