The Editor (2014)

It finally happened slash-er fans. Came across a movie I don’t know how to review…at least not straightforward. THE EDITOR is part homage, part parody, and part modernized update of the famous Giallo films of the 60s/70s. If you weren’t familiar with those movies, Giallo films were Italian horror movies popular in those times for its mystery, thriller, and often times erotic/supernatural elements. Usually revolved around a killer and twist ending…and the movie’s visuals were always signature in lighting and color. Think ‘Scream’ but with more close-ups of murder weapons, garish lighting, and crazy over-acting. Bava, Argento, Fulci, and countless others helped popularize these films. The Editor aims to have its own story while also poking fun at the genre by adding in incomprehensible scenes and character actions that make zero sense. We start off by watching an actual aging editor, with a shady past, become the lead suspect after actors on set are being brutally murdered. In true Giallo fashion, we get much nakedness, bloody kills, and a mystery where we don’t trust any of the characters. The movie replicates the Giallo visuals/music to the nth degree. Your enjoyment with this film will depend mostly on your familiarity with Giallo films as you get lost in the narrative and what the movie sets out to do. If you aren’t familiar, many scenes won’t make sense and you’ll walk away wondering if the whole thing was the good old ‘Was it a dream’ sequence. If you are familiar, you will love the first half as it plays more like a straight mystery, but the second half aims to throw everything Giallo at the screen which makes for a hodgepodge of randomness (tarantulas, Cronenberg-visuals, supernatural, etc). You’ll love it…but also be confused during the story. Some might even just laugh all throughout as there is a hint of black comedy to the whole tone; but others may have wanted more of the mystery aspect and less ‘visual’ feast. Making either a parody or homage is difficult enough; trying to do both at the same time has an even taller order to fill. You’re allowed to parody scenes reminiscent of the classic films…but you still need an overarching narrative that makes sense in the end. The Hot Shots movies pulled the balance off superbly. While we got hilarious scenes, we could still follow the overall story. The Editor could make sense in the final scenes…if you’re willing to play along with what it was trying to do. That being said, I didn’t hate it. Rather enjoyed most of it. Enjoyable for a bloody modernized flick of classic movies from yesteryear, but would have liked a bit more narrative sense. Now that I think about it, need to watch this with someone who has never heard of Giallo: their reaction would be worth the price of admission alone. Check it out for a crazy night...boobs, blood, brainteaser…and Bava-esque.

SLASH SCENE: Too many to single out...opening scene, tarantulas, disembowelments

SLASH SCORE: 3.5/5