Studying Films: Studying Shaun of the Dead

- Blurb -

Shaun of the Dead (2004) was a breakthrough film for director Edgar Wright and star and co-writer Simon Pegg, and the first of their cult 'Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy', which entranced audiences with their combination of high-energy originality and magpie-like referencing of pop culture. Studying Shaun of the Dead looks at Wright's cinematic style and the traits he has built throughout his career. The core areas of film studies are explored through micro analysis and discussions of meaning and response. Throughout, overarching aspects of the film are covered such as an in-depth study of representation, looking at age and gender within Britain and the relationships between characters, narrative structure and devices, and a range of ideological aspects. There is in-depth analysis of the genres that Wright blends, highlighting conventions as well as drawing contrasts with the films that inspired this romance-zombie-comedy. Textual analyses of several scenes are provided, as is the context surrounding the production, distribution, and marketing of the film. In addition to this, audience theory tackles the varying interpretations of the film and some of the reasons that might lie behind its incredible success. Studying Shaun of the Dead is written in an accessible way to support both student and teacher with their analysis of the film and its place within the British film industry. The critical analysis will also be of interest to film enthusiasts and lovers of Wright's work.