Wild Zero

Wild Zero is the kind of film that has received limited, but generally ecstatic, reviews from those obviously in sympathy with the makers: "The best film I have ever seen... I really can't say enough good things about Wild Zero. It's the most fun I've had at the movies in a long time." - Teleport City (sic). "It represents everything I love about film and about life. It is beyond perfection. It has transcended into a realm of unbelievable excellence." - IMDb. One suspects, however, that none of the admirers of Takeuchi's lunatic rock and roll zombie flick see it as more than a trash exercise *par excellence*, a raucous hybrid in which nothing is taken seriously and lapses of taste and judgement are understandingly forgiven. Like most junk products it is fun while around, quickly consumed, bad in excess and soon forgotten.

At the centre of the film is the iconic figure of Guitar Wolf (ably supported by his band members Drum Wolf and Bass Wolf). Guitar hails from the world of Japanese punk and rockabilly, and comes complete with sunglasses, sub-Elvis pompadour, black leather jacket, and unutterably cool attitude. This is his second big screen appearance since McCarthy's Sore Losers of a few years back which was, by all accounts, a similar sort of project (tag-line: "They wanted meat so they ate the flower children!"). How you enjoy the present film depends on appreciating Guitar's somewhat hand-me down camp persona, and your enjoyment of the cheap zombie genre. Romero's trilogy hangs heavily over things, and at one point the characters even discuss who has seen Night Of The Living Dead (1968) - ironically, few here have. There are other influences too: Burton's Mars Attacks! (1996) during the initial flying saucer scenes, or the John Woo-like stand off in the manager's office. The meteor-led incursion recalls such 1950s' invasion titles as Arnold's It Came From Outer Space (1953). That aliens would want to bring the dead back to life as part of their plans can be seen in Wood's legendary Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959), though the charm of that film is missing here.

The action takes place in the nowhere-place of Asahi-Cho, the scene of a meteor shower and shortly, we discover, to be the focus of an alien invasion. Ace is the desperate-to-be-cool character, also in black leather, glasses and rockabilly pompadour, who plans to see his hero Guitar Wolf at the local dive (where he duly performs using microphones which shoot fire). After the show there's a falling out between Guitar and the club owner who, despite having grown up with the singer, claims "Rock and Roll is dead!" Given the heavy investment in the style by all concerned it's clearly a mistaken announcement. It duly provokes a shoot out between Guitar and the owner, in which Ace plays a crucial part in helping his hero. The owner loses two fingers for his pains and vows revenge. Meanwhile Guitar makes Ace his "rock and roll blood brother" and gives him a whistle, to be blown when he is danger. Given that the town is due to be overrun by murderous zombies this is no small blessing, as one can imagine.

Meanwhile other strange characters are introduced: a female arms dealer, most comfortable in what looks like a plaid leotard; a bickering trio in a car, (one of which, Masao, goes odd and tries a blundering gas station robbery); the girl Tobio, dumped by the road after being called a 'pervert' by an unknown driver. She then strikes up a close friendship with Ace. All of these characters act strangely, and it is clear that the meteorite storm is affecting them, just as it unaccountably brings the dead back to life to roam the streets and eat people. Soon Ace discovers a grisly roadside dismemberment and has to prove his courage. Tobio (who has a remarkable secret of her own) is under threat from the zombies, and the plaid babe has to break into a stock of weapons to defend herself. All this while Guitar Wolf needs to first help Ace, fight off the angry club owner, then save the world...

Such trivial plotting and mediocre acting provide window dressing to the film's main elements: Guitar Wolf's rockabilly insouciance in the face of danger, and Ace's own rite of passage; the stumbling flesh-eaters appearing with predictable regularity, and the drug-crazed club owner, (now dressed in hot pants), hunting the singer. The result is, frankly, an entirely inconsequential mishmash, although such a criticism is irrelevant to those who would savour the throwaway lunacy of it all. Takeuchi's first time direction is mundane at best, exemplified in the couple of times he clumsily attempts cross cutting, such as between Ace battling the zombies and Tobio's calm walkabout in her trainers, which seem misplaced and unnecessary. Cross cutting to increase suspense, or to effectively showcase parallel action, is beyond a director whose visual reticence indeed often works against Guitar's screen impact. More unforgivably, while the bargain basement flying saucer effects and gory visuals of disembowelment are well done, there is no feeling of real horror in the picture, merely some vaguely tense scenes as Ace and others are surrounded. The gathering claustrophobia and social comment found in Romero's originals are entirely absent. The flourish and demonstration of a butterfly-knife at one point (a scene which would have undoubtedly been cut a few years back by the squeamish BBFC) promises some tough street fighting, which never materialises - a shame as it would have promised more immediacy and danger than we ever see here. One or two moments are effective: the sad zombie that Toschi becomes, for instance (played by a peculiarly Buscemi-like Japanese actor), wondering the streets before being reunited with his zombie girlfriend. Or Guitar's leap from an exploding room in a three-storey building, to land unscathed and then casually retune his instrument. Such wit is hard to find in a film playing like an off the wall drive-in movie and, for those not attuned, can drag terribly.

At the end of the film Guitar dispatches an alien mothership with his sword, drawn from his guitar - a striking action that, in a single move, encapsulates both the strengths and weakness of a crazy film. Standing on the roof, blade erect to slice open the metal belly, Guitar is cool without being quite convincing, the plot's climax barmy without being brilliant. If we can accept Guitar's keen edge hacking through a low flying spacecraft without laughing the wrong way, then no doubt we will accept and forgive much else seen too. Unfortunately this viewer had his doubts. In Ace's words "At the end of the road you've gotta be grateful" and I had reason to agree with him.

I went into this film not expecting much and came out with the biggest smile on my face. I thought it was a good movie and then someone asked me what it was about, at that point, as I was going through some of the most ludicrous scenes I've ever seen in cinema I realised it was a truly excellent film. There is something for everyone - assuming everyone loves exploding zombies, alien space ships, wierd love stories and Rock and Roll. Yup I think I'm going to put my hair in a quiff, buy a motor bike that spits a couple of feet of flames and learn to play an electric guitar whilst screaming Rock and Roll!

Guitar Wolf, Bass Wolf & Drum Wolf are the triumvirate of rock 'n roll cool. They face the greatest foe of rock 'n roll : Squares. Square are best epitomized by the Captain, who dresses in an all white, skin tight outfit at the beginning (also has a nice mop-top). Apparently he enjoys wearing short shorts (BAD THOUGHT ... unclean... unclean). He and those that he represents don't care about rock 'n roll, they only care about money and power.

One might think this is a typical rock 'n roll movie, but it isn't. After our initial showdown between the squares and the Wolf Trio, the movie takes an unexpected twist. This movie then turns into a survival horror movie. It seems that aliens are involved and they are bringing back the dead. So we end up with the Captain versus the Wolf Trio, in the backdrop of a zombie plague/alien invasion. The supporting cast consists of yakuza henchmen, bungling thieves (one of which is a Japanese Steve Buscemi impersonator and another who is a Japanese Margaret Cho impersonator), a female arms dealer, our hero who's trying to be like Guitar Wolf (Ace), Ace's "female" love interest (Tobio) and layer upon layer of various gray zombies.

This movie is a lot of fun and a twist on the zombie movie genre. The music is great. It has a rock n' roll in-your-face feel. I think Guitar Wolf provided the entire soundtrack. Some of the great scenes where the music is blasting and zombies are dropping left and right, you just want to scream and kick down some doors. A funny innovation in this movie is the pee cam (like Miike's turd cam). The finale is quite over the top. Remember watch this movie, kick ass and chew bubble gum. If you need to drink milk, put some cocaine in it first.

RIP Billy.

-Celluloid Rehab

I love rock'n'roll and I love zombie movies, and 'Wild Zero' combines the two into a fantastically entertaining and energetic movie that I'm certain in years to come will be regarded as a trash classic. I usually like my zombie movies to be serious, but in this case I didn't mind the silliness at all. In fact I absolutely loved every minute of it! Cult Japanese trio Guitar Wolf, who deftly mix punk, rockabilly, garage and surf influences, star in this impossible to categorize fun fun fun romp which jumps genres as fast as Johnny Ramone changes bar chords. Masashi Endo plays Ace, a major Guitar Wolf fan, who helps the band out of a tight spot with a nasty promoter. Guitar Wolf give him a whistle and tell him to use it if he's ever in a jam. Little does Ace know he'll soon be stuck in the middle of a rampaging zombie horde! Believe me, there is has been nothing quite like this movie ever before. It's stupid but GOOD stupid. No, make that GREAT stupid. I thought it was absolutely wonderful and if Ed Wood, Lucio Fulci, Link Wray and The Dickies mean anything to you then this is ESSENTIAL viewing! I'm usually wary of sequels but if 'Wild Zero' ever has one I'll be queueing up to see it!

Wild Zero is not a movie. It is an experience, an in your face, melt your brain piece of pure crazy. The kind that makes my wife say, "Do we really own this?"

Yes. We do. I'm going to buy it again just to have it twice.

Ace is our hero, Guitar Wolf's biggest fan. After he saves the band from a tense standoff with The Captain, an evil music executive, he becomes blood brothers with Guitar Wolf himself (the other members are Bass Wolf and Drum Wolf) and receives a signal whistle for whenever he is in trouble.

Guitar Wolf is so great that flames come out of their mic stands and they blast the crowd with lightning when they play. They sound like fuzz and noise and menace. They are everything perfect about rock and roll.

On his journey to the next Guitar Wolf show, Ace meets Tobio, a Thai stranger on the run. He saves her from a robbery then leaves, but on the road he encounters zombies. Realizing that he's in love — and inspired by the spirit of Guitar Wolf — he goes back to save her.

The Captain comes back to fight Guitar Wolf with a grenade launcher (which Guitar Wolf shrugs off, only pausing to tune his guitar). There are zombie fights galore. Many, many heads explode. A naked military girl kills zombies from her shower. Oh yeah — and Ace finds out that Tobio is really a guy, a fact that this movie celebrates. Yes — instead of making jokes, the spirit of Guitar Wolf tells Ace that "Love has no borders, nationalities or genders! DO IT!" Keep in mind this movie was made nearly twenty years ago, so this is pretty amazing.

Read more at https://bandsaboutmovies.com/2017/10/13/wild-zero-1999/