Forget 'Train to Busan', This 100% Fresh Zombie Horror Is a Real "Cool One," Kevin Bacon Says

Kevin Bacon is no stranger to horror – his first major film role was as the teenager who gets shot in the throat while sleeping in the original Friday the 13th.

Since then, he has appeared in Tremors, Flatliners, and dozens of other movies. So, when Bacon recommends a horror work, his opinion is worth listening to.

Kevin Bacon Reveals He Was Impressed by Shinichiro Ueda's 'One Cut of the Dead'

In an interview with Dread Central, Bacon admitted that one of his favorite recent movie is the Japanese comedy One Cut of the Dead:

“One of my favourites is pretty obscure, but if anyone has ever seen it, it's probably you; it's called One Cut of the Dead. The thing about One Cut of the Dead is that I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it, and it works on a few different levels.”

Bacon added:

“The friend of mine that turned me on to it said, ‘OK, whatever you do, you're going to think I've recommended the worst movie ever for you…but I don't want to spoil it. Just hang in there!’

I'm so glad that I did. I would say it's a little more funny than it is scary maybe, but it's also this really kind of a loving look at the genre and low-budget filmmaking, things that I can really relate to.”

One Cut of the Dead grossed over 3 billion yen in Japan, despite having a budget of only 3 million yen. However, it went largely unnoticed outside the country.

What Is 'One Cut of the Dead' About?

The first half hour of One Cut of the Dead is a cheap, slow-paced, and, at times, downright boring zombie horror movie. A student director is filming a short movie in an abandoned factory. He has to deal with an incompetent actress and a cameraman who refuses to work.

Then, real zombies attack the set. The characters' escape attempts are unconvincing, the dialogue is strange, and the ending is utter nonsense.

Then, a miracle happens: time rolls back, and the viewer finds himself behind the scenes. We see how the movie was really made.

The second half of One Cut of the Dead turns the first into a brilliant puzzle, explaining every awkward scene and odd bit of dialogue. The finale becomes a hymn to creativity, improvisation, and a love of cinema.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'One Cut of the Dead'?

• One Cut of the Dead has 100% from critics and 84% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.6/10.

• On Letterboxd, One Cut of the Dead scored 4.1/5.0.

Where to Watch 'One Cut of the Dead'?

One Cut of the Dead is available to stream on Shudder.