Overview
Edgar Wright's horror-comedy film, SHAUN OF THE DEAD, follows the title character (Simon Pegg) through his mundane life in London. Joined by his immature and ever-present roommate, Ed (Nick Frost), Shaun excels at nothing except drinking pints of ale and watching television, which causes friction with his girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield). Before Shaun can save his relationship, however, he's got to fend off a horde of zombies that are slowly taking over the city. Armed with a cricket bat and a vague sense of direction, Shaun must rescue his friends and loved ones, and bring them to the only safe place he can think of--the pub. Cowritten by Wright and Pegg, SHAUN OF THE DEAD succeeds remarkably well at combining droll British humor with good, old-fashioned zombie cinema. While the movie is often hilariously amusing, it takes its horror pedigree seriously, offering up moments of genuine suspense, and even a healthy dose of gore. Pegg is oddly charming as the put-upon lead slacker, and Frost is appropriately oafish, but the living dead themselves also take up a fair amount of screen time, shuffling and limping in their best Romero form. For lovers of zombie films and other chills-and-chuckles outings like EVIL DEAD II and DEAD ALIVE, SHAUN OF THE DEAD is an instant cult classic.
Awards:
Main Cast & Crew:
Edgar Wright - Director
Simon Pegg
Kate Ashfield
Lucy Davis
Nick Frost
Dylan Moran
Bill Nighy
Penelope Wilton
Jessica Hynes
Peter Serafinowicz
Rafe Spall
Details
- Format: DVD (Dolby, AC-3, Dubbed, Widescreen)
- Run Time: 100
- Color Format: Color
- UPC: 025192582127
- Genre: COMEDIES
- Rating: R (MPAA) (zombie violence/gore and language)
- Release Date: December 2004
Movie Reviews
Reviews:
"[The directors] keep the blood and the laughs gushing....This blast of fright and fun best catches the spirit of George Romero..." - 09/30/2004 Rolling Stone, p.204
"[With] genuinely witty slapstick....A delight." - 10/01/2004 Uncut, p.153
"[T]he filmmakers, clearly fans of the genre, have got the zom and the com parts down cold..." - 10/01/2004 Entertainment Weekly, p.52
"[The film] yields ironic dramatic dividends." - 09/24/2004 New York Times, p.E20
"SHAUN has all the markings of a labor of love. It's a grisly but sweet ode to friendship, love and the George Romero zombie trilogy." - 09/24/2004 Los Angeles Times, p.E4
"There are some funny scenes, particularly as the film's lead actors, a pair of Everyguys, fight off hordes of creepy flesh-eaters in creative ways and with unusual implements." - 09/24/2004 USA Today, p.10E
"The intense hilarity here is best enjoyed with a friend..." - 03/01/2005 Premiere, p.112