'Shaun of the Dead' Film Still Analysis

This scene from Shaun of the Dead features Shaun, Liz and Ed attacking the pub’s landlord, who has recently been turned into a zombie. The fight is violent but when the three batter the zombie with snooker poles, in time to Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, the scene becomes comical and surreal. The use of contrapuntal music and ridiculous props adds to the humour, whilst the bloodied zombie retains the aesthetic of a stereotypical horror movie. Whilst encircling the zombie, the camera moves along with them in a dizzying effect which makes the audience feel like part of the action.

As the three heroes circle around the pub landlord, another member of their surviving group, David, is trying to cut the power on the jukebox. At the same time, Dianne and Shaun’s mother watch on from the side and can be seen swaying in time to the music whilst Liz hits the man over the head with a fire extinguisher and then blasts it in his face. To join in the fight, Dianne starts throwing darts at the zombie’s head and, due to her idiocy and bad aim, plants one in the side of Shaun’s head. To add to the comic elements, David flicks the switches on the fuse box and we see the lights go on and off outside the pub, aggravating the forceful zombies. Ironically, the music doesn’t stop until Shaun lunges the zombie into the jukebox’s glass case.

Within the group there is the male hero (Shaun), his ‘sidekick’ (Ed), a female victim (Dianne) and a female survivor (Liz). What is strange, however, is that the character of Liz is an attractive, blonde, young female character, yet she is not the victim. Throughout the scene, and the film, she acts as a strong woman, not afraid of fighting back. Through a combination of these anti-stereotypical features, this film uses normal horror conventions in unexpected ways for a comedic outcome.