Cherry Falls

A somewhat "Scream" imitator didn't quite catch on back in 2000, but finally makes its Blu-ray debut.

"Cherry Falls" features an array of horror movie genres and uses an homage to so many other films that it fails to take on its own identity. But it's still an enjoyable viewing experience and Shout Factory's Blu-ray blows away the previous DVD release.

"Cherry Falls" take its name from the small, idyllic town where the indie films takes place. It's also a tongue-in-cheek reference to the high school virgins in this virtually bloodless and suspenseful tale of a serial killer on the loose, stalking those whose "cherries" haven't been popped.

Jodi (Britanny Murphy, "Clueless") is one such student and as fellow students around her start dying gruesome and untimely deaths, she and classmates decide to throw a "Pop Your Cherry Party" in order to avoid death at the hands of a seemingly long-haired female killer.

Like in "Scream," the characters in "Cherry Falls" are quite self-aware, spewing out reference and winks/nods to other horror films. Besides "Scream," the (SPOILER) drag queen persona of the killer can better seen in "Psycho" and even "Dressed to Kill." In fact, the ending is what kills "Cherry Falls" and makes the film an unintentional howler.

The movie also stars Jay Mohr and Michael Biehn, who in his vintage interview segment on the Blu-ray, tells of how he almost passed on the movie after reading a mere 15 pages of the script. It wasn't until he saw the humor in the story that he decided to sign on.

Bittersweet is the interview with the late Brittany Murphy, whose odd and wide-eyed performance makes "Cherry Falls" watchable. Her numerous hairdos in the film should also get credited; in virtually every scene, the late actress sports a different hairstyle.

Other vintage special features are some behind-the-scenes footage and culled from the prior DVD is the original script to read and the film's trailer. A brand new audio commentary with director Geoffrey Wright evens out the old material from the DVD. Wright expresses his disappointment in the fact that "Cherry Falls" never saw a proper theatrical release.

"Cherry Falls"
Blu-ray
$29.99
www.shoutfactory.com