CHERRY FALLS

US, 2000, 92 minutes, Colour.
Brittany Murphy, Jay Mohr, Michael Biehn, Jesse Bradford, Candy Clark.
Directed by Geoffrey Wright.

Cherry Falls was the American debut of Australian film director Geoffrey Wright (Romper Stomper, Metal Skin). The film suffered from production interference and some of the more explicit violent and sexual scenes were cut.

The film is a slasher movie – but with some tongue-in-cheek. The film focuses on a mad slasher in a town, killing various students who were virgins. The complicated motivation leads to a revelation about a young woman twenty-seven years earlier who was assaulted and raped by some of the more respectable citizens of the town. Her son is now getting revenge, by depriving the parents of their children.

Brittany Murphy, who had made an impact in Clueless and was to go on to star in a number of films, is the daughter of the sheriff, played by Michael Biehn. Jay Mohr is the teacher who turns out to be the killer. Jesse Bradford is killed within the first couple of minutes of the film. Veteran Candy Clark appears as the sheriff’s wife.

The film is well done of its kind, has touches of gore – but makes its point about teenage morals as well as the issues of vengeance for brutal attacks from the past.

1.An interesting variation on the slasher film? Teenagers? Parents? School? The law?

2.The title, virginity and sex, the play on words? The actual falls – and their being red at the end of the film? The musical score and atmosphere?

3.The opening, the young couple in the car, the brutal killing (and the later flashbacks)? The further murder of the girl opening the door of her house? The attacks on the students, especially on Jody?

4.Jody, the centre of the film, in the car with Kenny, her relationship with the gossip columnist? Her mother and her smoking, her strict father, his being the sheriff? In class, in the grief counselling session? At home, Kenny breaking off with her? The discussions with Mr Marliston? The later attack by him in the laboratory, her defence of herself? Listening in to the town meeting and her father’s explanation about the virgins? Her being caught with her father, Mr Marliston tying them up? Kenny, the rescue, the pursuit? Marliston’s death? Her hearing the truth about her father from her mother, hearing him as he was questioned by Marliston? Kenny and his death? The overwhelming impact of what had happened?

5.The sheriff, strict, his wife and her smoking, their love for their daughter? The investigation? The description, the memory of the young woman in the town? His contact with the school principal? The talk to the students? His deputy? The investigation, the discussion with the parents? His being taken by Marliston, tied up, confronted with the story, his explanation, accepting his responsibility? His death?

6.The young people, the couple killed at the beginning, the girl opening the door? The teenagers in the grief counselling session, the defensiveness, the wry remarks, the bad judgments? The boys – later seen with their drugs? The issue of sexuality? The cherry party, the decision about virginity, saving themselves? Marliston and the attack? Their frantic panic, crushing the deputy, the attempt to escape?

7.The principal, strict, his announcements? The story of the past and the flashback? With the sheriff?

8.Kenny, relationship with Jody, breaking off, supporting her, the rescue, his death?

9.The popularity of this kind of horror thriller? The conventions? This film having a bit more depth to the plot and issues?

10.Marliston, seeing him in class, the students and their grief? His disguise, the revelation of his madness? His explanation about his mother, the story? The vengeance, slashing? His death?