Six-String Samurai

...if you like rock-a-billie and love a campy adventure in a post-apocalyptic world were Elvis, the KING, has just died and there's a guitar-strumming race across the desert to Las Vegas to see who will be the next King crowned - you'll love this bizarre piece of comic book fiction brought to life. Our hero & his sidekick are chased across the desert by Death(a cross between Tom Petty & Slash) and his archer henchmen. Our Hero slashes his way through one unbelievable fight scene after another. Falcon is truly amazing. The fight choreography alone is reason enough to watch this peculiar piece of cinema. The climax is a duel between our Hero(Rock-n-Roll) and Death(Heavy Metal). Who becomes the King? Watch it & love it.

I love strange and unique movies that create a bizarre world and invite you in to visit. Movies like 'Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!', 'El Topo', 'Eraserhead' and 'Repo Man' for example. As profoundly odd as those movies are, they feel natural to me, not contrived attempts at making a "cult movie" ala Troma. I don't like Troma's output much and can think of very few of those kind of self consciously quirky movies that I actually like ('The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai' is one, 'Killer Klowns From Outer Space' is another). 'Six-String Samurai' for me is closer to the contrived Troma approach than the naturally strange Russ Meyer/Coen brothers one. It's the kind of movie that is more fun to describe to someone else than to actually sit through yourself. Now it isn't a complete failure, far from it. I did enjoy parts of it a lot, but it kinda dragged on, and for me just didn't live up to its potential. The initial premise was good, but the script needed a lot more work. As it stands it would have made a neat 50-60 minute short. Jeffrey Falcon plays Buddy, a guitar slingin' samurai who is on a journey to Lost Vegas to become the new King of rock'n'roll. In this America you see, the Russians took over after they dropped the Bomb in the 50s. Buddy encounters lots of oddballs along the way, reluctantly looks after The Kid (Justin McGuire) , and ends up having a showdown with Death (Stephane Gauger). 'Six-String Samurai' deliberately echoes 'El Mariachi', 'Mad Max 2' and the Lone Wolf and Cub series, but never reaches the heights of its inspirations. I always like to encourage low budget film makers trying to push the envelope. 'Six-String Samurai' doesn't quite do it for me, but I hope Lance Mungia and Jeffrey Falcon continue to make movies. Who knows, guys, maybe next time?

This movie has so many faults. But why do I love it so much? First off the position of the bad guys is never really explained. I mean who exactly are the windmill people? What makes Buddy flip around when the kid cries? (Amen to the reviewer who mentioned the kid's psychotic episode inducing moan) Just what exactly happened at the end? The music is great but at certain times does not feel fitting for the situation. Buddy repeats the same lines over and over as if that will make them cooler. (ex. Float away little butterfly, swell, etc.)

However, there is so much to love. The instant Falcon appeared on the screen as Buddy, the kung fu rocker, I was amazed. I kept thinking to myself, "dang, this guy is awesome". The scenery and photography is gorgeous. As to a comment about erotic photography I did notice that there was a similar scene. Buddy and the kid are standing on opposite sand dunes. It looks like a pair of boobs to me, but that's just me.

As for the guy that complains that Death was given a wussy guitar, that seems to be the point to me. Heavy Metal is contrasted with Rockabilly and Surf Guitar. The director obviously prefers the latter, and so do I.

The dubbed voices are cheesy, but that doesn't make it any less cool. I loved the too short segment involving the "windmill god" himself. But what was with that kid who kept saying, "Tag! You're It!" To get all the nuances of the film you probably have to be an anime, hong kong, mad max, Sergio Leone junkie. I liked the fact that the movie was bloodless. It helps to keep the fun factor high.

This movie is just what the world needs. Meteor destroying the Earth, bah! A pale remake of a giant rampaging lizard, forget it. Take a trip back to the fifties when rock was revolutionary.

First, the bad stuff. The film will not appeal to people who can't deal with camp, with pure Lynch-like strangeness, or people who demand a big budget production.

However, those who are willing to give an oddball film a chance will find this to be a real gem of an indie flick. Imagine if you will Buddy Holly, Mad Max, and Jet Li bundled into one character, fighting across a desolate warped postapocalyptic Nevada. The dynamics in the movie are all about conflict... Rock & Roll against Metal, Communism against Capitalism, bravery versus despair. Mix that in with "Weird West" touches, demented nuclear families, and warriors who duel with both blade and guitar. There is even a hint of the manga, "Lone Wolf and Cub" thrown in. That and some excellent Russian-influenced rockabilly.

Some of the scenes fall flat, sure... but few movies try to reach for such imaginative and demented heights... and few succeed to this extend on a shoestring budget. Despite its shortcomings, the action sequences are exciting and well-done, and one really sees an American Apocalypse which never was -- but in some ways happened, in our heads, at least.

I have read a lot of comments regarding this film. All I have to say is, this movie is great. I never heard of it, but saw it in West Coast Video, and thought the cover was way cool. I was not disappointed. It seems that those who do not like this film consider Steven Segal a master of martial art films.

This is not a mainstream movie. How can you accurately describe this? You just can't! I just tell people that if the like post apocalyptic/samurai/rock & roll movies, this is the one to see. From the moment that first sword fight broke out, I knew that I was going to enjoy this flick. And when the prostitute approaches him in the cantina, I laughed until it hurt.

Bottom line, if you like movies that are a little (or possibly a lot) off-beat, you have to watch this one. I give it 8.5 out of 10 stars.