‘Cutter’s Way’ 4K UHD Review (Radiance Films)
Stars: Jeff Bridges, John Heard, Lisa Eichhorn, Ann Dusenberry, Stephen Elliott, Arthur Rosenberg, Patricia Donahue | Written by Newton Thornburg, Jeffrey Alan Fiskin | Directed by Ivan Passer
In 1976, Newton Thornburg wrote the novel Cutter and Bone. Just five years later, the book was adapted for the big screen by Czech director and screenwriter Ivan Passer. Originally retaining the novel’s title, the film was later renamed Cutter’s Way before its release. Now, 45 years on, the film is making its global 4K UHD debut thanks to the good folks at Radiance Films, giving this cult classic the high-definition treatment it has long deserved.
The laid-back Californian gigolo Richard Bone (Jeff Bridges) finds himself suspected of murder when he happens to see the wrong thing at the wrong time: the body of a young girl being dumped into a garbage can. Bone’s friend, the capricious and paranoid Vietnam veteran Cutter, (John Heard), begins to suspect a conspiracy behind the killing, with local oil tycoon J.J. Cord (Stephen Elliott) at its center. He persuades a reluctant Bone to try and take Cord down, leading to a sinister escalation of events that will change their lives forever.
Jeff Bridges and John Heard deliver unforgettable performances, while Ivan Passer’s assured direction elevates the film into a true neo-noir classic for cinephiles. The screenplay draws you in from the very beginning, maintaining a gripping, relentless pace right through to the final moments, and its impact lingers long after the credits have rolled.
Radiance Films has transferred Cutter’s Way to 4K UltraHD in 2160p, presented in 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The audio track is uncompressed mono, and there is also an English SDH subtitle track. This release features a new 4K restoration from the original camera negative. It even has the option to view with the original Cutter and Bone title sequence, newly scanned for the first time.
Overall, the picture quality of Cutter’s Way is amazing – the detail that this new 4K restoration brings to this film is great. In addition to a great 4k restoration, Radiance loaded this 4K release with tons of bonus features, making this a super deluxe edition of the film, including:
Special Features:
- Piety, Patriotism and Violence: The Legacy of Cutter and Bone: new featurette on the legacy of Cutter’s Way with contributions from writers Megan Abbott, Jordan Harper, and George Pelecanos
- Archival 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
- Archival video interviews with actor Lisa Eichhorn, UA Classics exec Ira Deutchman, director Ivan Passer, Jeffrey * Alan Fiskin, and 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
Bonus Materials:
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow
- Limited edition 80-page bound book featuring new writing from Christina Newland, Nick Pinkerton, and Travis Woods, plus an archival interview with Ivan Passer
- Limited edition of 5000 copies, presented in rigid box and full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings
As you can see, Radiance Films did not let any features from previous releases just fall by the wayside – they ported over every bonus feature and then some. And then they added new artwork and an amazing book!
***** 5/5
If you love neo-noirs, Cutter’s Way is a really good exPLE, and this new super deluxe 4K release of the film is so good it deserves to be in your collection.
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