Six-String Samurai (1998)

I finally saw Six-String Samurai and cannot rhapsodize enough about it. It is a low-budget independent movie but every scene is chock-a-block with inventive campiness, esp. the apocalyptic couture of Mad Max-style savages, 1950s rock-and-roll and bowling-league throwbacks, spacesuit-wearing scavengers, the Cleaver family of cannibals, a ragtag Red Army, and a heavy-metal death squad (led by Death himself). Jeffrey Falcon is stellar as Buddy (as in Holly), who blazes a trail across the Nevada desert with his katana sword and kickboxing martial arts to ultimately combat Death (who resembles Slash) with guitar solos and swords. The movie is an allegory on popular music styles, a parody of post-apocalyptic films, and an homage to many martial-arts films. As such, it is highly reminiscent of Mad Max and Motorama, but also some of my other 5-star favorites such as Kill Bill, The Big Lebowski, Repo Man, and Star Wars: The New Hope. The soundtrack, dominated by the Red Elvises, is worth the price of admission alone. Here is a movie I need to own. Enjoy! 5 stars.