by Aaron Hinojosa
In 2017, Shinichiro Ueda's “One Cut of the Dead” splattered across screens. Earning accolades such as the audience award at both 2018's San Diego Asian Film Festival and Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, the movie unmistakably impacted viewers. Due to this popularity, a continuation was produced: “One Cut of the Dead Spin-Off: In Hollywood.” Though Ueda returns as screenwriter, assistant director of the first film, Yuya Nakaizumi, takes the helm as the director.
Buy This Title
on Terracotta by clicking on the image below
6 months after her encounter with the hoard of the undead, Chinatsu now works as a waitress in Hollywood. However, her nightmare becomes reality when reanimated corpses overtake the restaurant she waits at. Alongside her boyfriend, Joe, Chinatsu must escape Hollywood and survive once again. Meanwhile, director Higurushi films the chaos that will become his next zombie movie.
Like the original and as the name implies, this movie features a lengthy one-shot take. Anyone with experience behind or in front of the camera recognizes that this is no small feat. Though limited as the effects may be, the real-time trickery can still impress. Overall, the effort of the cast and crew to pull this off warrants admiration in its own right.
Regarding presentation, Takeshi Sone handles the cinematography in a film that begins with a difficult scene to shoot. The opening one-shot takes the viewer through a restaurant's interior including its narrow kitchen corridor. To seamlessly maneuver within such spaces no doubt provided a challenge. The editing by Jun Kuriyagawa becomes imperative to the comedy, since later jokes rely on repeatedly switching perspectives that Kuriyagawa's well-timed cuts successfully execute.
Several actors from the preceding film return to this production. Harumi Shuhama is a pleasure to see once more as the gung-ho Nao. She marks just one of the pillars of comedy that is the strong cast. However, there is more to the production than just laughs. The relationship within the Higurushi family calls upon performance with heart. Actress Mao, who plays Higurushi's daughter of the same name, brings an emotional sincerity to her role.
The film structurally reflects its predecessor. Fans of the original will quickly recognize this, consequently resulting in a shortcoming. Because the movie is constructed as one big joke, viewers off the heels of the first entry might predict a few punchlines amidst their set-ups. Fortunately, this issue is mitigated due to this spin-off's runtime. Since it clocks in at 57 minutes, viewers who conceptualize a later scene will not be dragged too long in wait. This is not even mentioning the scenario's uniqueness. The first film was a subversive work that few others resemble. Thus, even if this spin-off parallels the original, the scenario it lifts remains fresh.
Check also this article
Another aspect that will draw in fans is the return of many entertaining characters in this meta-filmic story. Perhaps inspired by the international success of its prior entry, this film asks, “What makes Japanese cinema?” The writing explores this question through the character of Mao who struggles with the decision to abandon Japan for the glamour of Hollywood. Her conflict pits the constraints of Japanese filmdom against the privileged movie industry of the star-studded western world. In doing so, the narrative highlights the passion that pushes creatives to pursue this visual medium in spite of the numerous challenges thrown their way. In effect, it is overcoming limitations for the love of the art that upholds the cinema of Japan.
“One Cut of the Dead Spin-Off: In Hollywood” is an amusing continuation of its preceding material. Though it will not strike fans as powerfully as the first production, its similarly intriguing form should continue to entertain. It is a pleasure to see these characters once more, especially Mao whose love of cinema develops further in this piece. It is through her journey that the movie defines itself as an enthusiastic celebration of Japanese filmmaking.
