Naoto Takenaka directing comedy zombie flick

[Tokyograph News]

Actor Naoto Takenaka is directing and acting in a horror comedy called "Yamagata Scream." He has previously directed five films since 1991, but this will be his first comedy, despite being known best for his humorous roles as an actor.

The story is set in a village in the Yamagata prefecture, inspired by tales of the ochimusha of the Taira clan. The ochimusha were warriors who, after being defeated in battle, fled to remote areas of Japan and established small towns to live in. In the film, a businessman and a high school girl arrive in the village and accidentally unearth one of the Taira graves, awakening the zombies of the ochimusha. Takenaka will play the "zombie general."

Takenaka is also partly involved with the script and other details. He is reportedly aiming to avoid the use of CG as much as possible.

Few production details are known, other than the involvement of writer Yasushi Akimoto in the film's planning. The movie's projected release date is in 2009, but foreign companies have already expressed interest in distribution.

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