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"Shaun of the Dead"

Aside from the ridiculously high placing of the hellishly unfunny Vicar of Dibley in the BBC’s recent backslapping Britain’s Best Sitcoms event, perhaps the most egregious omission from the coveted list was Spaced. Channel 4’s slick twentysomething flat-sharing sitcom failed even to make the top fifty despite having more cutting wit and cultural nous in a single scene than an entire series of Richard Curtis’ painfully sh ite churchy-fest. Director Edgar Wright and star Simon Pegg shouldn’t feel to aggrieved however, as they’ve got their chance to get recognition on a global scale with Shaun Of The Dead; the world’s first romantic comedy with zombies. And you thought Love Actually was terrifying.

The idea for a rom-com-zom first came about after filming a few short scenes for an episode of Spaced, in which Simon Pegg’s character Tim became obsessed with zombies after a few too many hours playing Resident Evil 2 - such fun was had filming the scenes, the idea for a full zombie movie was birthed. We follow Pegg’s no-hoper Shaun, who just so happens to decide to get his life in order on the day that the undead decide that yes, today would be a good day to roam the earth and yes, it was getting a little crowded down there anyway. Dumped by his frustrated girlfriend Liz and saddled with his hapless and unkempt best friend Ed (played superbly by Spaced’s Nick Frost), Shaun has not only got to turn his fortunes around and get back his girl, but he’s got the remnants of Hell to deal with too – all of which could prove too much for an electrical store salesman who can’t even gain respect from his adolescent, acne-ridden teenage staff.

If you’re familiar with the wonders of Spaced then you’ll instantly feel warm in the cuddly arms of Shaun; the lightning-fast editing and subtle cultural references are as big a part of Edgar Wright’s movie as they were of his TV series. Pegg is on top form as Shaun, and although things are mostly played strictly for laughs, he handles himself competently with the ‘rom’ third of the movie, displaying some previously unearthed emotional depth in some genuinely touching scenes. As well as the rest of the Spaced alumni (plus a lengthy list of British comedy cameos), the real star here is Nick Frost – his slovenly portrayal of best friend Ed will not only be scarily familiar to the majority of the UK’s student population, but is laden with more cuss words and boorish insults than you’d ever believe were possible (his opening line will be uttered in pubs up and down the country for years). Elsewhere, Kate Ashfield is cute enough to sustain interest as the pursued ex-girlfriend, but Dylan Moran and The Office’s Lucy Davis don’t really have the material or the big screen presence to fully round out their peripheral roles.

Borrowing heavily from Romero’s Trilogy of the Dead and taking notes from the more recent group of zombie flicks spurned from Hollywood’s Flavour Of The MonthTM generator, Shaun Of The Dead doesn’t disappoint when it gets to the gore. While laughs obviously take first priority, the zombies that walk the streets of Crouch End are fairly convincing – considering Edgar Wright’s opus would have had approximately a tenth of the budget of the Dawn Of The Dead remake, his creatures look every bit as grotesque. Thankfully these are no athletic zombies – Shaun marks the return of the slow-moving shufflers that Romero fans will know and love. While essentially crap and not particularly threatening when on their own (throwing up some great gag opportunies which are gleefully grasped with both hands), these hellspawn really pack a punch when they hunt in groups, lending later scenes where our heroes are holed up in their local pub a real sense of claustrophobia and tension. While there’s a lack of any real shocking moments, simply their presence and cow-like rumbling is often enough to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

Stood next to the rest of the last year’s hangdog British efforts (most of which star either a bumbling yet handsome idiot, haggard old dame or gun-toting cockney wideboy), Shaun Of The Dead is refreshingly different and never panders to the masses. It’s never afraid to shoot off an obscure reference to 80’s electronica or revel in its ridiculousness – the beating of their landlord with pool cues in time to Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now is a high-point – but thankfully Shaun Of The Dead doesn’t disappear up its own ar se completely a la 28 Days Later (there’s even a sly dig at Boyle’s ‘infected’ creatures at the very end). Delightfully silly, slathered with gore and yes, even touching at times, Shaun Of The Dead should at the very least highlight Wright and Pegg as the British comedic force to watch for the future. And hell, if it helps sell a few more copies of Spaced on DVD, then it’s all been worth it.

[URL]http://www.playserver4.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=R2&title=163154&p=57&c=&g=72[/URL]

All you need to know. Funny, literate and culturally sound sitcom packed with movie and videogame references with great characters and excellent writing. Buy it buy it buy it.

I'll get shot for saying this, but I've never ever seen Spaced. I don't even know what the hell it's about.
Anyone care to give it a brief run down?

Yes, it's a very British comedy that doesn't feel the need to throw in any global jokes that will travel particularly well. Immediately after it had finished I didn't think it was that brilliant, but the more I thought about it, the more I liked it.

"Alright... gay."
"Cornetto."
"Any of you c**** want a drink?"

That last line is pure genius, no doubt I'll get a few dodgy looks next time I say that in the pub...

Edit: Oh yeah, there's a really good article on it in Hotdog magazine, I recommend you all read it.

I saw Shaun of the Dead yesterday and loved it. Spaced is one of my favourite British sitcoms so I always already expecting a lot from the film, and it delivered exactly what I expect, and then some.

One of the things I loved about it, and the other brit horror flick I've come to adore, dog soldiers, was that it was a British film made for a British audience. No unnecessary American actors put in there for the sake that they are American, the humour was typically British and the director even handled the more sentimental moments with out forcing you to reach for the sick bag.

I've also heard that Simon Pegg said if Shaun is a success then there will be a sequel entitled From Dusk til Shaun, possibly taking on vampires this time. Either way I loved the film, it’s one of the best British films I’ve seen in a long while and one of my favourites of 2004.

cookie monster wrote:
> My local cinema isnt showing it. Instead they are showing:
>
> 50 FIRST DATES
> AGENT CODY BANKS 2
> ALONG CAME POLLY
> DAWN OF THE DEAD
> GOTHIKA
> HONEY
> LOONEY TUNES BACK IN ACTION
> LORD OF THE RINGS: RETURN OF THE KING
> MONA LISA SMILE
> SCOOBY DOO 2 :MONSTERS
> RUNAWAY JURY
> STARSKY AND HUTCH
> THE CAT IN THE HAT
> THE GIRL NEXT DOOR
> UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN
> WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

I live in edinburgh so there are 3 multiplex cinemas I know of and 5 other cinemas I know of 2 of which are art house that I'd consider going to all easilly accessible by bus. ANYWAY, I've seen Starsky and Hutch and Gothika both of which I'd recommend if you're bored but aren't great. HONEY is supposed to be surprisingly good for a chick flick as is Mona Lise Smile. 50 First Dates is supposed to be quite a funny famiyl film from what I've heard and finally Scooby Doo 2: Monsters UNLEASHED actually is supposed to be quite...average but I still want to see it just because Scooby RULES! I would like to go see Dawn Of The Dead but I'm only 16 and Shaun Of The Dead is showing everywhere so I want to see that sometime. I think I'm going to see Taking Lives on thursday though which should be ok I guess. Don't know anything about it though.

I LUV MY BRICK wrote:
> vicar of dibley is well funny. much better then black adder.....

That is wrong in SO MANY ways...

There's nothing wrong with the Vicar of Dibley as such, it just shouldn't have placed so ridiculously high.

monkey_man wrote:
> unknown kernel wrote:
> she shouldn't have been drinking a slush puppy anyway because they're
> effing disgusting.
>
> Slush Puppies are fantastic. I hope she dumps you for saying that!

It's OK, she disapproves of my biscuit eating habit so we're even. Mutual loathing of each other's favourite stuff: a recipe for domestic bliss if ever there was one.

vicar of dibley is well funny. much better then black adder.....

unknown kernel wrote:
> she shouldn't have been drinking a slush puppy anyway because they're effing disgusting.

Slush Puppies are fantastic. I hope she dumps you for saying that!