In Ivan Passer'sCutter's Way, Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski,Rancho Deluxe), John Heard (Chilly Scenes of Winter , After Hours) and Lisa Eichhorn (Yanks,King of the Hill) deliver exemplary performances as a trio of '60s casualties embroiled in a murder investigation that goes increasingly off-the-rails and threatens to swallow them whole.
Unambitious yacht salesman and gigolo Richard Bone (Bridges) skates on his good looks and avoids all responsibility. His best friend Alex Cutter (Heard) returned from Vietnam with his body damaged but his mind sharpened and attuned to the injustices and politics that led to his predicament. After Bone witnesses a shadowy figure dump a young woman's body in the trash, he fingers local oil magnate J.J. Cord (Stephen Elliot, Beverly Hills Cop,Death Wish) as the killer. As Bone backs away from this accusation, Cutter charges forward on a crusade to make Cord pay not only for this murder, but for all the other crimes fat cats like him have routinely gotten away with. Cutter's long-suffering wife Mo (Eichhorn), struggles to keep her own head above the surface, while steering the two men toward saner waters.
Based on Newton Thornburg;'s 1976 novel Cutter and Bone, and initially released under that title to little notice, the film was reborn as Cutter's Way and became a highly acclaimed cult favourite. The lush, sunny Santa Barbara setting, luminously photographed by DP Jordan Cronenweth (Blade Runner,Stop Making Sense), is an ironic counter to the deeply cynical and tragic vibes of this neo-noir. The distinctly beautiful score by pop rock maestro Jack Nitsche ranks as one of his most stirring works. Helmed by Czech filmmaker Passer (Intimate Lighting , Born to Win), Cutter's Way is an impassioned and truthful critiques of American social hierarchy. Now as relevant as ever, this edition has been freshly restored in 2K from its 35mm interpositive.
✶✶✶✶✶ "One of the great overlooked American movies, with career-highlight work from director Ivan Passer" Kim Newman, Empire
✶✶✶✶✶ "Ivan Passer's note-perfect, sun-splashed neo-noir thriller Cutter's Way has slowly fought its way up from cult obscurity." The Guardian
Extras
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 filmedvideo 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
