Cutting Deep into Horror  | One Cut of the Dead (2017): Japan’s Genius Zombie Horror Comedy, Filmmaking Chaos & Cult Movie Heart

Cutting Deep into Horror | One Cut of the Dead (2017): Japan’s Genius Zombie Horror Comedy, Filmmaking Chaos & Cult Movie Heart

Author: Henrique Couto | Scary Stories & Horror Expert May 1, 2026 Duration: 1:41:48
What starts as a scrappy Japanese zombie movie quickly becomes one of the most inventive, hilarious, and unexpectedly heartfelt horror-comedies of the last decade.

This week on Cutting Deep into Horror, Henrique Couto & Rachael Redolfi dive into One Cut of the Dead (2017), Shinichiro Ueda’s brilliant cult favorite about zombies, chaos, low-budget filmmaking, and the beautiful disaster of trying to make art when everything is falling apart.

At first glance, One Cut of the Dead looks like a strange, messy, low-budget zombie movie. But stick with it, because this is a film that rewards patience in a huge way. What unfolds is a clever, funny, deeply affectionate tribute to filmmakers, actors, crew members, and anyone who has ever tried to pull off something impossible with no time, no money, and way too much pressure.

Henrique and Rachael talk about what makes the movie’s structure so special, how it balances horror and comedy, why the film hits especially hard for anyone who has worked behind the camera, and how its chaotic energy turns into something genuinely joyful.

Inside this episode:
  • Why One Cut of the Dead is best experienced knowing as little as possible
  • How the movie transforms from zombie weirdness into filmmaking genius
  • The joy, stress, and absurdity of independent film production
  • Why the second half completely recontextualizes the first
  • How Shinichiro Ueda turns a tiny movie into a massive crowd-pleaser
  • Why this modern Japanese horror-comedy became such a beloved cult classic
If you love zombie movies, Japanese horror, horror-comedy, cult films, or stories about the madness of making movies, this episode is for you.

Watch the film on AMC+ 

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Henrique Couto has spent years digging into the shadows, and in Weekly Spooky: Horror Stories & Scary Tales, he turns that expertise into a regular dose of dread. This isn't just a seasonal treat; it's a year-round exploration of the unsettling, released every Monday and Wednesday. You'll hear original tales woven from classic threads-the whisper of an urban legend, the creak of a haunted house floorboard, the grim history of a cursed object. Familiar monsters like vampires and werewolves get fresh, chilling life, while cryptids lurk in the margins of modern myths. Each story is crafted for a mature audience, blending dark humor with genuinely cinematic sound design that pulls you right into the scene, all leading to those satisfying, often shocking, twist endings. While the podcast naturally excels during the spooky season with special deep dives, the commitment to weekly frights means the atmosphere is always ripe for a scare, whether the subject is pure fiction, dramatic re-tellings, or tales ripped from true crime's darkest corners. Settle in for a journey where the familiar becomes frightening again, narrated by a guide who truly understands the mechanics of a good, lasting chill.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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