Ahead of the film’s screening at the Cannes Film Festival, Sony Pictures Classics has released the first Whiplash clip from writer/director Damien Chazelle’s acclaimed drama.  The pic stars Miles Teller as a student jazz drummer who aspires to greatness under a ruthless instructor, played to perfection by J.K. Simmons.  I caught the film at Sundance earlier this year—where it took home both the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize for the U.S. Dramatic competition—and found it to be an entertaining and terrifying character study.  I’d go so far as to call it a horror film, as it puts an inventive spin on the "hard-ass instructor/striving-for-perfection student" genre.  This debut clip does an excellent job of conveying the tone of the pic as well as teasing the relationship dynamic between Teller and Simmons.

Hit the jump to watch the Whiplash clip, click here to read Matt’s review, and click here to watch Steve’s interview with Teller from Sundance.  Whiplash opens in theaters on October 10th.

Watch the Whiplash clip below, via Sony Pictures Classics.