DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978) vs SHAUN OF THE DEAD, The big one Options

[Sostie]

It was inevitable wasn't it?


DAWN OF THE DEAD (1978)
The second in Romero's 4 part "Dead Trilogy". Bunch of zombie invasion survivors hole up in a shopping mall and attempt to live in domestic and consumer bliss whilst fending off zombies and bikers.


SHAUN OF THE DEAD
A film some English blokes made. Bunch of zombie invasion survivors hole up in a boozer. A hilarious comedy that deals with the break up of relationships, losing friends and the death of a parent! And hitting big blokes with pool cues. Cool.

Is it that predictable?

[maian]

It's got to be Dawn.

Shaun is brilliant but it's brilliance is derived from the fact that it owes so much to Romero's work. Dawn works on so many levels; as a horror film, as a zombie movie (since the two aren't necessarily the same), a satire of consumerism, an adventure story and it is all paced so well.

Shaun falls a bit flat in the third act because juggling horror and comedy was always going to be tough and when Shaun shoots his mum and the cast gets decimated then the comedy element does go pretty much out the window. Dawn maintains it's uneasy, always moments away from terror tone throughout and doesn't put a foot wrong.

[luvmusic]

Dawn best. Shaun not.

[feck off!]

It's got to be Dawn.

when Shaun shoots his mum and the cast gets decimated then the comedy element does go pretty much out the window.

Alright, gayyy. (That is what Nick says as the other two take the lift out of the basement, isn't it?)

[Stantz]

Dawn of the dead

[rabbit57i]

Of course Dawn for me. I think that maian has done a good job of stating what's so great about it.

Shaun of the Dead is a wonderful, clever movie and I sometimes think it's incredible what a great job Simon & Edgar did. However as far as repeated watchability is concerned, Dawn of the Dead is the one for me. I can't tell you how many times I have watched that movie. And every time that I put it in again, I am surprised how much I love watching it. Shaun just can't hold up to repeated viewings that like, for me.

[Rua]

Love 'em both but you have to go with Dawn of the Dead.

No Dawn = No Shaun.

[Jon 79]

Dawn beats Shaun, but it doesn't beat Spaced.

[Jumpin Jack Flas...]

Dawn beats off shaun

Oh my God Poooorn!

[Rua]

Dawn does Shaun.

[maian]

Alright, gayyy. (That is what Nick says as the other two take the lift out of the basement, isn't it?)

Though that does raise a chuckle, the rest of that sequence is quite heavy going compared to the gag-heavy first half, and the bit of light relief at the end showing 6 months later only further adds to the disjointedness of the last act of the film. You can still find humour in the final part, it's just overshadowed by the moment when the zombies become a real, credible danger. As opposed to a sort of funny threat that only occasionally becomes a problem.

[thirtyhelens]

Dawn beats Shaun, but it doesn't beat Spaced.

*hi-fives Jon*

I disagree wholeheartedly about the third act; having the comedy go bye-bye and things get very grim is what elevates the movie for me, frankly. But I voted for Dawn. And so would Simon and Edgar, if they're honest.

This post has been edited by thirtyhelens: Jun 15 2006, 09:31 PM

[Jumpin Jack Flas...]

I voted for Dawn purely becuase of the world it creates. It's a whole universe; hard to explain too.

[maian]

  *hi-fives Jon*

I disagree wholeheartedly about the third act; having the comedy go bye-bye and things get very grim is what elevates the movie for me, frankly. But I voted for Dawn. 

Simon and Edgar would surely vote for Dawn.

I don't think that it ruins the film, and I do really like the way that the tone shifts so much so quickly, I just feel that it is so very jarring that it can make things seem really disjointed. If you've seen the film before and expect it, then its quite a masterful bit of work, but on first viewing I found it very disorientating and quite shocking. Though I really loved how shocked I actually was by it all.

[Hobbes]

*Adds Dawn of the Dead to films list*