Do you remember the first time you experienced Edgar Wright’s brilliantly funny and surprisingly scary SHAUN OF THE DEAD? A few fans were already aware of the filmmaker, courtesy of his cult series Spaced, but It’s a safe bet nobody was prepared for what was to come. Released in the US on September 24, 2004, this modern take on a zombie invasion became one of the most inspired comedic horror flicks ever made. And with Halloween upon us, Fandango and Focus Features brought fans something truly special by bringing them what you could call Shaun at the Greek. What is that you may ask? SHAUN OF THE DEAD was presented at the iconic Greek Theatre in Hollywood, with Edgar Wright and star Lucy Davis on hand to enjoy an evening of zombies under the stars.
Before the film began, Mr. Wright and Ms. Davis arrived on stage to share a few interesting stories, and laugh a little bit. Even Simon Pegg gifted us with a video message that had everyone in the audience smiling and laughing. Meanwhile, every so often you’d find yourself in "danger" as a random zombie would terrorize you. And for all those in attendance, you had the honor of going home with a familiar t-shirt with the phrase “I Got Wood.” They even changed the food area to look just like the favorite hangout in the film, the Winchester Tavern. As a fan of SHAUN, this was not only a brilliant reminder of a classic film, but a great way to introduce Shaun and Ed to a few moviegoers taking it all in for the very first time.
Of course, you are all very likely aware of the plot, Simon Pegg is Shaun, a mid-management slacker who finds his life in a strange comic turmoil after a zombie apocalypse. He, along with his best pal Ed (Nick Frost), try to save their friends and family in comedically scary ways. This includes a hilarious scene involving records and a couple of flesh eaters. And then there’s the best use of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” ever featured on the big screen. The performances are outstanding, not only Pegg and Frost, but every single actor involved. And most importantly, this flick has incredible heart and it may even bring a tear to your eye.
With all the witty humor and heart, it is most surprising just how relevant that SHAUN has remained over the past decade. And this is even more impressive looking at Wright’s solid resume. Written by Pegg and Wright, the love for classic genre is all over their zombie tale. With a little inspiration from George A. Romero, and a few familiar names popping up like Foree Electric (Ken Foree played Peter Washington in Romero’s classic DAWN OF THE DEAD). You could also find Bub’s Pizza (DAY OF THE DEAD) and the perfectly captured line of dialogue, “We’re coming to get you, Barbara" of course from NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. There are also references to Fulci, PLANET OF THE APES, and even EVIL DEAD.
There is joyously amazing humor in SHAUN OF THE DEAD, but it wouldn’t have worked nearly as well if it had only relied on the comedy. Spread throughout, the horror works better than expected as well. You won’t find anything quite like THE EXORCIST or THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE, or even NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, but you’ll find there are serious stakes for Shaun and company. I think I even jumped a couple of times courtesy of a few well placed shocks. And frankly, the film gives us one very gruesome death and the impact is exceptional.
Spending an evening with SHAUN OF THE DEAD at the Greek Theatre only reminded me of why I loved this amazing feature film that Edgar, Nick and Simon gave us. And frankly, I’ve been a fan of everything they have made since. It was an extreme pleasure being able to be a part of this fancentric celebration, and even if you weren’t one of the lucky folks spending a Thursday night watching this at the Greek Theatre, you should still make this flick one of your Halloween picks this week.