Director: Edgar Wright
Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Peter Serafinowicz
Plot: Shaun (Pegg) attempts to turn his underwhelming life around by winning back ex girlfriend Liz (Ashfield) while battling the hordes of undead that have took to the streets of London. Shaun's ideal place of safety away from the flesh munching zombies is the Winchester Pub and he intends to make it to there along with a group of fellow survivors.
Back in 2004 the team behind masterful British sitcom 'Spaced' attempted to bring there considerable talents to the big screen with the "romzomcom" 'Shaun of the Dead' and it was an huge success upon release and its stars have since been catapulted to the Hollywood A List. Pegg has gone onto star in million dollar franchises, Frost is currently working with Spielberg and Wright just directed my one of my favourites films of last year 'Scott Pilgrim'. But it all started here with the comedic masterpiece that is 'Shaun of the Dead'.
Zombies are quite scary. The thought that your loved ones could be eaten alive and then come back and try and kill you is terrifying. The flesh munchers themselves have never been more popular with the huge success of 'The Walking Dead' TV series and the brilliant stupidity of the 'Call Of Duty' Nazi Zombie game mode have helped to elevate their popularity. Back in 2004 zombies were dying out slightly but Shaun and the gang helped bring them back with all the wallop of a cricket bat to the head.
The premise is very simple in 'Shaun of the Dead'; there are zombies everywhere and a group of survivors have to get to perceived salvation at Shaun and slacker friend Ed's favourite pub 'The Winchester'. With this idea in place the comedy is allowed to come to the forefront and it is quite simply hilarious. A very sharp, witty script from Pegg and Wright pokes fun at many horror conventions while bringing in endlessly quotable lines and moments that will live on for decades to come.
But of course this comedy would be meaningless if we didn't have great characters that we want to see survive. Pegg's Shaun, Ashfield's Liz and 'The Ofiice's' Lucy Davis are standouts, while Nick Frost all but steals the show as the moronic but lovable Ed. Wright establishes these characters as normal everyday people that we can relate to then throws them into this horrifying (but funny) situation and we want to see them get out of it. 'Shaun' wouldn't be half the film that it is now if the characters weren't this likable.
With great heroes has to come villains and they come in the form of Dylan Moran's David who has a Masters degree in being a pr*ck and Bill Nighy as Shaun's overly evil step dad Phillip. Both are perfect for the roles with Nighy's small but fun role being the more memorable with Phillip having just the right amount sinister to make him scary.
There isn't much more that can be said other than to watch 'Shaun of the Dead' and then watch it again....and then maybe again. It demands second, third and fourth viewings to catch all the references to classic Romero zombie flicks, 'Star Wars', John Carpenter, James Cameron and the blink and you'll miss 'em gags like Shaun's slip on the blood in the newsagents and his reaction to the zombie that first enters his house - there are just so many jokes fired at you.
'Shaun of the Dead' is a comedy classic and announced the comedic stylings of Pegg, Frost and Wright to the world and I for one am grateful for it. With great characters, lots of blood, a sharp, funny script and an actual heart to it's story 'Shaun' is simply one of those movies everyone has to have seen. Go and grab a Cornetto, sit down at the Winchester and watch this movie then wait for your all troubles to blow over.
The premise is very simple in 'Shaun of the Dead'; there are zombies everywhere and a group of survivors have to get to perceived salvation at Shaun and slacker friend Ed's favourite pub 'The Winchester'. With this idea in place the comedy is allowed to come to the forefront and it is quite simply hilarious. A very sharp, witty script from Pegg and Wright pokes fun at many horror conventions while bringing in endlessly quotable lines and moments that will live on for decades to come.
But of course this comedy would be meaningless if we didn't have great characters that we want to see survive. Pegg's Shaun, Ashfield's Liz and 'The Ofiice's' Lucy Davis are standouts, while Nick Frost all but steals the show as the moronic but lovable Ed. Wright establishes these characters as normal everyday people that we can relate to then throws them into this horrifying (but funny) situation and we want to see them get out of it. 'Shaun' wouldn't be half the film that it is now if the characters weren't this likable.
With great heroes has to come villains and they come in the form of Dylan Moran's David who has a Masters degree in being a pr*ck and Bill Nighy as Shaun's overly evil step dad Phillip. Both are perfect for the roles with Nighy's small but fun role being the more memorable with Phillip having just the right amount sinister to make him scary.
There isn't much more that can be said other than to watch 'Shaun of the Dead' and then watch it again....and then maybe again. It demands second, third and fourth viewings to catch all the references to classic Romero zombie flicks, 'Star Wars', John Carpenter, James Cameron and the blink and you'll miss 'em gags like Shaun's slip on the blood in the newsagents and his reaction to the zombie that first enters his house - there are just so many jokes fired at you.
'Shaun of the Dead' is a comedy classic and announced the comedic stylings of Pegg, Frost and Wright to the world and I for one am grateful for it. With great characters, lots of blood, a sharp, funny script and an actual heart to it's story 'Shaun' is simply one of those movies everyone has to have seen. Go and grab a Cornetto, sit down at the Winchester and watch this movie then wait for your all troubles to blow over.
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