One Cut of the Dead (2017)

Here at Warped Perspective, and in our previous incarnation Brutal As Hell, we’ve long been massive enthusiasts for the weird and wonderful indie horror films of Japan. Be it the bizarre and challenging visions of director Sion Sono, the eye-popping practical FX work of Yoshihiro Nishimura, or the fearless performances of Asami, we’re used to getting excited at soon as we get word of a new such film making its way back west. However, we’re somewhat less accustomed to a new Japanese horror comedy arriving in a whirl of hype and praise from the international festival circuit which stretches beyond the specialist genre events, with the (for want of a better word) straight audiences greeting it as warmly as the horror aficionados.

Of course, on these comparatively rare occasions when a horror film attracts major praise from the (allegedly) more high brow end of the critical spectrum, this might wind up conversely putting some factors of the more cult-leaning audience off. Certainly that’s been the case with some of the most critically praised, widely released horror films of 2018 (Hereditary springs to mind); and I suspect this same effect might inadvertently put some potential viewers off One Cut of the Dead. After all, we don’t tend to anticipate microbudget Japanese zombie movies getting widespread media attention and universal acclaim (equating, for what it’s worth, to a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score). The fact that not everybody likes these sort of films is a huge part of their appeal.

However, let me attempt to reassure any readers who count themselves in that camp: One Cut of the Dead is still very much a film for us. Writer-director Shin’ichirô Ueda and company have crafted a heartfelt love letter to the zombie movie. While it absolutely points out and makes fun of the corny cliches, it does so with such gusto and such closeness to the spirit of the films it lampoons that it could only be the work of those with a real passion for the genre. Comparisons to This Is Spinal Tap and What We Do In The Shadows are entirely justified; this film is in a similar spirit, and it might very well be just as good, which is by no means faint praise.

As the film begins, we get the impression that we’re joining a cheesy low-budget horror movie somewhere in the middle, as a blood-spattered, scantily clad young woman (Yuzuki Akiyama) faces off against a slowly-oncoming young male zombie (Kazuaki Nagaya), who it seems was until recently her boyfriend. She screams, she cries, she meets her fate… and then someone calls ‘cut,’ as it turns out we’re seeing a scene being shot for a movie. We also learn very quickly that the film’s director (Takayuki Hamatsu) is, well, just a little bit uptight and perhaps a little too serious about the filmmaking process, as his aggressive, ultra-demanding approach is clearly inflicting major psychological damage on his cast and crew, and pushing them way behind schedule. Whilst the team take a break, partially at the insistence of the somewhat matriarchal make-up artist (Harumi Shuhama), it becomes apparent that the director’s dedication to capturing real horror and real emotion knows no bounds, as the remote set suddenly finds itself under attack by the actual living dead, and – rather than make a dash for safety – the director is determined to get it all on camera.

If you’ve heard anything about One Cut of the Dead, it’s most likely the fact that the bulk of the film is captured almost entirely in a single take, with one roving camera following the action. With this in mind, and based on the synopsis, you may be left wondering why the film is not being promoted, or even discussed, in terms of being a found footage film. Certainly the film plays with the conventions of that subgenre to an extent, with a number of moments in the early half that seem to prod at, if not exactly break, the fourth wall, leaving questions to be asked about the precise nature of what we’re being shown. As for the explanations we receive… well, here’s where I have to take a moment and consider my words carefully, as One Cut of the Dead takes some really quite unexpected turns as the running time progresses, and I think it’s safe to say you’re much better off going in with as little foreknowledge as possible. All I will say is that the opening minutes set the stage perfectly and prepare you for what’s to come, in that you’re not exactly watching the film you think you’re watching at first. And if that doesn’t quite make sense, good. Again, the less you know going in, the better.

Creatively and wittily assembled with a palpable enthusiasm and scene-stealing (or, I dunno, single shot-stealing) performances from Takayuki Hamatsu and Harumi Shuhama, One Cut of the Dead is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable films of the year, and heartily deserving of the widespread praise it has attracted. Believe the hype this time. And no, you don’t have to be a horror fan to love it, but I’m sure it helps.

One Cut of the Dead just screened as part of Leeds International Film Festival, where it has one more screening lined up for this Tuesday, 13th November (details/tickets here). It will also screen next week at Abertoir Horror Festival in Aberystwyth, before getting a wide UK theatrical release in January from Third Window Films; more information here.