I think part of the reason why we’re so fascinated with post-apocalyptic narratives is the idea that, once civilization crumbles, anything becomes possible. That’s why it’s strange that there are so many post-apocalyptic stories specifically about a jaded curmudgeon being forced to traverse a dangerous wasteland while caring for a child. From Cormac McCarthy’s The Road to The Last of Us and even Telltale’s The Walking Dead adaptation, it’s pretty clear that this recurring setup has evolved from a familiar trope to a full-blown sub-genre.
And among these “dadpocalypse” stories, my personal favorite happens to be a strange little homage to classic rock ‘n roll that rides a chaotic line between genuine genre flick and feature-length Kurosawa-themed music video. Naturally, I’m referring to Lance Mungia’s 1998 low-budget opus, Six-String Samurai. An under-loved cult classic, this offbeat throwback deserves a place among the pantheon of great post-apocalyptic epics despite its decidedly humble origins.
Shot on weekends by a revolving crew of amateur filmmakers and oddball bandmates, Six-String Samurai freely borrows from plenty of pre-existing material in its attempt to create something completely new. From the dubbed dialogue and desert landscapes of a Sergio Leone spaghetti western to the beautifully choreographed swordplay of an Akira Kurosawa picture – all perfectly balanced with a poignant homage to the tragically departed musicians that first popularized rock ‘n roll – it’s pretty clear that the filmmakers succeeded in creating something that feels utterly unique.
Taking place after a retro nuclear war, the story here follows musician Buddy (Jeffrey Falcon, with his character implied to be the Buddy Holly) as he embarks on a perilous quest to Lost Vegas after the death of the “King”. Along the way, Buddy gains a pint-sized follower in the form of a seemingly mute child (Justin McGuire) while also being hunted by Death and his loyal bandmates, with several other factions also wishing to claim the vacant throne in a heated battle for dominance in the wasteland.
Despite this thrilling setup, Six-String Samurai was released to little fanfare, earning back a little over a hundred grand from its $2 million budget and not really making a splash with mainstream critics. Fortunately, the film would eventually find an audience on home video, with a sizable cult following gathering around the flick as it became known in online circles. This led to a much-deserved second life decades after the original release, with a high-definition version of the film finally resurfacing in 2021, courtesy of a valiant restoration effort by Vinegar Syndrome.
SO WHY IS IT WORTH WATCHING?
Some movies are like books, where the story grabs you with compelling characters and plot twists in an engrossing narrative. Other movies are more like paintings, offering a visually stunning slice of a certain mood or idea and allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in that living canvas. Six-String Samurai is clearly one of the latter, with Mungia preferring to focus on atmosphere and memorable action sequences rather than pesky little details like character motivations or backstories.
In the hands of a lesser filmmaker, this lack of detail might seem like a recipe for disaster, but in the case of a passion project like Six-String Samurai, it ends up creating the basis for one of the most entertaining “hangout movies” ever made. I mean, you’ve got to hand it to a flick that can provide completely different yet equally satisfying experiences when viewed as a serious commentary on the (then) future of rock ‘n roll, a loving pastiche of genre thrills, or even as background noise when entertaining a group of friends.
The kick-ass soundtrack alone is already worth the price of admission, with the idiosyncratic Red Elvises offering up a literal album’s worth of semi-ironic tracks that help to set the retro tone in this trek through a world where music has become something to die for. That’s not even mentioning the legitimately thrilling martial arts on display here (itself a master class in visual musicality), all choreographed by our leading man himself, Jeffrey Falcon.
Of course, the most important aspect behind Six-String Samurai’s longevity is also the simplest: it’s an undeniably fun movie. That’s why references to the flick pop up in everything from Tetsuro Takeuchi’s Wild Zero to the 3D Fallout games, with the fan favorite New Vegas borrowing quite a bit from Mungia’s bold setting.
WHAT MAKES IT HORROR ADJACENT?
From cannibalistic parodies of 1950s nuclear families to man-eating beasts (barely) brought to life by ridiculously lo-fi practical effects – not to mention having our main hero be pursued by a literal manifestation of Death that looks suspiciously like Guns ‘n Roses’ guitarist Slash – I think it’s pretty clear that this weird little movie is likely to be appreciated by most horror fans.
Sure, there isn’t much in the way of proper blood and gore despite the plethora of violent fight scenes and musical murder sprees, but that has more to do with obvious stylistic issues and budgetary constraints rather than any sort of genre prejudice. That being said, it’s hard not to get at least a little creeped out by the film’s eerie menagerie of tetanus-filled bars and child-eating couples. Plus, it’s no surprise that Stephane Gauger’s rocker version of Death is one hell of a terrifying villain, with his final showdown against Buddy serving as one of the film’s highlights.
With all that in mind, Six-String Samurai’s belated success can be interpreted as a motivational beacon for experimental genre filmmakers. After all, any film that continues to inhabit your mind long after the credits have rolled is guaranteed to eventually find an audience, regardless of budget or star power.
And as we see in the film, rock ‘n roll never truly dies.
There’s no understating the importance of a balanced media diet, and since bloody and disgusting entertainment isn’t exclusive to the horror genre, we’ve come up with Horror Adjacent – a recurring column where we recommend non-horror movies that horror fans might enjoy.
The post ‘Six-String Samurai’ – The Glorious Madness of a “Dadpocalypse” Epic You Maybe Haven’t Seen appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.