This low-budget, Pittsburgh-lensed thriller takes a semi-satirical look at the low-budget horror film industry. The story centers on an insane filmmaker who hopes his crowning achievement will be a "snuff" documentary about the actual demise of a film crew working on a horror-movie shoot. Obviously, the director's real cast and crew are none too pleased to find themselves unwilling participants in this project. Fans of steeltown horror movie icon George A. Romero (
Night of the Living Dead) will spot a few of the director's frequent collaborators--including producer-editor Pasquale A. Buba, composer John Harrison, and FX guru
Tom Savini, who also appears in a small cameo-- although Romero himself was not involved. Released to video as
The Manipulator. ~ Cavett Binion, All Movie Guide