The obnoxious brilliance of John Heard performance as Cutter in CUTTERS WAY, is counter balanced by the emotionally oblique Jeff Bridges as Bone. Ivan Passer cultish neo noir is many things to many a person. Transgressive, political, impassioned and above all, revelatory. I might have dulled to it after 10 years but it still holds the waters of cult adoration, many a better film has lost. Richard Bone (Bridges) is a good looking guy, that works as a yacht salesman by day and a wealthy local gigolo in the sun by night. He cares little about responsibility and spends his spare time with his buddy Alex Cutter (Heard). Cutter returned from Vietnam, well minus a leg, an arm and an eye. What he lost physically, he gained in his sharpened and attuned sense of righteousness. When Bone witnesses a shadowy figure dump a young woman’s body in the trash, he only remembers some reflective glasses. These fit to oil magnate J.J. Cord (Stephen Elliot). As rich as he is perverse it seems and Cutter has an idea. Why not force the hand of the oil baron by sending him a letter. We know what you did and if you pay, we will go away. Cutter’s long-suffering wife Mo (Lisa Eichhorn), has slumbered into drink and decay but when she hears of the plan, she struggles to keep her cool.

I remembered being asked pointedly by an average film critic, to schedule it on Moviedrome and declined. I liked CUTTERS WAY but felt that, like the cult adoration that surrounded it, I missed the point. I still dont get it but do get it. But that is ok. Ivan Passar directs with the vigor of a Hollywood golden era titan. I think William Wyler but then I would. Translating Newton Thornburg;’s 1976 novel Cutter and Bone, into a bleak examination of physical, moral and social decay. CUTTERS WAY, as the arcive commentary by Passar (I think this wasnt on the DVD) states, landed without a trace at first. It, like all good cult films took time and became a highly acclaimed cult favourite. FCE should be given credit (as such Radiance) for this 2K restoration, makes the most of Jordan Cronenweth cinematography. Once that horrid compressed DVD drained its life. Now, taken from the 35mm, it has been lovingly reserrected. The extras are rehashed, bar a gentle conversation with Eichhorn that I wasnt so into. Other commenteries revel in the leads chemistry on and off screen. Stating how this is counter to the Neo Noir regular feel. I love that dirt and scuzz. Which is why I dont like so much, the scheming stupidity of two men that are actually rather horrid people. Bertrand Tavernier gets it. His introduction is short, sharp and subtle. The thing i took away now is how beautiful the score by pop and rock maestro Jack Nitsche is. Stunning.

Special Features:

• New 2K restoration from its 35mm interpositive
• “Mo’s Way,” a newly filmed video interview with star Lisa Eichhorn
• “From Cutter and Bone to Cutter’s Way,” a newly filmed video interview with UA Classics exec Ira Deutchman
• Archival video interview with director Ivan Passer
• Archival video interview with writer Jeffrey Alan Fiskin
• Archival video interview with producer Paul Gurian
• Archival video featurette on composer Jack Nitzsche
• Archival audio introduction by star Jeff Bridges
• Archival video introduction by director Bertrand Tavernier
• Theatrical trailers
• Isolated music track
• Newly recorded audio commentary by novelist Matthew Specktor
• Archival audio commentary by film historians Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman
• Archival audio commentary by assistant director Larry Franco and unit production manager Barrie Osborne
• Booklet with new essay by DJ and writer Margaret Barton-Fumo and an archival essay by Cult Movies author Danny Peary