“The Editor” is a Solid Parody/Homage

There’s a 2014 Canadian horror/comedy called “The Editor” on DVD and Blu-ray that is definitely worth checking out. It is made in the style of an Italian horror film, complete with questionable dubbing, an elaborate color palette, and overblown scenes of sex and violence. It is about the making of a horror film that is being plagued by murders of the cast and film crew. The prime suspect is the film’s editor Rey Cisco (played by Adam Brooks, co-director of this film), who lost some of his fingers in an accident years ago. Did he or didn’t he? Or was it someone else? According to Wikipedia, this film contains explicit references to such films as “Don’t Look Now,” “Dressed to Kill,” “Black Belly of the Tarantula,” “The Beyond,” “New York Ripper,” “Murder Rock,” “Four Flies on Gray Velvet,”” “Inferno,” “Mother of Tears,” “Pieces.” “The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh,” “Hitch-Hike,” and more. The film also takes place in part in the D’Argento Apartment Buildings, a clear reference to the Master of Horror. It is a parody of the giallo, a distinctly Italian form of murder mystery in which everyone is flawed and therefore a suspect. Although the premise sounds simple enough, the plot soon becomes as complicated as “Mulholland Drive” or an Almodovar movie, making enjoying the homages and the blood and the sex the best way to enjoy the film. Despite costing only $135,000 Canadian dollars, the film looks great and has suspense and good acting. Perhaps the biggest name in the cast is Udo Kier as a film director, and he does a bang-up job. Overall, the film delivers a large amount of laughs and screams, and as a result it is highly recommended! If low-budget horror is your thing, don’t miss “The Editor.”