ONE CUT OF THE DEAD ONE CUT OF THE DEAD
カメラを止めるな！ PETER BOND
Ueda Shinichiro’s debut film was released in 2017. It made some waves in Tokyo and was then released a little more widely within Japan. Word of mouth grew and grew as audiences continued to be confused, surprised and delighted by the film. It grew so big as to warrant an expanded international released under the english title “One Cut of the Dead”
this place. It’s not long before zombies actually start to descend on the film crew, and the director will not stop filming. It’s chaotic, wild and all continued in one long 37 minute shot.
It’s also kind of mediocre. Pretty watchable, but not special. However the movie has some tricks up its sleeve and is smarter than it lets on. I The english title is far from a direct won’t spoil anything here but trust me translation, rather they chose to under- when I say it’s worth a stream on Netflix. score an essential idea of the film, the One Shot. The use of a single, long cam- After the opening 37 minutes, there is era shot, surprising viewers and adding a tonal shift. The movie changes gears a type of flourish to the film has been and we learn this was really an act one used for decades. It’s a foundational film to a larger story. The story builds as you technique, and the movie in fact begins get to know the characters in a deeper, with one. A 37 minute shot. and different sense. You understand the A woman screams, a zombie approaches movie is not truly about zombies, but and then a director calls cut. more about the filmmakers, and the act In an old water filtration plant, an in- of filmmaking. die crew is filming a zombie movie. Soon they are talking about the film, com- After the staks are set the finale comes, plaining during breaks between shoot- and everything that has been set up just ing and talking about old stories about starts getting paid off like gangbusters. 74
