Cut and Run (1986)

A cameraman and a reporter head into the jungle searching for the missing son of a TV producer hoping to find a big story. What they get caught up in is a drug war that threatens to take their own lives.

Three and a Half

Here's something a little new, yet a little different. Yes, it's Ruggero behind the camera again with his buddies, the cannibals. Ths time around he decided to use his flair for the gruesome to make an 80s Cannon-esque action flick. You can tell this film had a so-so budget; It looks and plays out like on old Charles Bronson/Chuck Norris type flick. It's not bad. Richard Lynch(still unable to escape playing a crazy villian) does a good job though he can't have more than ten minutes of screen time. The plot seems awfully similar to Apocalypse Now(watch it and you'll see), but Italian directors have never been the mark of originality. Michael Berryman (as usual) is great to watch, I wish we'd seen more of him. The other actors are nothing special, though it is cool to see Eriq Lasalle as a pimp. Check it out, but don't spend too much. September 19, 2003

reasonable film and DVD

Although I always found the movie a little on the dull and plotless side, I do have to admit that it has enough well-edited good gore scenes to warrant a couple viewings. The cast is pretty good too, but it doesn't seem like any of them are used to the best of their abilities, especially Berryman, who needed much more of a dramatic exit than he gets at the end of the film.

The DVD is a mixed bag. They erroneously claim that a lot of the dialog was never dubbed in English, but I have the European uncut version on tape and it has all the dialog in English. This makes watching the DVD an infuriating experience as actors constantly switch from using English to Italian and back at random. Also, the DVD often looks quite shabby, such as the scene where Steiner gets ripped in half by the jungle trap. It's obvious that they took that scene from a video source and unsuccessfully tried to mix it in with the film. It's distracting, and with the dubbing thing only reflects laziness on Anchor Bay's behalf.

However the rest of the DVD looks good with bright, crisp colors, good sound, and a silly introduction by Ruggero Deodato in which is literally brags about the fact that he was dating Valentina Forte at the time. November 16, 2002

Violence Is Fun!!!

Anchor Bay's 'Uncut and Uncensored' release of Ruggero Deodato's (Cannibal Holocaust, Jungle Holocaust,
House on the Edge of the Park, Body Count) CUT AND RUN (1985), is a brutal kick in the face, to say the least.

Previously seeing the butchered version a few years back, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this 'hard' version of the film.
The man being torn in two is quite inventive and should quench most gore freaks blood-lust. There are a couple of graphic rapes that had me wincing, so you've been warned if that ain't 'yo cup 'a tea. Be prepared, this movie is only for people with strong stomaches and an appreciation for gory special effects.

Also, the cut scenes from this film were never dubbed into English on initial production (there was no point), only Italian,
and are therefore restored into this version in Italian with English subtitles.

The story in my opinion, was lacking, focusing on two news reporters trekking to the Amazon in search of a renegade Colonel (Richard Lynch) in charge of a drug cartel, yet also to find the long lost son (Willie Aames) of their boss, who just coincidently happens to be caught up in the whole mess. Come on!

It's obvious Richard Lynch put his whole heart into this role as the evil drug lord and is quite convincing as a man totally in his own world from too much Blow. The biggest downer to this film is having to sit through the scenes with Willie Aaames
(In the featurette of the DVD 'Uncut and Run', Deodato explains he was having problems), who pretentiously acts as if he could have received an Oscar, HA!

The DVD itself is great, though, with a cool interactive menu, containing a fifteen minute featurette 'Uncut and Run', the original theatrical trailer, a lengthy Ruggero Deodato bio, and an introduction from Deodato himself at the beginning of the film.
Good work Anchor Bay.

On a final note, if you are considering purchasing the film from Amazon.com, and have not yet seen this uncut version,
avoid watching the featurette first, as they expose all the cut scenes from previous versions. Watch the film first. Enjoy! November 8, 2002

Average euro-cannibal thrills

Deodato's semi-follow-up to his notorious "Cannibal Holocaust" is pretty much a mess of clashing genres. It's all over the place and doesn't really make a heck of a lot of sense, but there's enough graphic violence to satisfy the more patient gorehound (that is, if you can take watching Willie Aames running around the jungle in a Mickey Mouse t-shirt for 90 minutes). This DVD presents the uncut "hard" version of the film for the "first time ever in America" (what about the uncut bootlegs that have been floating around for 10 years???). Ya, all the beheadings and the complete man being ripped apart scene are now available to see in digital glory. How fun. All of that was edited from the original R-rated cut of the film, of course, thanks to the MPAA censors. It was cool to track down uncut boots of the film years ago, but now after all these years, the gore just doesn't have any impact and looks fake...especially after all we've seen since as well as the film itself just being so unbelievable. This ain't no "Cannibal Holocaust", that's for sure.

The DVD looks great, though. Fantastic job all the way. Extras include a featurette called "Uncut and Run" which is somewhat interesting. Deodato talks about working with the various actors (Willie was "having problems at the time") and discusses his disinterest in making "Cannibal Holocaust 2". He made this instead. Whatever. Also included is a neat trailer for the original New World release of "Cut and Run" which definitely makes the film look better than it actually is. But the funniest thing on the DVD is Deodato's brief introduction before the film itself where he basically brags that he was dating the voluptuous actress Valentina Forte at the time. Who cares? Oh, those crazeeee Italians!

If you're a cannibal junkie, this dvd is essential, of course. Others would be advised to skip it and run. July 7, 2002

from Fringe Video Fanzine Issue #005

This eruo-sludge film is the closest thing to a splatter and gore Cannibal Holocaust (1979) sequel that you are ever going to get from director Ruggero Deodato. After losing all mainstream respect by releasing the nasty cannibal films, and House on the Edge of the Park (1980), he decided to tone things down "a little" after taking over this project from soon to be Hollywood super director Wes Craven Nightmare On Elm Street (1984). I would consider this film to be Deodato's best work. Close to Joseph Conrad's Hearts of Darkness tale that was touched upon in Apocalypse Now (1979). A South American jungle cocaine operation is brutally shut down by Indio tribesmen, under the command of a mute assassin [played by Michael Berryman / The Hills Have Eyes (1977)]. After killing everyone in sight, nailing some women to the floor and raping them, our eyes are now awakened to the brutal world of the drug trafficking. A Miami reporter hot on the story somehow connects the drug murders with a Colonel Horne, seen in an old news clip of Jim Jones. The reporter flies to the jungle to interview the Colonel, make the connection to Jonestown, and help save the kidnapped son [played by Willie Aames / Eight Is Enough (1977)] of the owner of the network. Broadcasting "live" from the drug manufacture's camp, among hundreds of corpses (The result of an ongoing drug war), Horne is determined to carry on in the footsteps of the cult leader. Much like Deodato's previous Cannibal Holocaust (1979), this film also use's the documentary type style, and film within a film technique. The director places actor [Richard Lynch / God Told Me To (1977) / Invasion U.S.A. (1985)] into real stock footage of a Jonestown news reel, then also places himself in the same scene. Many thanks go out to Anchor Bay for restoring this film from many vault collections. The censored scenes can now be seen (in Italian with Subtitles), finally giving North Americans the chance to see the "hard" version of this film. Complete with disembowelments, beheading's, and a guy being ripped completely in half. Feature contains clips from director Ruggero Deodato, Writer Dardano Sacchetti, Star Richard Lynch and Music Composer Claudio Simonetti / Goblin. June 8, 2002

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