The Horror Comedy Masterpiece On Streaming With 100% On Rotten Tomatoes

Directed by Shin’ichirō Ueda, One Cut of the Dead is a Japanese zombie comedy that offers audiences a refreshingly original experience. The movie follows a film crew shooting a low-budget zombie movie, only to be attacked by real zombies. As chaos ensues, the film cleverly reveals the behind-the-scenes antics and unexpected twists of filmmaking.

One Cut of the Dead is a testament to the power of resourcefulness and creativity in filmmaking. With a meager budget of just ¥3 million (approximately $25,000), Ueda embarked on a bold venture to create a film that would redefine audience expectations. Working with a cast of relatively unknown actors, many of whom were trained at the Enbu Seminar drama school in Tokyo, Ueda meticulously crafted his vision for the film.

Filming took place over the course of eight intense days in June 2017. Actress Yuzuki Akiyama, who plays Aika Matsumoto / Chinatsu in the film, described the experience as both enjoyable and exhausting, as the pressure to execute long takes loomed over the cast and crew while filming in an abandoned water filtration plant in Mito.

Despite the challenges, Ueda’s dedication and vision to One Cut of the Dead shone through, resulting in a seamless 37-minute continuous shot (almost half of the film’s total 97-minute run time) that serves as the centerpiece of the film. This remarkable feat of filmmaking not only showcases the technical prowess of the team but also immerses the audience in the frenetic energy of the zombie-infested world they’ve created.

One Cut of the Dead initially premiered in Japan with modest expectations, opening in a small Tokyo art house theater for a brief six-day run. However, its meteoric rise to international acclaim soon followed, propelled by glowing reviews and enthusiastic audience reception. Garnering attention at prestigious film festivals such as the Udine Far East Film Festival, the film quickly gained traction, leading to a wider release both in Japan and abroad.

One Cut of the Dead’s success at the box office is nothing short of remarkable, grossing over a thousand times its humble budget and earning accolades as one of Japan’s highest-grossing domestic films of 2018. Earning a total of $31.2 million worldwide, the movie’s infectious charm and irresistible humor captivated audiences around the world, cementing its status as a cult classic.

At its heart, One Cut of the Dead is more than just a zombie comedy–it’s a love letter to filmmaking itself. With its clever narrative structure and metafictional elements, the film subverts expectations at every turn, delivering a fresh and irreverent take on the zombie genre.