WILD ZERO (1999) – The DVD Review

What’s your favorite Japanese punk rock, alien invasion, zombie apocalypse, transgender romance, biker, musical comedy  movie?

I know, that’s a hell of a mash up right?  There is such a movie, it’s called WILD ZERO and it is terrific.  If you think you’ve seen everything you’ve got to take a look at this insane movie.

WILD ZERO (1999) was put together as a vehicle for Guitar Wolf a Japanese Punk Rock heavy metal trio that has been playing and recording for years.  They are a sort of ramped-up Japanese version of the Ramones, who play even faster and louder than that legendary band, if you can believe it.  Like the Ramones they all dress alike; black leather pants, boots and jackets.  Supposedly they don’t take illegal drugs but they do drink, a lot, and they sweat, profusely, on stage and off.

According to the special features on this dvd Guitar Wolf is not that popular in Japan, their fan base is mostly in Australia which makes perfect sense  If ever there was a band that gave a good excuse to get drunk and start a fight, this is it.

The story?  Guitar Wolf has a serious fan, calls himself Ace, (Masashi Endo) dresses and combs his hair like an American rockabilly star, rides a motorcycle (so do the members of Guitar Wolf), is youthful innocence personified and has a crush on a young girl named Tobio (Kwancharu Shitichai, who turns out not be a girl) Because he sticks up for Tobio to a scum bag Rock music promoter (is there any other kind) Guitar Wolf gives Ace a special whistle, to use anytime he needs help and the band members will come running.

Turns out he needs help right away.  Alien flying saucers are swarming all around our planet you see.  And the dead are coming out of their graves and attacking and eating the living.  And there is a crew of career criminals, including a kick ass woman shooter who will take crap from no body, who are wreaking havoc all over the Japanese back roads.

Why are the dead coming back to start a zombie apocalypse?  Who knows, it is never explained if the aliens are making it happen (ala Plan Nine From Outer space, “ah yes, the resurrection of the dead”) or if the alien invasion is a separate incident and the dead came to this decision on their own.  No matter, all manner of mayhem and carnage erupt and Ace, Tobio, Guitar Wolf and the law breaking crew take care of business.

This is the kind of movie that could only be made in Japan.  They obviously did not have much of a budget, the flying saucers are very simple CGI effects.  The zombie makeup is (mostly) green skin cream and latex scars, the kind you can get in any Halloween store.

But WILD ZERO has so much energy, good will and imagination it is irresistible.  All the  motorcycles and cars  belch flames from their exhaust pipes.   All the actors are obviously having fun and the best part, the band kicks ass.  Any band with lyrics like “I was born at Haneda Airport with a jet engine for an ass, all my life has been Go! Go! Go!, Jet Generation!! “  And “Blood, blood, blood!  Blood and alcohol burning up my brain!”    Repeat these phrases for 5 minutes, with your guitar amp set at 11 and you have a Guitar Wolf song.

For Halloween you can’t do much better than WILD ZERO.  And remember, “Rock and Roll has no boundaries! “