A British take on the rom-com-zom genre
There's an episode of the cult TV show Spaced where everybody's favourite professional slacker Tim (Simon Pegg) has been playing Resident Evil too long and has begun to fantasise himself as a bit of a zombie slayer. Entertainment and the real world mix and overlap in his mind so that the undead seem to be stalking him at every turn, giving him the opportunity to blast them with a handy shotgun. And so the seed was planted, writer Pegg and director Edgar Wright are obvious horror fans, littering the show with references to The Shining, Evil Dead and Don't Look Now. Some are more obscure than others but an in-depth knowledge of the rich tapestry that is modern media no doubt enhances your enjoyment of such a unique programme. It was only matter of time before the talented team behind it were given a bash at the big screen and zombies figure heavily in the recent Shaun of the Dead, what they describe as a rom-com-zom, mixing scares with cares as Pegg leads a team of twenty-somethings through the now overrun streets of London in an attempt to win back the love of his life.
It would be an easy mistake to see the new movie as simply a feature length version of Spaced. Despite being written and directed by the same guys it also features Nick Frost (military madman Mike in the show) once again playing second fiddle to Pegg as his lazy amigo and leading lady Jessica Stevenson also makes a cameo appearance but this is where the similarities end. Spaced suited the TV medium, allowing the protagonists to make something of their wayward lives by living vicariously through various films in little mini-adventures, be it pretending to be on the battlefields of Vietnam in a paintball game or being locked up by a mad matron as in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Members of the younger generation, brought up on a constant stream of iconic images, naturally share these fantasies.
But Shaun of the Dead is a very different creature, a horror in its own right that is also fresh and innovative, packed with British humour and sensibilities. Shaun and co. are of course similar to the friends in Spaced, twenty-something losers at odds with the expectations of the modern world, except they are more like you and me. Grounded by jobs and relationships (or lack of them) they're not free to take part in surreal moments, instead the surreal finds them.
As is sometimes the case, when a UK producer has a fair sized budget the first port of call is successful British TV sit-coms and it was only a matter of time before Pegg and Wright were called upon to make the transition, the difference being that they have refused to cash-in on the their immediate success. After all, Spaced ended two years ago, its success maintained by DVD releases and plenty of loyal fan sites. You can't fault the pair for taking time to get it right and in such a fickle industry it has paid off. Rather than following the usual route of throwing money at successful TV characters in the hope that some of the magic rubs off on the box office they have spent years honing their talent, Wright on shows such as Murder Most Horrid and French & Saunders plus a smattering of pop videos and commercials while Pegg has spent years working alongside Steve Coogan and Bill Bailey as well as other side projects like sketch show Big Train. The failure of movies such as Guest House Paradiso, Kevin & Perry Go Large and Bean show that the public don't want to see reruns of sit-coms when they go to the cinema.
Luckily for the public Pegg and Wright are movie fans and have the ability to adapt their skills to suit what is a very different medium. The most obvious comparison would be to An American Werewolf in London which combined downright frightening imagery with dark, cynical humour provided by the protagonists' slowly decomposing sidekick and Shaun of the Dead is no exception, making light of what would otherwise be terrifying events. The film has that particularly gloomy atmosphere that makes British horror so distinctive, the feeling that this is happening to everyone and not just a group of tough survivors. While real life is going on the dread begins to take over making the situation suddenly very real and terrifying, even more so because you've come to like and identify with the people in the story. This is a horror trait resplendent in many of the British classics; the Quatermass films, War of the Worlds, Day of the Triffids, all of these give a sense of the inescapable and that even if you did survive the night then chances are something will get you tomorrow, the problem is global and there's nowhere to run.
While there are American horrors that posses this same approach; Invasion of the Body Snatchers and obviously the many by zombie godfather George A Romero, recently they have become a lot more insular, personal experiences that befall a group seemingly cut-off from the world and often psychological. The template nowadays usually sticks to the failsafe of throwing a gang of mismatched teens together and see them expire in increasingly spectacular ways and while this can be entertaining, Final Destination carries it off with unashamed glee, it also gives a factory line quality to Hollywood horror. With the recent Dawn of the Dead remake it's obvious that the current manifesto of the studios is to top each other's set-pieces in loud, brash fashion hence the hiring of music video director Zack Snyder for that particular film and it did to horror movies what McG did for Charlie's Angels, it's a mess of highly stylised images broken up by a deafening and poorly selected soundtrack. When Hollywood does aim higher it usually means more money meaning more action meaning an action film. Where War of the Worlds could be described as a horror the American version, Independence Day, is undoubtedly a frenzied action blockbuster. It seems they are no longer able to make a big story small while the UK has it down to a fine art.
So the does a modest zombie romantic comedy have what it takes to break the American market? That's the big question and even if it does well over here, which it will through sheer word of mouth, the filmmaker's future hangs in the balance as to whether they can actually make any money by flogging it to the States. In short yes. 28 Days Later has already made a big impact over the water and let audiences know that horror can be done on a small scale and even without that many zombies or American stars for that matter. Dawn of the Dead has already shamelessly ripped off the motif of lethally quick monsters so there is an originality void in the market, and while many may be expecting a spoof due to the coincidental title of Shaun of the Dead, they will probably pleased to find that it isn't Scary Movie 4 and in fact a scary movie all of its own.
The Brits have always had a dark streak bubbling under its otherwise austere reputation, the country that birthed Hammer horror must know a thing or two at least. It's kept simmering in the country's indie scene with lo-budget experiments such as Dog Soldiers and My Little Eye by directors brought up on a steady diet of American cinema, and whilst they also want to do things bigger and better they are sometimes restricted by less gargantuan budgets. Shaun is no different, its special effects kept to the more traditional, but at the same time this lack of CGI tinkering makes this film and others mentioned slightly more real and aware of the limitations that force the creators to be more innovative.
Over the last few years UK horror has enjoyed a certain contemporary revival but the industry still lacks talent to make more hip films, ones that enjoy being modern, quotable slices of life and up there with American Pie and Go. There's a worrying drought of films to tap into British youth who still have no real representation on the big screen and so have to latch onto American comedies for identity. During its heyday Film Four managed to tap into that unused seam of British cinema and brought it up to date with revitalising yet dark movies such as Trainspotting and Sexy Beast and while these represented an industry wanting to become edgier they were still specialised. Shaun bridges the gap by creating something quite cool but also something that's going to appeal to a mass audience because it represents characters locked into modern life and pop culture like its viewers. This is an important factor when looking at the global picture and for those who think that the UK only produces period dramas, Shaun will come as a refreshing representation of a burgeoning generation of British filmmakers who are more fans of Star Wars than War of the Roses. Tarantino has already taught the world the joys of Captain Kangaroo, Stealers Wheel and close analysis of Madonna lyrics and from that comes a working man's knowledge of American culture so it's time for us to return the favour as Shaun rallies the likes of the band Queen and cricket. Successful films such as The Girl With a Pearl Earring obviously prove that the history genre is alive and well but with Scarlett Johansson on the cast list the film plays it safe with an American star and it's exciting to see if Shaun will make it on its own merits, there is a need for something more in tune with the age.
Spaced has already travelled well, and why not, most of the movies it references are of course American, so there seems to be an expectation established in movie fan sites. Due to success of The Office there's no reason for audiences not to get the famous dry British wit as long as we haven't completely warped their opinion through the cringing smugness of Love Actually.
Even if the humour is impenetrable then it shouldn't matter. Shaun of the Dead is still a horror film made by horror fans and it's bloody scary and bloody bloody. Horror is a universal genre that has a long history and successful films are made by respecting the heritage but also pushing it forward. Shaun may play to some of the clichés but it is so expertly written and sharp that it puts many shockers to an early grave. What appeals the most though is that this is something truly representative of British pop culture and for once it isn't mired in Shakespeare or frilly costumes, this is everyday life.that happens to be invaded by zombies.
Richard Badley
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