COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN: DAY 10-“SHAUN OF THE DEAD”

In honor of the witching season, we’ll profile a new Halloween-centric title every day throughout the month of October.

YOU’VE GOT RED ON YOU!

Article by Don Barfuss

SHAUN OF THE DEAD (R)-2004

“A romantic comedy. With zombies.” This tagline was used to promote 2004’s SHAUN OF THE DEAD (the first of the loosely connected “Cornetto Trilogy”), and it captures the essence of the film perfectly. In fact, I can’t help but imagine that throughout the process of writing SHAUN OF THE DEAD, Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg used this phrase as an important reminder: the zombies never come first.

Just look at the early setup scenes. Shaun is having one of those days where everything is going wrong, but — not only are the zombies an indirect problem at best — once they do show up, he’s too consumed with his own out-of-control life to immediately notice them. (Not that they don’t exacerbate things soon enough.)

This slow introduction of zombies into the mix is one of my favorite bits of writing around. It’s a slow-yet-punchy reveal, and incredibly well-executed: From the visual foreshadowing, to lines like, “next time I see him, he’s dead,” to the final realization that comes with the “drunk” girl. But it’s that constant insistence that the zombies are only part of the setting — not the star of the film — that proves how effective it can be to simultaneously embrace and subvert every aspect of your respective genre.

Of course, there may be another way to look at this film: Shaun is the first “zombie” you see. Not literally, mind you, but absolutely a “dead man walking.” The thematic synergy between him choosing to revitalize his life and the reanimation of the corpses around him seems like more than just a coincidence. Or, similarly, the idea that he’s symbolically beating back the death that has crept into every corner of his own life. At every turn, the zombies are an integral part of the story without needing to be the driving force behind it.

And it’s great that Shaun, who has become just a little too comfortable — a little too complacent — doesn’t use the zombies as an excuse to put things off even longer. He seizes the opportunity to actively make a change, and to prove (both to himself and the girl he wants to win back) that he shouldn’t be counted among the dead.

Thus far, I’ve barely touched on the real meat of this meat pie: the pitch-perfect comedy. While Ed is the scapegoat for the more crass humor, everything else is as genuinely funny as it is relatable. From the hilarious banter and callbacks in the writing, to the perfect delivery by the talented ensemble, this zombie movie has all the comedy you could ask for.

But then it’s also incredibly well-shot. Edgar Wright’s stylistic approach shines in every frame. The action is tight, intense, and satisfying. The gore is believable without being unnecessarily grotesque. Sure, it’s missing the intense thrills and chills or stomach-turning gore  many “true” horror films dish out. But what it does, it does extremely well. This romantic comedy has all the zombie action you could ask for.

All in all, this is a genre-bending classic you can’t (and likely didn’t) miss. With Simon Pegg now popping up in major franchises like STAR TREK and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, it’s hard to imagine life before his charming wit and comedic stylings; life before the must-see (and see, and see again) SHAUN OF THE DEAD.

COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN

October 9th-“Invasion of the Body Snatchers”– Click Here
October 8th-“The Final Girls”–Click Here
October 7th-“Something Wicked This Way Comes”–Click Here
October 6th- “We Are Still Here”–Click Here
October 5th-“Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn”–Click Here
October 4th- “Phantom of the Paradise“-Click Here
October 3rd-“Poltergeist“-Click Here
October 2nd-“The Babadook“-Click Here
October 1st-“John Carpenter’s The Thing“-Click Here

About Author

Adam Mast

Adam Mast has been a lifelong film enthusiast dating back to age 6 when his parents took him to see a little movie called JAWS at a drive-in theater in Northern California. This would lead him to several writing stints for various publications and outlets. Mast would also have a hand in several film projects of various shapes and sizes. In 2014, Mast would join forces with colleague John Pugh to create Cinemast.net as a means discuss film from a fan and analytical perspective. Together, Mast and Pugh would also create the 501 (C)(3) nonprofit, Film and Media Alliance of Southern Utah (FMASU) in 2017. FMASU’s mission is to encourage, inspire and educate filmmaking talent and to preserve film history. Adam currently resides in southern Utah with his amazing wife, Tonja, and their four wonderful children.

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