SWORD OF THE DEAD: Help Stephen Vitale’s Inspired New Chanbara Horror Rise From Its Grave!
No stranger to cult cinema, filmmaker Stephen Vitale’s resume topped off noticeably in recent years with a refreshing take on blind samurai fandom with Star Wars fan film short, Hoshino. That project was a delightful and compelling work paring our helmer with actress Anna Akana and there’s no telling when the two will regroup once more for something even just as fantastic or more.
Of course, this still leaves us with Vitale with his freed-up time to continue his craft in ways that hit all the notes required for the audiences he seeks. There’s no question he achieves just that with his latest teaser for inspired chanbara horror proof-of-concept, Sword Of The Dead, which has already completed principal photography and now requires the good graces of loyal and financially able fans and cinephiles to help finish with perks available per contribution.
After a curse befalls an island in Edo period Japan, corpses left to rot on the battlefield during a gruesome blood war between rival Daimyos rise from the dead. A Ronin returns from exile and helps a group of villagers journey to the surviving Daimyo’s castle to defeat him, free his prisoners and obtain transport and supplies to get off the zombie infested island.
The official Kickstarter page has all you need in the details in addition to official stills and set photos. I proudly shared Hoshino last year and so in case you’re not one of the 1.4 million who viewed it on YouTube as of this write up, and I recommend viewing it for yourself for your own absorption.
Besides that, if a concept like this – one that accomodates such a pure, stylish hybrid of classics like Yojimbo and 28 Days Later doesn’t appeal to your cinematic cravings, I sure as hell don’t know what will. Peep it.
Native New Yorker. Lover of all things pizza, chocolate, pets, and good friends. Karaoke hero. Left of center. Survivor. Fond supporter of cult, obscure and independent cinema - especially fond of Asian movies and global action cinema. Author of the bi-weekly Hit List. Founder and editor of Film Combat Syndicate. Still, very much, only human.
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