Just in time for the Halloween season, the Abbotsford Film Society (AFS) screens the Japanese horror-comedy One Cut of the Dead from director Shin'ichirō Ueda on Friday, Oct. 25.
The film is unlike most horror films, and AFS president Aaron Dawson hopes film fans will come out, even if they’re not typically fans of horror movies. He says people should come expecting to laugh.
“Without giving too much away, One Cut of the Dead is a horror movie but it’s also very much a comedy,” Dawson says. "It takes a while to reveal itself but when it does, it’s hilarious.”
The film follows a crew of filmmakers who are tasked with shooting a live zombie film for television, shooting the whole thing in one cut.
Mayhem ensues but not in the way that one might expect – One Cut of the Dead is really a film within a film and audiences will be treated to what happens behind the scenes. The fact that the movie contains a 30-minute single cut makes it stand out in the filmmaking world.
“Shooting one cut is really, really, really hard,” says Dawson, who as a filmmaker himself can appreciate the challenges involved.
“It’s like live theatre; if someone makes a mistake, you just have to roll with it rather than starting over. So imagine doing that with zombies.”
The other thing that makes One Cut of the Dead stand out is that it was a low-budget film, shot for just $25,000 and made with unknown actors.
Dawson says it’s a great example of the tenacity, creativity, and ingenuity that comes when filmmakers don’t have the luxury of all that comes with a big budget.
Given that film-making equipment is becoming more and more accessible, he feels that filmmakers are going to keep finding ways to experiment and push the envelope.
“One Cut of the Dead has got more creativity and heart than most movies you see on the big screen today,” Dawson says. “It’s a true indie film success story.”
Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the film starts at 8 p.m. at The Banquet Room (3471 Clearbrook Rd.). Admission is $7 at the door or in advance at abbotsfordfilmsociety.com.
