‘Cut!’: French zombies of the B series

When it was announced that “One Cut of the Dead”, the cult work of Japanese Shinichirô Ueda and considered a magnificent meta exercise in zombie and B-series cinema, would have a French remake, it raised more than one eyebrow.. Unsurprisingly, film adaptations from other countries are often viewed with suspicion, especially in Europe, where the original product is often released earlier. However, the challenge of getting out of the trial unscathed has been a triumph for Michel Hazanavicius ever since ‘Cut!’ Not only does it manage to be a homage to the original film, but also a hilarious comedy.

In reality, the action is tremendously similar. It’s more, Hazanavicius, who adapts Ueda’s script, chooses to expose the remake directly, introducing the concept that this adaptation is the French version of a short film that has already been successful in Japan. Also, to link both productions, ‘Cut!’ introduces Yoshiko Takehara, who plays a production company trying to replicate the success of medium length films in France. Given your sense of honesty, hard to watch ‘Cut!’ with bad eyes, because it never refuses its nature of reinterpretation, moreover, it wants to be a kind of homage.

And go if you understand, fine ‘Cut!’ turns out to be an experience just as exhilarating as its original counterpart. Divided in the same way, into three parts that explain what lies behind this zombie production, the film causes an effect that was not present in the original version, which is to see the stars of the French industry become meat of the cinema of the B series (or series Z, given the context), as the unknown actors of the Japanese version are relieved by names like Romain Duris, Bérénice Bejo, or Finnegan Oldfield. This difference gives another nuance to the film, whose humor ends up resembling that of the iconic “Call My Agent” series.

A remake that chooses to be a tribute to the original tape

Add to that that Hazanavicius knows how to keep the spirit of the original film, which reinterpreted zombie cinema in an exercise in metacinema and satire with very acid humor.. The French director adds a few doses of self-made bad milk, being politically incorrect when it comes to character names or citing awkward historical situations.

The end result is a proper homage to the original film. In a way, Hazanavicius recalls that if he hadn’t been doing the remake, it would have been someone else. Paradoxically, that move makes it harder for other industries (er … Hollywood) to attempt to reproduce Ueda’s project again. Be very aware of being a tribute to the original proposition, ‘Cut!’ is a fun diversion that also pays homage to the cinematic dream, the desire to make films and to do it with the means available. A love song for the illusion of the seventh art.

Note: 7

The best: He’s a lot of fun, and his moments of black or gross humor are tremendously hilarious. Allow the audience to feel that they are seeing that off-screen that exists in every film.

Worse: Those who have already seen the original film will not like it.