Wild Zero - Trash and Chaossss!!!!!

That's the blurb on the DVD cover we watched the other day at work. It was a Japanese trashy zombie sci-fi rock 'n' roll B movie called 'Wild Zero', a title that I keep forgetting as it's completely meaningless.

It was destined for one of the film club screenings we've started, but as it was the Christmas holidays and it was someone's last day at work, just 4 of us watched it in the empty seminar room. It was a bit like being in someone's living room, with the comfy chairs and their beer, cackling in unison at appropriate moments.The others reckoned it was the best zombie film ever, and I think I might agree, although I'm not a zombie connoisseur like them. It's definitely one of the strangest films I've seen for ages (possibly weirder than Expresso Bongo...?).

It was surprisingly brilliant, a surreal 'story' based around a real life Japanese 'punk/rock n roll' band, Guitar Wolf, who ended up saving the world from a zombie alien invasion through the 'power of rock'. They did it by zapping grey faced, limb-chewing, shoe-holding zombies with magical spinning glowing plectrums and a guitar neck that transformed into a sword to zap yet more alien flying saucers. And large guns, of course, to blow those zombie heads off.

It had something for everyone. 'Rock 'n' roll'... a bit of a musical mish-mash, strangely derivative of the Ramones, Johnny Thunders and Motorhead.

Memorable fashion moments, in a chunky, sleazy music biz man's pudding-basin haircut that changed colour, and VERY skimpy tight shorts, in various colours, with lace-up sides... very eyecatching. Lots of classic leather bike jackets, and mustn't forget the the gun-slinging woman in the tight-fitting check leotard with matching stilettos, as it was a vile outfit and very unsuitable for tackling an undead invasion. Pristine care of the hairdos... Guitar Wolf carefully combed their quiffs after each zombie-killing spree, as you might, if you do these things regularly. I never thought of a red comb with a handle as 'uncool' before, but apparently it is.

And finally, for all the romantics... a bit of undead zombie love, and love that knows no boundaries, crossing gender, nationality and race (or something equally commendable). That last sentiment was a recurring slogan in the film. The moral of the story was that the hero, Ace, shouldn't squeal with horror when he falls in love with someone of uncertain gender and they get their kit off for the first time. I think F**********KKKKK!!!!!! was his exact response (not very polite really...). Then he remembered that the power of rock 'n' roll would conquer all. And so it did, with lots of exploding buildings, zombie heads and flying saucers, and a lovely heart-shaped happy ending.

This clip has most of the highlights. Warning to the delicate viewer: there's swearing in the subtitles and lots of zombie blood.