One Cut of the Dead (2017) [Film Review]

One Cut of the Dead; or, Don’t Stop the Camera!
     This is filmmaking! True filmmaking! Look! There's no fiction, no lies. This is reality! We keep rolling!
The late 2010s mark resurgence of the zombie genre. From Train to Busan (2016) to #Alive (2020), Asian filmmakers continue to prove that still new innovations can be implemented into formulaic movies about the undead invaders. Undeniably, Shinichiro Ueda’s One Cut of the Dead (2017) is also a part of this trend. To many overzealous horror fans out there, this may be just a hilarious zombie comedy, but in my opinion, this film is a heartwarming family drama about a father and his daughter immersing themselves in a creative process.

Release Info

Directed by: Shinichiro Ueda Starring: Takayuki Hamatsu, Harumi Syuhama, Mao

Language: Japanese Original Title: カメラを止めるな! Runtime: 96 min

Synopsis
Takayuki Higurashi (Takayuki Hamatsu) is an experienced commercial director, but he does not have groundbreaking projects on his record. He is approached with an offer of making a live zombie film that will be used as a launch feature for a TV horror channel. Takayuki assembles the cast and crew, but he does not have much faith in the picture. While shooting at an abandoned factory, it turns out that the real zombie apocalypse just broke out. The cast and crew have to fight for their lives, whereas Takayuki keeps on shooting in order to realise his masterpiece.

Zombie in the Box
As with the majority of my reviews, I also intend to keep this one spoiler-free, so please take the synopsis above with a grain of salt. One Cut of the Dead is so much more than just a tongue-in-cheek survival flick with comedy elements. The first 36 minutes of the film is an excellent parody of the genre, but also a brilliant showcase of filmmaking technique. The entire first act was shot in one take! Allegedly, the crew had to redo this sequence six times in order to get it right.

After the outstanding introduction, the viewers are presented with the lives of Takayuki and other crewmembers about a month before the shooting. The second act actually blurs the lines between reality and fiction. The “making” of One Cut of the Dead becomes a meta-commentary on filmmaking, joining the line of such classic "movies about movies" as Ed Wood (1994), Bowfinger (1999) and The Disaster Artist (2017).

The motif which grabbed my heart the most was the one focusing on Takayuki and his family. It is a joy watching their interactions and how they all jump at the One Cut of the Dead project. This is where the third act kicks in, which can be best described as a companion piece to Welcome Back, Mr. McDonald (1997). In a way, both movies are about failed productions which become masterpieces by pure coincidence.

One Cut of the Dead was inspired by Ryoichi Wada’s stage play Ghost in the Box. I tried to find more information about it, but only discovered that there was a feud between Wada and director Shinichiro Ueda which was ultimately settled by acknowledging Wada’s work in the end credits of One Cut of the Dead. Interestingly, the production company, Enbu Seminar, also organised special acting workshops for the cast which at that time was largely inexperienced with the realm of film.

What is more, the overwhelming success of One Cut of the Dead led to the release of spin-off One Cut of the Dead Spin-Off: In Hollywood (2019), which centers on Takayuki’s daughter, Hiromi (Mao), making her own film. The year 2020 also saw the release of One Cut of the Dead Mission: Remote which is a 37-minute-long special made to entertain the fans during lockdown (the dance number is so adorable!). You can access the sequel for free on YouTube.

Recommendations
If you are on the lookout for an unconventional flick that will keep you surprised and entertained, then One Cut of the Dead is the choice for you. I got my DVD copy from Third Window Films. They offer the Blu-ray release of the movie as well. Definitely worth checking out.Overall score: 9/10

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