Shaun of the Dead Review

Shaun of the Dead

Release Date: 7th October 2004 - Australia

Production Companies

Universal Pictures (present)

StudioCanal (present)

Working Title Films (present)

WT2

Big Talk Productions (in

association with)
Inside Track 2 (produced in association with)

FilmFour (developed with the assistance of)

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia

Genre: Horror/Comedy

Rating: MA15+ (Not Suitable

for Young Children)

Runtime: 95 minutes

Budget: $6,000,000

Box Office Gross: $31,508,087 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Life has never been easy for Shaun. He lives in a house with his best mate, Ed and spends his time in a local pub, but he doesn't like his stepdad and neglects his girlfriend, Liz. After Liz dumps him, Shaun finally decides to get his life back on track, but not before dealing with a zombie apocalypse. He sets out with Ed to rescue his mother, grudgingly his stepdad, his ex and more begrudgingly, her friends before they must get themselves safely to the most secure haven he knows is The Winchester.

Cast
Simon Pegg - Shaun
Nick Frost - Ed
Kate Ashfield - Liz
Dylan Moran - David
Lucy Davis - Dianne
Bill Nighy - Phillip
Penelope Wilton - Barbara
Jessica Hynes - Yvonne
Peter Serafinowicz - Pete
Rafe Spall - Noel
Sonnell Dadral - Danny
Martin Freeman - Declan (Cameo)
Reece Shearsmith - Mark
Tamsin Greig - Maggie
Steve Emerson - John
Phyllis MacMahon - Bernie
Arvind Doshi - Nelson
Julia Deakin - Yvonne's Mum
Matt Lucas - Cousin Tom
Mark Donovan - Hulking Zombie
Jeremy Thompson - Himself
Vernon Kay - Himself
Carol Barnes  - Himself
Rob Butler - Himself
Chris Martin - Himself/Zombie Outside
the Winchester (Cameo)

Jon Buckland - Himself (Cameo)
Edgar Wright - Rabid Monkey Newsreader/
Prat-falling Zombie/Italian Restaurant Voice
(Cameo) (Uncredited)

Rob Brydon - Football Commentator/"Zombies

from Hell" Presenter (Voice) (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Antonia Campbell Hughes - Zombie (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Joe Cornish - Zombie Shot by Soldiers (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Julia Davis - News Reporter (Voice) (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Mark Gatiss - Radio Presenter with 'Spaceship'

Theory/Wildlife Voiceover (Voice) (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Garth Jennings - 'Fun-Dead' Zombie (Cameo)

(Uncredited)

Michael Smiley - Zombie (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Paul Putner - Zombie (Cameo) (Uncredited)

Crew
Writer/Director - Edgar Wright
Writer - Simon Pegg
Executive Producers - Tim Bevan,
Eric Fellner, Natascha Warton,
James Wilson and Alison Owen
Producer - Nira Park
Production Designer - Marcus Rowland
Art Director - Karen Wakefield
Costume Designer - Annie Hardinge

Supervising Armorer - Joss Skottowe

Hair & Makeup Designer - Jane Walker

Prosthetics Effects Designer - Stuart Conran

Director of Photography - David M. Dunlap

Camera Operator: Additional Photography -

John Palmer

First Assistant Director - Richard Hewitt
Stunt Coordinator - Jeff Hewitt-Davis
Special Effects Supervisor - Paul Dunn
Visual Effects Supervisor: Double Negative -

Jeremy Hattingh

Visual Effects Producers: Double Negative -

Alex Hope and Hal Couzens
Editor - Chris Dickens

Supervising Sound Editor - Julian Slater

Re-Recording Mixer - Nigel Heath

Foley Artists - Peter Burgis and

Andi Derrick
Original Score - Daniel Mudford and
Pete Woodhead

Music Supervisor - Nick Angel

Executive in Charge of Music: Universal

Pictures - Kathy Nelson

Review

There was a period when I was eager to watch a horror movie in which people undoubtedly wanted to see all of the aspects of the genre - brutal, horrifying and very gory. It was when I first saw SHAUN OF THE DEAD. I've seen a few thrillers, not horror movies, containing plots of slashers, ghouls, zombies and other horror themes (except for Alien). I decided to watch more horror-themed movies. For SHAUN, it's more a comedic satire than your average scary movie. The film mixes blood and gore with comedy and drama for the viewers but, at the same time, frightens them. It is the first film in which the director, Edgar Wright, and actors, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, have worked together. SHAUN gained recognition, and the three of them went on to make two more of their English comedies. Perhaps this film was known as the start of the Cornetto trilogy and has never been more frightful and hilarious, combining satirical and dry humour and writing with horrific themes.

I am still satisfied with the duo of Simon and Nick together. I have admired the chemistry of these two likeable characters and their comical friendship portrayed in later features like Hot Fuzz, Paul and The World's End. Bill Nighy takes the reins as one of the film's supporting leads. Later in his career, he rejoined the same creators in the following two films of the Cornetto trilogy in cameo roles. The song placement in the legendary fight scene entitled "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen compliments the soundtrack. The rock band Queen has been a powerful influence in modern-day cinema as some of their songs are used frequently in films such as Wayne's World.

I confessed I am now a fan of Hot Fuzz and SHAUN OF THE DEAD. I adore the film for parodying the classic zombie flicks. I must watch this feature again. It is not for those who are too young and may get traumatised by its scary content and even gore and cuss like Hot Fuzz.

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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