In the Back Row

with Allison McKinley © 2004

Film: Shaun of the Dead
(DVD: Universal)

Allison's review in ten words or fewer: Delightful, gory spoof of George A. Romero's classic horror film(s).

Grade: B+

Genre: Comedy/Horror/Romance
Rating (USA): R
Runtime: 100 Minutes
Release Date (DVD): 21 December 2004
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Bill Nighy
Special DVD Features: Zombie trivia, trailers, outtakes, extended scenes

* * *

It all began very simply back in 1968 with a movie called "Night of the Living Dead".

George A. Romero's wonderful black and white horror film took place in the American countryside, one would guess in the south (though Romero filmed in Pennsylvania). The hero, Ben, played brilliantly by Duane Jones, after having survived a night of attacks by flesh-eaters, was shot to death the next morning by a sheriff's posse of white men who didn't even bother to check to see if he were truly a zombie. Did they shoot Ben simply because he was a black man?

It was partly this element of racism that elevated the film to 'cult classic' status by 1970, though Romero has admitted since that he had not intended to play the race card at all. Basically, Duane Jones was simply the best man to have auditioned for the part, and thus the script was subsequently modified.

In the following years, Romero made a series of less popular films (though none ever as bad as any by horror director Ed D. Wood, Jr.), yet never really hit pay dirt again until 1978 when 'Dawn of the Dead' was released. It was an instant success. Five years later he followed with a less popular, but still successful, 'Day of the Dead'.

Enter Simon Pegg, and his real life buddy, acting and writing cohort, Nick Frost.

These two English chaps had already gained their own 'cult' status in the UK with a programme called "Six Pairs of Pants", then "Spaced", which had achieved a huge following by its second season on the BBC. With "Spaced" director and writer Edgar Wright, they worked out a scheme for a spoof of "Dawn of the Dead".

"Shaun of the Dead" was born, a modern comedy (romance and nightmare) that takes a morbid view of city life, the north of London, in particular, and the denizens who fight to preserve their 'pub life'.

Pub life?

As it was very well received all over the world, I suppose "Shaun" stands nicely on its own, but it might help to have some understanding of life in the UK, specifically 'pub life', which Shaun so valiantly aspires to retain.

'Pub' is short for Public House. The publican opens part of his or her 'house' to the public - a bit like giving a party in your own home every day. Thus, the publican is often called the 'host'. The home-like qualities of the British public house are perhaps why tourists often find pubs to be more cosy and welcoming than bars and cafes in other parts of the world.

Shaun's local pub is called "The Winchester", named for the rifle that hangs above the bar, giving it a sort of rough, American feel, I suppose (the weapon used to kill Ben in "Night of the Living Dead" was a Winchester rifle).

Yet, nothing at The Winchester is much different from pub life anywhere else: It's a place to hang out with your mates and get drunk; play darts and get drunk, chat up the birds and get drunk, play billiards and get drunk. It certainly beats Shaun's home life in a row house in London that he shares with two mates. There, the only option is watching the telly and getting drunk. Or playing video games on the telly and getting drunk.

And pub life certainly beats Shaun's entry-level job in retail electronics.

The problem is that Shaun's girlfriend, Liz, would like to get out now and again, and NOT to the bloody pub! She dreams of a nice evening out to dinner, followed by dancing and perhaps a little snog.

When the dead begin to reanimate, Shaun is not even aware of it. Spending his nights in a stupor and awaking most days with a hangover, he shuffles to the tuck shop for his morning nosh or off to work in a somewhat comatose state anyway.

Thus, we have arrived at the situation that provides the running joke for this parody: that many people are somewhat dead as they go about their day-to-day existence, straggling through life from sleep state to a sedentary job, living in fog, passing their evenings at the local pub (tavern or bar) or in a dark hovel watching television.

Still, one should not mistakenly conclude that such people have a desire to become the entree for flesh-eating ghouls, probably not even a side dish.

Finally realising that he might lose 'all this', his beloved pub life (and Liz too), Shaun is compelled to rise up and take arms against a sea of troubles. In this case, his choice of arms is originally a cricket bat, though Shaun and Ed soon experiment with a variety of weapons to remove and/or bash in the heads of the creeping cadavers, including pool sticks, shovels, and a 33-rpm record collection ('Sade?' 'Save that!' 'Batman Soundtrack?' 'Perfect!').

The jokes fly fast and furious, the references to and lines from other horror films are myriad, but the zombies are slow, giving romance time to bud and rekindle. Shaun even manages a moment to save his step dad (Bill Nighy) and his mum, which evokes a (slightly modified) line from "Night of the Living Dead": 'We're coming to get you, Barbara.'

If you like to laugh and don't mind a bit of gore, if you care to see romance revived, if you appreciate smart banter and witty allusions to dozens of horror films, you'll enjoy "Shaun of the Dead".

"Shaun" represents a very smart effort from a crack British team.