One Cut of the Dead
A low-budget film about zombies soon features the best cast money could not buy, but the problem is that the new actors are not exactly getting along with the crew. Everyone involved is soon receiving a lesson in the merits of perseverance, the preciousness of family bonds and of course the dangers of the living dead.
Despite its microbudget of $52K, One Cut of the Dead became a box office phenomenon, earning $27.6M worldwide—a remarkable 52547% return. The film's unique voice found its audience, illustrating how strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
28 wins & 19 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
One Cut of the Dead (2017) demonstrates deliberately positioned narrative design, characteristic of Shinichiro Ueda's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 12-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 36 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 4.8, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Opening shot of the low-budget zombie film being shot in an abandoned water filtration plant, establishing the chaotic world of indie filmmaking.. Significantly, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 12 minutes when Real zombies attack the film set during the shoot, transforming what appeared to be a staged scene into actual horror and chaos.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 24 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to The characters make the active choice to keep running and filming despite the escalating zombie threat, committing to see the project through to the end., moving from reaction to action.
The Collapse moment at 72 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, On the day of the live broadcast, everything that can go wrong does: actors get drunk, injured, or don't show up; technical failures mount; the production faces complete collapse before it even begins., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 77 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The live broadcast unfolds with the crew frantically improvising solutions to every disaster: wife fills in for drunk actress, daughter operates camera when cameraman is injured, every crisis becomes creative problem-solving, revealing how the seemingly polished opening was actually held together by desperate innovation., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
One Cut of the Dead's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 12 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping One Cut of the Dead against these established plot points, we can identify how Shinichiro Ueda utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish One Cut of the Dead within the comedy genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Opening shot of the low-budget zombie film being shot in an abandoned water filtration plant, establishing the chaotic world of indie filmmaking.
Theme
The tyrannical director Higurashi berates his actors about authenticity and passion, stating the theme: "Don't stop when you make a mistake. Real terror comes from never giving up."
Worldbuilding
The continuous 37-minute zombie film establishes the desperate world of low-budget filmmaking with a difficult director, stressed crew, and chaotic production conditions.
Disruption
Real zombies attack the film set during the shoot, transforming what appeared to be a staged scene into actual horror and chaos.
Resistance
The cast and crew attempt to survive and escape the zombie outbreak while the director inexplicably insists on continuing to film, creating tension between survival and artistic vision.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The characters make the active choice to keep running and filming despite the escalating zombie threat, committing to see the project through to the end.
Mirror World
The relationship between the director and his actors deepens as they work together under extreme pressure, revealing the collaborative nature of filmmaking.
Premise
The promise of the premise: a thrilling continuous one-take zombie film filled with escalating chaos, gore, and desperate survival attempts.
Opposition
We witness the troubled production process: director Higurashi is hired for a live-broadcast zombie film, faces personal struggles, difficult casting, his wife's involvement, and mounting production disasters that threaten the project.
Collapse
On the day of the live broadcast, everything that can go wrong does: actors get drunk, injured, or don't show up; technical failures mount; the production faces complete collapse before it even begins.
Crisis
Higurashi and his crew face the dark reality that their dream project is falling apart in real-time, questioning whether they should even attempt the live broadcast.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
The live broadcast unfolds with the crew frantically improvising solutions to every disaster: wife fills in for drunk actress, daughter operates camera when cameraman is injured, every crisis becomes creative problem-solving, revealing how the seemingly polished opening was actually held together by desperate innovation.