The Editor

This review was originally published as part of my coverage of TIFF 2014

From the Winnipeg-based film collective Astron-6 (Father’s Day, Manborg) comes this homage/spoof of Italian giallo horror films.  Rey Ciso (Adam Brooks) was once one of the world’s greatest film editors. However, after losing his fingers in a freak accident, Ciso has been reduced to editing schlocky horror films, all while being distained by his former actress of a wife Josephine Jardin (Paz de la Huerta). When the actors of the film Ciso is editing begin turning up dead, the inspector in charge of the investigation, Peter Porfiry (Matthew Kennedy) automatically suspects Ciso of the murders, while actor Cal Konitz (Conor Sweeney) seems happy at the opportunity at more screen time. As the bodies pile up, Rey Ciso has to rush to clear his name.

Even though I haven’t really seen many films in the giallo genre, it didn’t stop me from enjoying Astron-6’s homage, which subtly spoofs the genre with overdubbed dialogue, ear-piercing screams, and of course extreme sex and violence.  The film is quite over-the-top with its gore, with everything from razorblades to chainsaws being used as weapons.  On the flip side, the film’s gratuitous nudity almost becomes comedic, as naked women begin to randomly appear in the background of scenes.

As with all their films, the members of Astron-6 take up the lead roles in the film, though they are are joined by the the likes of Paz de la Huerta and Udo Kier, who has a small role as asylum head Dr. Casini.  The plot of The Editor gets progressively more weird as it goes along and the film maybe goes on a little longer than it should.  However, that didn’t stop The Editor from being an absolute blast to watch and I look forward to seeing what Astron-6 have up their sleeves next.