feeling listless

Film Thank God for that. I was afraid that when I saw Shaun of the Dead I would be giggling at the same time as the rest of the audience. Thankfully, there were many moments when I was the sole voice of laughter in the audience. Not because everyone else wasn't enjoying themselves, but because I was the one noticing the really subtle references, the moments which you'll only get if you've seen Spaced, heard the audio commentary from the dvd or know some of the history of the actors involved. Which is odd because the only two zombie films I've seen in my life are 28 Days Later and Resident Evil. But this is a much subtler prospect -- unlike the afformentioned sitcom, also co-written and starring Simon Pegg, the overt film references have been parred down to something subtler. Which makes it perfectly accessible to a wider audience.

Rather like From Dusk til Dawn the film begins in one genre and ends elsewhere. What is initially a romantic comedy in which Shaun is having flatmate and girl problems ends in a bloodfest with comedy. The sensibilty is familiar to anyone who used to watch Channel 4 on a Friday night after Friends -- but on a larger scale, bigger budget, but striking no broader strokes. Edgar Wright makes a very assured second debut (according to the IMDb his first debut 'Fistful of Fingers' featuring Jeremy Beadle looks disregardable). I would love to know how small the budget was here, because he absolutely makes the most of the suburban landscape he had to play with presenting something which looks very expensive indeed. And what is noticable is how little the performances of the lead actors have changed from their small screen personas -- which isn't a criticism -- it just proves how on the nose they were and are on the small screen. That Pegg, Nick Frost and Dylan Moran are stand outs goes without saying but its just great to see Kate Ashfield who's work I loved so much in Late Night Shopping proving yet again she should be one of the nations favourites. Being the only person in the country who hasn't seen The Office I hadn't met Lucy Davis but again she's very watchable. That Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton are any good, goes without saying.

This is something which really deserves to go into that panthion of films which people sit around in pubs quoting (see Withnail and I) -- there are moments of utter comic genius, levened with the terrifyingly shocking and touching. Just great. When can I see it again? Not yet? Best get my Spaced dvds out again then.