We've covered Shinichiro Ueda's zombie comedy, One Cut of the Dead, quite a bit here on Crypt Teaze, and we're very excited to learn that the little, $27,000 indie film that became a box office smash in Japan and around the world is finally coming to North America when it debuts on Shudder later this year!
Shudder picked up all rights in the U.S. and Canada to the international hit, which currently holds a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has grossed a staggering $28 million in Japan and $30 million worldwide. Shudder also acquired all rights in Australia and New Zealand, where the service is set to launch later this year.
One Cut of the Dead starts with a film crew shooting a zombie movie who stumble into an actual zombie outbreak—all shot in a single, 37-minute take. From there, the story widens its focus, transforming into a comedic love letter to the spirit of indie filmmaking that conjures up unstoppable ingenuity in the face of overwhelming odds.
The films’s wild, crowd-pleasing final 30 minutes reframes everything you thought you saw in an outrageous new light. The film’s cast, mostly non-professionals, is led by Harumi Shuhama, Kazuaki Nagaya, Mao and Takayuki Hamatsu. Of course, an English language remake has already been announced.
“One Cut of the Dead is pure joy, especially in its final act as all the pieces click into place and the film soars,” said Shudder’s Emily Gotto. “It’s exactly the kind of film Shudder members love to discover.”
