CHRIS' QUARANTINE RECOMMENDATION OF THE DAY (4/3/20): ONE CUT OF THE DEAD

CHRIS' QUARANTINE RECOMMENDATION OF THE DAY (4/3/20): 

ONE CUT OF THE DEAD

By Chris La Vigna (@Chris_LaVigna)

Lights! Camera! ZOMBIES!

"Zombies man, they creep me out... " But boy oh boy, do I love me a good zombie flick, even in these end-of-times-type days! Quick side note: if you know off the top of your head what film that opening quote is from, then congratulations, we can be friends. Anyways, today's recommended viewing is the Japanese zombie comedy ONE CUT OF THE DEAD, and the truth of the matter is, it's not just a zombie movie. It's actually a zombie movie, an indie filmmaking satire, and an earnest family comedy, seamlessly spliced together. Allow me to explain...

Filmed in 2017 but only released in the US late last year via the good folks at Shudder, ONE CUT OF THE DEAD starts off by delivering on its title: The first thirty minutes or so are a straight-forward found footage horror film about an indie film crew making a zombie flick, who--gasp!--suddenly find themselves being attacked by real zombies! As the name suggests, the film unfolds as one continuous shot, like 1917 or BIRDMAN, but way better, because zombies! 

The camera movement is suitably frenetic, the music pulse-pounding, and the gore is plentiful. When the film reaches its blood drenched finale and the credits roll, you'll be satisfied...that is, until you remember that this movie's supposed to be 96 minutes long, and you find yourself wondering aloud "Wait, where do we go from here?" It's okay, I did the same exact thing.

When there is no more room in Hell, the dead will make a movie

From there, the film shifts to telling the story of how the short we just watched came to be. Commercial/karaoke video director Higurashi (Takayuki Hamatsu) is tapped by two excited producers to helm a project they're developing: a zombie film, to be shot in one take and broadcast live on TV. Initially skeptical, the journeyman director agrees to take the gig, and is almost instantly beset on all sides by the issues that plague any production: capricious actors, flaky crew members and extras, and of course, too little time and money. 

On top of that, Higurashi has some issues at home to deal with: His wife Harumi (Harumi Shuhama) is jaded, makes snide remarks about her husband's work, and generally feels unfulfilled on account of never being able to find a hobby that meets the same needs as her former passion: acting. He also struggles to connect with his daughter Mao (Mao), who wants to be a filmmaker like her dad, but seems to have a tough time getting along with her fellow crew members.

Wow, Netflix is going super minimalist with that new RESIDENT EVIL series I guess...

As the day of shooting approaches, a serious of calamities causes some changes: Harumi ends up playing the part of the makeup artist in the film, and Mao ends up hanging around the video village, watching the producers freak out as technical issues force the cast and crew to get creative and not blow the whole show. As the film is underway, Higurashi frantically runs around, doing his best to keep everyone on their mark.

With her mom working hard in front of the camera and her dad working overtime behind the camera, Mao rises to the occasion and helps the tech crew deal with all the snags, like when a scene stalls because a drunk actor misses their mark, or equipment for the final crane shot falls apart. Ultimately, when we see that final shot from the short repeated, we feel a much greater sense of emotional relief, but for a whole different set of reasons.

Team work makes the scream work!

Writer/Director/Editor Shin'ichirô Ueda masterfully weaves the various stories together, switching between manic horror and understated comedy with ease. This movie, with its clever humor and sincere love of showbiz, warts-and-all, will win you over and have you sporting a big, goofy grin on your face by the time its finished. The film was a massive hit in Japan, and managed to garner numerous awards at various film festivals before securing a limited theatrical release stateside. At this point, all I can say is watch ONE CUT OF THE DEAD, and see what all the buzz, or groaning (because again, y'know, zombies), is about.

ONE CUT OF THE DEAD is currently streaming on Shudder. See y'all on Monday for another round of Q-Recs!