Cherry Falls (2000)
February 10, 2022 11:18 AM - Subscribe
A serial killer is stalking the peaceful town of Cherry Falls. At first, it seems that he is just targeting teenagers, but after the third killing it becomes clear that all the victims have been virgins. When the town's students hear about this, they realize that there is only one way to protect themselves and begin planning a "Pop Your Cherry" party where they will all lose their virginities together.
Absolutely unable to get past the MPAA with an R rating due to its sexual content, the film was chopped up and sold to the USA Network as a tv movie. It did see release in the UK and other country theatrically, becoming something of a cult favorite.
Directed by Geoffrey Wright (Romper Stomper.) Starting the late Brittany Murphy, as well as Michael Biehn.
Currently streaming in the US on Shudder.
Absolutely unable to get past the MPAA with an R rating due to its sexual content, the film was chopped up and sold to the USA Network as a tv movie. It did see release in the UK and other country theatrically, becoming something of a cult favorite.
Directed by Geoffrey Wright (Romper Stomper.) Starting the late Brittany Murphy, as well as Michael Biehn.
Currently streaming in the US on Shudder.
The gore is at a pretty standard 90's slasher level, which is to say, less gory than classic 70's/80's slashers.
This is a weird movie, because it got chopped up and spit back out, yeah, but also because the screenwriter seemed to think they were writing a fun meta thing like Scream but the director helmed it like he thought it was Halloween, dead serious and generally pretty straight-faced. Some disjointed tones there.
And, here's a spoiler/trigger warning: they probably meant it as a Psycho homage, but the killer is literally of the Crazy Man in a Dress trope, which really didn't age well. Second trigger warning: there is a rape revenge angle to this.
I had heard this was a blast, but I guess you had to be there at the time.
I mean, even the central conceit--how would they have figured it out after two killings (3 people)? And why do the kids actually have to have sex, why can they just say they did? He's a serial killer, not a fucking wizard. How would he know?
It has some moments and I'm not mad I saw it. But it's not what it could have been.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:38 PM on February 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
This is a weird movie, because it got chopped up and spit back out, yeah, but also because the screenwriter seemed to think they were writing a fun meta thing like Scream but the director helmed it like he thought it was Halloween, dead serious and generally pretty straight-faced. Some disjointed tones there.
And, here's a spoiler/trigger warning: they probably meant it as a Psycho homage, but the killer is literally of the Crazy Man in a Dress trope, which really didn't age well. Second trigger warning: there is a rape revenge angle to this.
I had heard this was a blast, but I guess you had to be there at the time.
I mean, even the central conceit--how would they have figured it out after two killings (3 people)? And why do the kids actually have to have sex, why can they just say they did? He's a serial killer, not a fucking wizard. How would he know?
It has some moments and I'm not mad I saw it. But it's not what it could have been.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 1:38 PM on February 10, 2022 [3 favorites]
I recently listened to an episode of the podcast Good Mourning, Nancy about this movie (Patreon link, but it's a public post and the podcast is on all your normal playback apps if anybody wants to have a listen) and found it pretty interesting. I haven't seen the movie yet—until it showed up on Shudder this month my understanding is that it was pretty hard to get a hold of.
posted by bcwinters at 1:42 PM on February 10, 2022
posted by bcwinters at 1:42 PM on February 10, 2022
I had friends that went to Thomas Jefferson High School (they were in the Governor's School program when it was based there) where parts of this were filmed. They made me watch parts of this movie but I honestly remember nothing about it.
I guess to me, it's only notable that I've hung out on those high school steps a few times.
posted by edencosmic at 5:32 PM on February 10, 2022
I guess to me, it's only notable that I've hung out on those high school steps a few times.
posted by edencosmic at 5:32 PM on February 10, 2022
Shudder is doing a live watch tonight (feb 14) for Valentine’s Day with a panel of people I mostly haven’t heard of and April Wolfe.
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posted by rodlymight at 11:25 AM on February 14, 2022
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posted by rodlymight at 11:25 AM on February 14, 2022
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I tend to avoid things I'd call "real" horror these days, but this sounds fun and I don't mind comedy with horror tropes or grand guignol levels of gore.
posted by mark k at 11:40 AM on February 10, 2022