Six-String Samurai Reviews

Ever wondered what a post-apocalyptic, kung-fu, rock 'n' roll Wizard of Oz would look like? What if it was set in an alternative timeline where the Russians won the Cold War and Elvis rules the last bastion of freedom, Las Vegas? And what if The King died and people like a samurai sword wielding Buddy Holly had to travel across the wastelands to be the new king? No? Well, you should of.

Six-String Samurai is a love letter to music history as well as cinema. Quirky, unpredictable, impressive in scope, chock full of great set design and costumes, and packed to the brim with easter eggs and references, the movie is all the more surprising when you consider how small its budget was. It remains virtually unknown even to this day but beloved by those that were lucky enough to see it.

This is a favorite for all the reasons above and also for introducing me to The Red Elvises, the Russian psychobilly/rockabilly/surf group that provided the one of a kind soundtrack to accompany all the madness.

If you haven't seen Six-String Samurai yet, stop reading this review right now and rent it. Other reviewers have talked about this movie being over-hyped, but coming at this moving completely clean, I thought it was great fun. This is not a post-apocalyptic thriller. This is not a kung-fu flick. This is a kid's movie. I'd bet dollars to donuts that Six-String Samurai started out as someone's bedtime story. It's full of quest mythology (a la Star Wars) and childhood nightmares (a la Through the Looking Glass) with the magic of music to tie it all together (a la Blues Brothers). It's the Wizard of Oz with Mad Max sensibilities. Kudos to Mungia and Falcon for making this refreshing movie. If somebody gave these guys a major budget, a basket-full of cameos, and a little bit of script tweaking (does anyone know how to reach Neil Gaiman or William Goldman?) Six-String Samurai would be a classic.