Shaun of the Dead

Shaun of the Dead is a zombie-themed romantic comedy, or "rom zom com" as it dubs itself, released in 2004 (9 April in the United Kingdom, 24 September in the USA). It was written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright, directed by Edgar Wright, and stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. more...

Despite the title—a pun on George A. Romero's Dawn of the Dead and the name of the lead character—it is not a horror-spoof in the style of the Scary Movie films. Rather, it is an affectionate tribute to the genre of zombie horror, with many background references to classic zombie films.

The production was filmed entirely in London, primarily at Ealing Studios, and involved production companies Working Title Films and StudioCanal.

In its opening weekend in the US, Shaun earned US$3.3M, taking 8th place at the box office despite a limited release to only 607 theatres (compared to the usual 2000-3000 for other top 10 entries). In the UK it took in £1.6M at 307 cinemas on its opening weekend and netted £6.4M by mid-May.

In 2004 the magazine Total Film named Shaun of the Dead the 49th greatest British film of all time.

In 2005, it was rated as the 3rd greatest comedy film of all time in a Channel 4 poll.

Cast

• Simon Pegg .... Shaun
• Nick Frost .... Ed
• Kate Ashfield .... Liz
• Dylan Moran .... David
• Lucy Davis .... Dianne
• Bill Nighy .... Philip
• Peter Serafinowicz .... Pete
• Penelope Wilton .... Barbara
• Jeremy Thompson .... Newsreader (Himself)
• Mark Donovan .... Hulking Zombie

Plot

Shaun (Pegg) is a dissatisfied appliance salesman trapped in a dull rut in his life, largely due to the negative influence of his lazy, shabby, Cannabis-dealing best friend and flatmate Ed (Frost). His job is dull and his social life largely consists of playing Playstation 2 games with Ed and going to his local pub, the Winchester, with his girlfriend Liz (Ashfield), who is consequently dissatisfied with lack of spice in their relationship. After one-too many nights at the Winchester and a broken promise on Shaun's part about doing something different, Liz breaks up with him, and after drowning his sorrows with Ed, Shaun resolves to sort his life out and make something of himself.

Unfortunately for him, this realization about his life comes at the same time that London and the rest of the United Kingdom (and, it is implied, the world) is swamped by a sudden zombie outbreak, as the recently dead return to life and begin to attack the living. As society breaks down, Shaun is forced to take charge and lead Ed and Liz, his beloved mother Barbara (Wilton) and his hated stepfather Phillip (Nighy) and Liz's annoying friends David (Moran) and Dianne (Davis) to the imagined safety of the Winchester; thus proving to himself and his friends what he's capable of, possibly winning back Liz and hopefully not becoming (Un)Dead.

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