Shaun of the Dead: King of the Zombies

And we're back! You didn't think I'd abandon all of you, did you? Law school certainly is a time-suck, but so far, I'm enjoying it (hey, I enjoy analysis; doesn't this blog attest to that?). Though I think it's weird that the first post in weeks is being delivered on the same day that one of my professors made a derogatory comment about blogging (I will admit I hate the term) AND the newest issue of Angel: After the Fall was released, wherein a spectral Cordelia told Angel that one of the most boring things he could have done was to start a movie review blog (ouch). I also want to say thanks to the few of you who voted in my little poll; it looks like readers here are huge The Office and 30 Rock fans out there (I voted for Pushing Daisies, but I am certainly hoping that my schedule will allow me to watch 30 Rock as well).

Anyway, whereas Spaced was about pop culture in general, Shaun of the Dead focused on horror movies. Wright and Pegg (Hynes has a cameo role in the film, which is why I tagged her) used horror cliches to tell a story about life today; basically, we are so self-absorbed and zombified that we'd barely notice if the dead started to rise. Of course, there are practical applications of that in addition to the social satire, but I'll get to the analysis in a moment.

Pegg plays Shaun, a 29-year-old slacker. He still works at an electronics store that was probably where he worked when he was a teenager. He spends nearly every night at a crappy pub with his bored girlfriend Liz, boorish best friend Ed (played by Spaced alum Nick Frost), and Liz's two roommates. Ed represents one extreme in that he is pretty much a coherent zombie when the movie begins; all he does is lay around playing video games and doing things that benefit only him. Liz and her roommates aren't model examples of humanity, but they are aware that if they stick around with Shaun and Ed, they will be doomed to be zombies as well. Shaun is caught somewhere in between. He is perfectly happy in his meaningless existence, where he often walks around with a blank stare and sleepwalks through many parts of his life. But he would prefer to stay with Liz, and if that means having to grow up a little, so be it.

The first twenty minutes or so of the movie show Shaun's daily routine, and we see him, as well as half the population of London, barely going through the motions of life. So when actual zombies start showing up (the movie goes out of its way to never state the cause for the epidemic), no one really notices. Shaun assumes that they are homeless, drunk or listening to their iPods, and pays them no mind until he accidentally impales one on an umbrella stand. At first, he's horrified with the thought that he killed a woman, but when she pulls herself up and is seemingly unharmed, that is when things start to click for our heroes. But most importantly, when Shaun and Ed have a chance to see what's going on by watching the news, they decide to change the channel to play video games.

As I said, I think there is more to the lack of recognition of the zombies than just the social commentary jokes would lead us to believe. I mean, what would you do if you saw a ramdon zombie walking around? Would you think, "Oh crap! Zombies! Run!"? Or would your thought process be more like, "Oh hey, a crazy person". The social commentary is definitely there, but this movie is meant to be (fairly) grounded in reality and character-based. The action doesn't really start until at least half an hour in, and in that time, we are slowly introduced to the characters, allowing us to get to know them. This will give us a reason to care for their safety later in the film. Everyone has a place in the film, and everyone has their flaws and strengths (except David; he was always kind of a prick). Even Shaun's step-father, who starts out as a "wicked step-parent" archetype shows that he has more depth than he originally lets on (and I think its worth noting that while Shaun's mother is more sympathetic, she knowingly puts the group in danger, whereas the step-father understands the situation and knows what must be done when he is about to turn).

Many horror films don't succeed in causing any fear in the hearts and minds of the audience (aside from temporary jolts from loud noises or gory images) because we don't care about the characters (though this isn't a problem that only horror films have), and this film definitely fixes that. Also, Shaun uses horror cliches to keep us on our toes, since it both adheres to and openly rejects many such cliches. Shaun is both a horror hero who finds that he can do many things he couldn't before (such as climbing up the side of a building to rescue Liz and her friends), but he is also still very much a normal guy, which was best shown when he tried to use a rifle to keep the zombies at bay. Whereas in most movies, the hero, who may never have picked up a gun in their life, suddenly becomes a crack shot. Not so here. There are plenty of overly dramatic (and often funny) deathbed confessions, and the token character who never seems to understand that everything they do exacerbates the situation. At the end (SPOILER ALERT... obviously), the military rides in to save the day. Oh, and this movie probably has the most novel approach to solving the zombie problem that I've ever seen.

Shaun of the Dead needs to be viewed at least twice, since the foreshadowing is incredible. Whether it derives from double entendres (that have one meaning when they are stated, and take on a more twisted interpretation later) or commands and desires put out by characters (like telling Ed to go live in the shed), the movie is full of jokes that take on whole new meanings the second time around (sort of like Arrested Development).

Up next: The Fuzzy blue line...

Spaced: References

If Spaced were just about the average lives of its characters, the show probably still would have been very funny, since the six cast members (seven, if you include Colin, Daisy's dog) are very funny on their own. But the non-character humor is just as much a part of Spaced's charm; watching Daisy try to concentrate while writing an article is funny enough, but add a Fantasia reference to the background, and it becomes hilarious.

Many of the references are explicitly stated by the characters, such as when Mike is interviewing with the army, and he is mentally telling himself to be like a fictional English soldier (only to get confused with the name, and begin thinking of himself as Andy McDowell, whose name is similar to the soldier's), or when Tim compares Twist to Cordelia Chase from Buffy and Angel. Other times, characters reenact sequences or inexplicably act in ways similar to popular films and shows, such as when we see Tim, dressed as a jedi knight, burning all of his Star Wars things due to his frustration with The Phantom Menace. One of the funniest reference gags took place in the pilot, as Tim and Daisy were exploring their new flat, and came a cross a pair of very creepy girls.

The point of these references is to emphasize the emotional impact of the situation the characters are facing. Their lives are otherwise normal, and it isn't enough to merely show reactions completely based in reality. Since Wright, Pegg and Stevenson Hynes grew up as nerds (not an insult, by the way), they choose to to make emphases through pop culture references as opposed to melodrama. Also, they're really funny.

The episode-to-episode plots of Spaced are about as thin as those of Seinfeld, but that is the point of each show. People didn't tune in every week to see the kind of adversity Tim and Daisy would overcome. They watched to see how their favorite movie, television show or video game would be honored in a hilarious way.

Anyone with an appreciation (or obsession) with popular culture owes it to themself to see Spaced. It was made by a group of people doing what they do best, and the quality is indicative of that.

Up next: The zed word...

Spaced: Meetings

I think that the above cover to the American version of Spaced says volumes. This series was conceived by Simon Pegg and Jessica Hynes (nee Stevenson) and directed by Edgar Wright, and it is clear that the members of this trio are products of a society that values nerdiness and revels in pop culture references. The show follows Tim (Pegg) and Daisy (Stevenson), two twentysomethings who pretend to be a couple in order to rent a flat (or apartment for our readers who don't understand English English). Tim is an aspiring comic book artist who currently works as the assistant manager in a comic book shop (though it's not that glamorous; the only other employee is the manager), while Daisy is a writer. While each has high aspirations, neither of them tend to act on them; Tim is terrified of rejection while Daisy is lazy.

The pair meet after each begins a hunt for a new place to live, and within days of meeting each other, they decide to move in together, since the only flat they find desirable is for professional couples only. Their landlady, Marsha, is a middle-aged woman who has her hands full with a wild teenaged daughter and two glasses of wine; she is in a near-permanent state of inebriation, causing her to make life uncomfortable for Brian, the artist living in the flat below Tim and Daisy. In nearly every episode, Marsha delivers her signature catchphrase, "Hello, Brian". Words cannot describe how brilliant this line is; the delivery is brilliant, and and Brian's reaction are hilarious (the line, as well as a few teasing flashbacks lead us to believe an uncomfortable sexual incident occurred between the two).

Tim and Daisy are each introduced to the best friend of the other; Tim's friend Mike (played by Nick Frost, who goes on to appear in the supporting role in Wright and Pegg's films) is a kooky gun nut who wants to join the army, but was involved in a childhood accident that makes it difficult for him. Daisy's friend Twist (her parents were hippies) is a shallow and passively cruel girl who works in fashion (a dry cleaners), and is sorely underdeveloped. While every other character is used well, Twist is (I think) the only character not in every episode, and never seems to get the good lines.

Despite Twist's shortcomings, the cast is amazing, and it is obvious that they had a great time working together. Nearly everyone in the cast at one point has to do some pretty outrageous things for laughs, and they go all out. These range from Brian's performance art past to Mike's outrageous exploits while performing security duty.

The character-based humor is wonderful as well (I will go into the more outrageous stuff in the next post). The depths of Daisy's aversion to working is explored both at home as she tries to write as well as in her temp jobs (she has a penchant for telling people to "Fuck off" in response to perfectly reasonable requests). Tim's obsession with Star Wars and his hatred of The Phantom Menace tend to get him in trouble every now and then, and Marsha's alcoholism and boundaryless lifestyle is equal parts hilarious and creepy.

Wright, Pegg and Hynes are clearly masters of the parotribute, but they are also great actors and writers. It's a shame that Spaced didn't get a third series and that this trio isn't as recognized on this side of the pond (and possibly even in England) as they should be (don't get me wrong; they are certainly well among people like me, of which there is a significant number).

Up next: The mundane mixes with the spectacular...