Shaun of the Dead - A second look

I was home for lunch today, and this was on. It's easy to forget why this movie worked so well.

Watching it again, I saw something that made me realize it.

It's a zombie movie made for zombie fans, but then twisted. What I mean is, they took your expectations, and twisted them.

For example, in one of the opening scenes, you see a shambling person... You leap to the conclusion it's a zombie, but it's really just Shaun getting up in the morning.

For most of the beginning, numerous people surprise Shaun, yet they turn out to be normal people, not corpses.

Then, there's the scene where he's walking into a store, and then home. A person runs by him, there's blood, etc. and you expect him to notice any minute now, that something isn't right. But...he doesn't. He's oblivious, even as they get closer and one nearly gets him.

He's encountered numerous zombies before he ever comes to realize what's going on.

He watches the news, and we, as the audience, know the stories are probably talking about the zombie attacks, but he never sees enough to make the connection, as he skips through the channels!

I think it's this irreverence for the classic "realization" scene, that really makes this movie work, and unique among zombie classics.

I love that movie, it's one of my favorites. There are zombies all around us every day, they just aren't trying to eat our brains....yet.

Great movie.. i Love Pegg!!! (even if he is friends with that mutant from coldplay)

Might need to watch it tonite now

reply to post by Gazrok


Please don't tell me you just noticed all that.

Could be you're a zombie?

I'm just sad that other than Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz I haven't seen Pegg in a movie that I actually liked. The guy could have built an empire on genre spoofs, heck I would have watched them.

I'd like to see him do more with the old Black Books/Spaced crew. Putting him in a movie with Kirsten Dunst just seems wrong. Like drinking beer and eating cake.

reply to post by TDawgRex


Noticing it and appreciating it are two different things. The first time seeing it, I pretty much noticed and just enjoyed the flick and didn't analyze it at all...

Originally posted by Gazrok
reply to post by TDawgRex

 

Noticing it and appreciating it are two different things. The first time seeing it, I pretty much noticed and just enjoyed the flick and didn't analyze it at all...

Now that could be a thread all it's own.

My old Det Commander was an analyst in his real job. But down range, it usually came to me getting things done as he had a tendency to over analyze. That can slow things down.

If actually boils it down to observation and decision making.

In the Case of Shaun of the Dead. My decision was fricking hilarious!

I came home and it was on cable.
so I did not see the start.
Now I must see it from the start.
thank you.
and yes we have zombies ever ware.
they eat your brain using the TV and the news.

Yes, excellent movie with many subtleties that are only realized through multiple viewings.

Actually, Pegg's movie 'Paul' is pretty good as well, some really funny scenes and lots of little jokes I only noticed after watching several times (my son loves it so we end up running it at least a couple times a month).

Originally posted by Gazrok
I was home for lunch today, and this was on. It's easy to forget why this movie worked so well.

Watching it again, I saw something that made me realize it.

It's a zombie movie made for zombie fans, but then twisted. What I mean is, they took your expectations, and twisted them.

For example, in one of the opening scenes, you see a shambling person... You leap to the conclusion it's a zombie, but it's really just Shaun getting up in the morning.

For most of the beginning, numerous people surprise Shaun, yet they turn out to be normal people, not corpses.

Then, there's the scene where he's walking into a store, and then home. A person runs by him, there's blood, etc. and you expect him to notice any minute now, that something isn't right. But...he doesn't. He's oblivious, even as they get closer and one nearly gets him.

He's encountered numerous zombies before he ever comes to realize what's going on.

He watches the news, and we, as the audience, know the stories are probably talking about the zombie attacks, but he never sees enough to make the connection, as he skips through the channels!

I think it's this irreverence for the classic "realization" scene, that really makes this movie work, and unique among zombie classics.

Exactly. It was made for the fans. "Shaun of the Dead" was a parody of the zombie genre as a whole. Just like "Hot Fuzz" was a parody of the buddy cop drama genre. And they really made them both work. Great films.

"Paul", not so much. I didn't like it as much as the other two.

Originally posted by FEDec
I'm just sad that other than Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz I haven't seen Pegg in a movie that I actually liked. The guy could have built an empire on genre spoofs, heck I would have watched them.

I'd like to see him do more with the old Black Books/Spaced crew. Putting him in a movie with Kirsten Dunst just seems wrong. Like drinking beer and eating cake.

Definitely agree there. He needs to get his own thing going instead of relying on other people's scripts to land on his doormat and make something great again.

I loved how they never mentioned the word "zombie" in that film too. And meeting another film of similar characters halfway through. Lot of great moments.

Pegg's movies since Hot Fuzz remind me of the time I thought "cool, Russell Brand, I used to enjoy his drunken, drug fuelled conversations with people in rave clubs on MTV years ago" then realising that actually, he's an unfunny dick away from what made him popular in the first place.

This was a great movie actually...

Its funny though, the writer is basically making fun of the world... The way he wanders through the streets that are filled with dead people walking. And he is completely oblivious to it...

Shawn was basically a zombie... but slowly he woke up

Are we really so much like zombies in real life?

Great movie though

reply to post by FEDec


Have you seen 'Run Fatboy, Run'?

I thought it was a decent movie...

Originally posted by kalisdad
reply to post by FEDec

 

Have you seen 'Run Fatboy, Run'?

I thought it was a decent movie...

I have, several times (and not by choice)

Really hated it and the blister scene......even thinking about it almost makes me hurl. I can watch graphic horror movies and videos of actual deaths but stuff in movies that purposely try to gross you out? No thanks.

That's why I despise teen sex comedies like American Pie and that ilk. Rely too much on grossing you out than having an actual script that is genuinely funny.

Originally posted by FEDec
I'm just sad that other than Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz I haven't seen Pegg in a movie that I actually liked. The guy could have built an empire on genre spoofs, heck I would have watched them.

I'd like to see him do more with the old Black Books/Spaced crew. Putting him in a movie with Kirsten Dunst just seems wrong. Like drinking beer and eating cake.

I very much liked him in Star Trek. Hell, I think he stole the show!

It's realistic in an odd way. Most people do go day to day in a zombified haze. I probably wouldn't think anything amiss trying to get some fags from the garage first thing on a Sunday morning with a hangover either.
And wouldn't we ALL go to the pub?

reply to post by Suspiria


For my fellow Americans, by "fags" I'm assuming the poster means cigarettes...vs. actually keeping homosexuals locked in the garage. So no need to call the police (Bobbies).....

one of my favorite scenes in that movie is when they are throwing the records at the zombies.