The Red Circle

But really? Is there really anything to say about SHAUN OF THE DEAD that hasn’t already been said? Sure, this is a sentiment that can be spread almost across the board for the movies we’ve talked about thus far this month. But SHAUN OF THE DEAD is noteworthy because of how prominent it is in the canon of Horror for a film that is barely five years old.

FIVE YEARS OLD! There are movies that have been around decades, written and directed by some of the most brilliant minds in cinema that don’t come as close to being as complete an experience as SHAUN OF THE DEAD. This movie might be the only example of a horror film that I can think of that can cement its place alongside many of the greats from the 70’s and 80’s without the benefit of a gestation period. This movie, from day one, was destined to be loved.

When it all gets boiled down, this film is an Instant Classic. From the first viewing, every element effortlessly mixes together, giving genuine laughs, scares, and tension. Touted by its creators (The English Wunderkindt Edgar Wright and The English Wunderoldt Simon Pegg) as the first RomZomCom – That’s Romantic Comedy With Zombies for those who can’t stomach abbreviations – The flick truly lives up to every element of its fused together anatomy. There’s a real relationship movie here. Sure, it’s just as much about Shaun and Ed as it is about Shaun and Liz, but that’s part of the film’s Dwayne Johnson level of charm.

Despite the movie taking place in a world about to be dominated by the dead, the characters have a real world feel – You can tell that Shaun and Ed have been best friends their whole lives the second you meet them. You can tell that Shaun and Liz aren’t exactly setting the world ablaze as a couple the first time you meet them. You can tell that the guy who looks like mid-thirties Harry Potter is kind of a dick the first time you meet him.

Add fully rounded performances by Penelope Wilton (Yes, you know who she is), Bill Nighy (!!!), Peter Serafinowicz (Darth Maul!), and Nick Frost (the best the restaurant biz has to offer), and you’ll get to watch a water-tight script turn into a magnificent film – one of the best of the decade – that offers a new experience every time you pop it into the DVD player. And trust us, you will be popping this one in over and over again.

It’s pretty unbelievable that a film this funny, powerful, intense, and meaningful could come from a first time director. Let alone a first time director who was 27 at the time he made it. There is nothing about this movie that is unremarkable. It’s a shame we’re using this film as one of our horror highlights because it deserves novels written about it. Maybe we’ll add that to our to-do list. Hmmm…

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