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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...

Director Lance Mungia’s 1998 cult item, a “post-apocalyptic musical satire”, is a bracing mashup produced with style and substance. With nods to Dr. Strangelove, The Road Warrior, and Elvis himself, this rock and roll fantasia stars Jeffrey Falcon who plays a Buddy Holly-like guitarist with a special talent for swordplay.

Here’s The Movies That Made Me podcast episode with director Mungia.

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If Jean-Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal are looking to put some zip back in their careers, they'd do well to hire Lance Mungia to direct their next movies.

The fresh talent behind "Six-String Samurai" -- a sort of "Mad Max"-meets-"Monty Python" take on the post-apocalyptic, sci-fi martial arts picture -- Mungia, along with collaborator and star Jeffrey Falcon, brings a loopy kinetic energy to the screen that's tough to resist.

While the plotting may be as barren as the film's Death Valley backdrop, there's a great deal of visual creativity on a minimalist budget that bodes well for the filmmaker's future. The present, meanwhile, holds some nice cult potential.

Applying a little revisionist history, "Six-String Samurai" reworks the Cold War, contending that the bomb was indeed dropped and Russia ruled what was left of America. Among the less mutant survivors is a high-kicking Buddy Holly (Falcon), making his way through the desert en route to Lost Vegas to claim the title of King of Rock and Roll, previously held by the recently departed Elvis.

First, however, he must contend with marauding bounty hunters, the Russian Army and a tag-along orphaned kid (Justin McGuire), not to mention a big final showdown with Death (Stephane Gauger). Buddy is armed only with his trusty electric guitar and trustier samurai sword.

The bad guys keep popping up with a repetitive, video game frequency and dialogue is used sparingly, but Mungia, like "El Mariachi"'s Robert Rodriguez, deftly fuses visual elements of humor and violence to original effect.

As the bespectacled Buddy, Falcon, an American who has appeared in more than a dozen Hong Kong martial arts actioners, gets the job done without breaking a sweat or further scuffing his saddle shoes, and young McGuire uses his highly expressive face to supplement his extremely limited dialogue.

Cinematographer Kristian Bernier gets a lot of surreal mileage out of all the sand and Blue Sky, as the film's whimsical juxtapositions are neatly summed up by the music of The Red Elvises, a band that corners the market on Siberian surfer songs.

SIX-STRING SAMURAI

Palm Pictures

Director: Lance Mungia

Producers: Michael Burns & Leanna Creel

Screenwriters: Lance Mungia & Jeffrey Falcon

Cinematographer: Kristian Bernier

Production/costume designer: Jeffrey Falcon

Editor: James Frisa

Music: Brian Tyler

Casting: Ross Lacy

Color/stereo

Cast:

Buddy: Jeffrey Falcon

The Kid: Justin McGuire

Death: Stephane Gauger

Russian General: John Sakisian

Little Man: Gabrille Pimenter

Clint: Zuma Jay

Running time -- 81 minutes

MPAA rating: PG-13...