Wild Zero

Director: Tetsuro Takeuchi Tetsuro Takeuchi

Overview

"Fans of obscure cinema owe a debt of gratitude to the fine folks at Synape Films for their tireless efforts to provide us with DVD releases of films that would otherwise go neglected in the mainstream marketplace, and their release of the Guitar Wolf rock & roll zombie horror classic Wild Zero is a prime example of precisely this kind of effort. While most studios would likely be content to offer a fair transfer of the film and little in the way of extras, Synapse has gone out of their way to ensure that fans will have a blast with this release. Presented in 1.85:1 widescreen, the image is clear, crisp, and provides vivid and well-balanced colors. The over-modulated, breakneck jams of Guitar Wolf fill the Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo soundtrack to capacity, with clear dialogue and no notable signs of audible hiss or distortion. Easy-to-read yellow subtitles ensure that viewers won't strain their eyes while enjoying the fast-paced thrills that Wild Zero has to offer. Even the menu screens rock on this one, with the band's music blasting through as viewers navigate their way to zombie-blasting rock & roll bliss. Extra features offer not only an informative, detailed biography and discography of Guitar Wolf, but also some supremely entertaining bonuses. The behind-the-scenes music video offers a montage of making-of footage accompanied, of course, by the music of the featured band, with an entertaining theatrical trailer and a still gallery of Guitar Wolf concert pictures and album covers offering fans a great look at the band in action. The item that most fans will likely be excited to explore, though, is the first ever DVD drinking game -- a true innovation in the format. Offering a beer mug icon in the corner of the screen as a cue when to take a swig, the feature is perfect for that upcoming Wild Zero party that's bound to happen. This disc is perhaps the most fun you'll have with a DVD."

Product Details

Release Date:	10/28/2003
UPC:	0654930302996
Original Release:	2000
Rating:	NR
Source:	Synapse Films
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Stereo]
Language:	English
Time:	1:38:00
Sales rank:	7,260

Special Features

Widescreen presentation (1.85:1 aspect ratio); Original Japanese-language version; Newly translated, removable English subtitles; Guitar Wolf biography; Behind-the-scenes music video; The first ever DVD "drinking game"; Theatrical trailer; Still gallery

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Guitar Wolf	Actor
Drum Wolf	Actor
Endo Masashi	Actor
Shitichai Kwancharu	Actor
Ianmiya Makoto	Actor

Technical Credits

Tetsuro Takeuchi

Director

Editorial Reviews

Billed as "Night of the Living Dead meets Rock 'n' Roll High School, this film's giddy energy and unrepentantly silly story line are a hoot and a holler of fun. Guitar Wolf, along with his bandmates Drum Wolf and Bass Wolf (all three of whom were reportedly blind drunk during the length of the shoot), make for convincing punk rock superheroes; in one scene Guitar Wolf dispatches with a gaggle of zombies with a hail of flying guitar picks, while in another he cleaves a UFO with a samurai sword stashed in the fret of his trusty instrument. Other characters, such as Makoto Inamiya's womanizing lounge-lizard villain and Haruka Nakajo as a sexy bazooka-wielding assassin, are equally pungent and delightfully bizarre. Shot in Thailand, the film's army of the undead was reportedly played by Thai military staff and their families. While not a film for the Steel Magnolias crowd, Wild Zero is an exuberantly weird and entertaining flick.