The Editor tells the story of a film editor named Rey who becomes embroiled in a complex murder mystery. The studio he is employed by is plagued with a rash of unexplained deaths and Rey is the prime suspect. The only thing he can be certain of is that nothing is what it seems.
The Editor has a lot of great talent involved. Paz de la Huerta (Nurse 3D) and Adam Brooks (Father’s Day) feature in starring roles with Tristan Risk (American Mary) and Udo Kier (Blade) also popping up. Adam Brooks and Matthew Kennedy of Astron-6 are at the helm. Brooks and Kennedy are responsible for the epically low budget Manborg and the Troma exploitation flick Father’s Day. Everyone involved delivers winning performances. Even the most minor of players is fully committed here.
The dialogue is brilliant and excessive all at the same time. It is delivered with over-the-top zeal by the likes of the already over-the-top Paz de la Huerta. One such example of unbelievably cheeky dialogue delivered in perfect deadpan style is when one of the characters offers up the alibi that she was shaving her p***y during the time of the murder.
The whole film is hyper sexualized and every opportunity to showcase nudity is seized. There’s even a sequence where several of the leads are talking and a woman just disrobes for absolutely no discernible reason in the background. In each progressive scene, she is wearing less clothing than in the frame previous.
The whole film is quite hilarious but it’s done with a serious tone, so as to make it all the more hilarious. It’s like everyone is in on the joke but they aren’t letting on and everyone fully commits to the silliness.
As for the violence, The Editor is oh so extreme. It’s even more brutal than the films to which it is paying homage. There were buckets of blood utilized throughout the course of production and all of the effects are accomplished with glorious practical effects! This is really a horror lover’s dream
The Editor is a horror movie made by horror fans for horror fans and it only serves to further cement my undying love and devotion for the members of Astron-6.
My copy of the film arrived late, thus the reason for the tardiness of my review. It is now available via a DVD and Blu-ray combo from Scream Factory! If you haven’t yet checked out this absolute gem and you must do so. If you are a fan of early Argento and the collective work of the Bava family, you are absolutely going to enjoy this loving sendup. I simply cannot praise this film enough. It nearly perfects the art of satire while still being a wholly entertaining and intriguing film in its own right and that is something that we rarely see. Bravo!
WICKED RATING: 8/10
Director(s): Adam Brooks and Matthew Kennedy
Writer(s): Adam Brooks, Matthew Kennedy, Conor Sweeney
Stars: Pad de la Huerta, Adam Brooks, Matthew Kennedy
Release: September 8, 2015
Studio/ Production Co: Astron-6, Scream Factory!
Budget: $130K (Estimated)
Language: English
Length: 95 Minutes
Sub-Genre: Giallo
