REVIEW FOR JUNE 1, 2004

CULTCUTS
ISSUES #2 AND #3
FANZINE, BOTH 2003
4 OUT OF 5
SUMMARY | CULTCUTS: NOT WITHOUT ITS FAULTS, BUT IT PROMISES WHAT IT DELIVERS.
 
Sometimes I'm not the most disciplined man on the planet when it comes to doing timely reviews.  I got these two issues of CultCuts near the end of August 2003 and here I am reviewing them now.  Hey guys, if you want a timely review send your shit to UR!  Gosh, but I am a professional at this sort of shit!
 
Anyway, CultCuts is a film 'zine dealing with, as you probably figured out from the title, cult films with a huge emphasis on horror films of the less mainstream sort.  To be honest, I dabble in collecting cult films and it's still a minor hobby for me, but I don't think I could do a 'zine like this.  I've just started beginning to review DVD films in addition to the music CDs I'm already barely reviewing and it was CultCuts that inspired me to do this.  Despite the price tag ($5.95US per issue for at least 66 pages) the 'zine is worth it as the reviews and interviews included in both issues are very, very involving and in-depth.  It's pretty obvious the writers of CultCuts know what they're talking about, and the love for cult cinema shows, obviously.  CultCuts is unflinchingly honest and the mag's writers aren't afraid to call a spade a spade every once in a while and provide a negative review of something.  This is one of those few 'zines where the word "selective" truly applies, or at least I think so.  There's a feeling that pervades CultCuts that these people understand what goes into the low-budget or "cult" film without the reviews or the interviews devolving into "let's laugh at the shitty production values etc." or whatever.  These people are into the cult film scene because they truly understand it, and it shows.
 
As for the interviews, I have no problem with them aside from the somewhat dry tone the interviewers take regarding the subject matter.  I guess it's to be expected given CultCuts' chosen mandate, but it almost seems CultCuts can be too reverent at times with people like, say, Ted V. Mikels or Stuart "Re-Animator" Gordon.  Some of Ted V. Mikels' and Stuart Gordon's films have been criticised for, well, sucking like a starving catfish.  It's still refreshing, though, to hear said subjects speak their minds without the usual "HEY!  THE WONDERFUL ICE-CREAM SUIT SUCKED!" epithets that I'm sure Mikels and Gordon have heard seven million times.  Not to seem like I'm defending the underground film industry as some cult films are terrible as hell, but there isn't a bad interview out of the nine in issues two and three of CultCuts.  It's not like the interviewees are no-names either as Tom Savini, Rob Zombie, and the aforementioned Mikels and Gordon are among the names interviewed.  Hell, the black guy who survived Dawn of the Dead (Ken Foree) is interviewed in issue #3 so there's a variety of interesting interviews here.  The people who work on CultCuts did their homework here, that much is for sure.
 
In the end, is it worth the $5.95US asking price?  That depends on your stance on 'zines.  Personally, it's worth my $5.95US and I'm sure other fans of the cult film industry would agree.  Still, I wouldn't recommend it to people with miniscule budgets as those people might not want to spend that sort of money on something like CultCuts.  There's the website to peruse, though, and the CultCuts people don't slouch around when it comes to cult cinema so the CultCuts website is something to check out.  Either way, one is guaranteed a respite from Nukie-worshipping suckage.  Seriously, why the hell do some of you think that film is the worst film ever?  Coming from a guy who's seen (and owns an early copy of) the film, I've defecated worse things.  Hell, the film ain't great but there are far worse films in the world than some E.T. ripoff with a runny nose.  You people get my goat sometimes.
 
CULTCUTS MAGAZINE
13742 12th Ave. SW
Suite 94
Seattle, WA 98166
USA
http://www.cultcuts.net/
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