A lazy man tries to win back his girlfriend at the
same time the dead start rising from the grave. COMEDY/HORROR
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Shaun of the Dead (2004)Directed by Edgar Wright
Written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Dylan Moran, Lucy Davis, Penelope Wilton, Bill Nighy |
There is a fine line to tread when it comes to honoring your heroes and recklessly name dropping them in a story or film. Too much and it can come off like you’re not confident in your own skills. Thankfully, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg struck the perfect balance when they wrote the script for Shaun of the Dead. The film caused quite the stir upon its release and launched the careers of Wright, Pegg, and Nick Frost. This is a zombie film that George Romero would be proud as it shambles in his cinematic footsteps.
Shaun (Pegg) is coasting through his life like most of us do, mindlessly floating through each day with no thought on the future. He is at a crossroads with his girlfriend, Liz (Ashfield), as she is not satisfied with where their relationship is going. She even says, “I don’t want to end up like these sad old fuckers drinking my life away wondering what happened.” This scene showcases trademark style that Wright would be known for in later films: editing and use of dialogue in establishing character. He also knows how to use the camera to guide the viewer as the scene unfolds. Everyone wants Shaun to grow up but all he wants to do is hang out with the woman he loves and his best friend Ed (Frost) tossing back pints at the Winchester, his local pub. That’s not the end of the world, is it? It seems that the universe is also trying to kick Shaun into action as that is just what starts to happen. After a satellite crashes in southern England (a la Night of the Living Dead) the dead begin to rise as Liz dumps Shaun and he feels like his world has ended. Much like a certain Ashley J. Williams rose to the occasion, Shaun is the unlikeliest of heroes in this catastrophic situation and Ed is his sidekick. With cricket bat in hand, his plan is simple: go to his mum’s, kill his step-father (sorry, Phillip), pick up Liz, head to the Winchester, have a pint, and wait until this blows over. Shaun represents all of us at one point or another. Too scared to take control of their life, too afraid to take a chance or shake off the shackles of a lifeless existence. Where this movie really excels is blending comedy and horror to tell an endearing story of a man faced with his own shortcomings trying to make a change. This film never gets old as the references to other films and filmmakers, music, and jokes make you feel like you’re watching a movie made by your friend. Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg are our friends, they are genre fans that crafted a love letter to horror films that their cinematic heroes would be proud of. Grab a pint, sit down with your mates, and make sure not to use the zed word. Oh, you’ve got red on you. |
Shaun of the Dead is a hilarious black comedy that is essentially a romantic comedy that happens to have zombies in it. It's the first installment of Edgar Wright's Cornetto Trilogy (the other two being 2007's Hot Fuzz and 2013's The World's End) and is definitely one of the best. There are tons of throwbacks to classic 70's zombie flicks, some being on the nose and others being much harder to find. I love this film and definitely recommend it to horror and comedy fans alike.
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