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Shaun of the Dead
Release poster showing Shaun squashed between several zombies.
Directed by	Edgar Wright
Produced by	Tim Bevan Eric Fellner Nira Park
Written by	Edgar Wright Simon Pegg
Starring	Simon Pegg Nick Frost Kate Ashfield Lucy Davis Dylan Moran
Music by	Daniel Mudford Pete Woodhead
Cinematography	David M. Dunlap
Editing by	Chris Dickens
Studio	StudioCanal Working Title Films WT2 Productions Big Talk Productions
Distributed by	Universal Pictures Rogue Pictures
Release date(s)	9 April 2004 (2004-04-09)
Running time	99 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	$4 million
Gross revenue	$30,039,392
Followed by	Hot Fuzz

Shaun of the Dead is a 2004 British horror comedy directed by Edgar Wright, starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and written by Pegg and Wright. Pegg plays Shaun, a man attempting to get some kind of focus in his life as he deals with his girlfriend, his mother and stepfather. At the same time he has to cope with an apocalyptic uprising of zombies.

The film is the first of what Pegg and Wright call their "Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy" with Hot Fuzz as the second and upcoming The World's End as the third.^[1]

Plot

Shaun (Simon Pegg) is an appliance salesman whose life is without direction; his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield) is dissatisfied with their social life, primarily because it consists of spending nearly every evening in The Winchester, Shaun's favourite pub with Shaun's best friend and housemate, Ed (Nick Frost) and Liz's flatmates, David (Dylan Moran) and Dianne (Lucy Davis). He has issues with his stepfather Phillip (Bill Nighy) and another, increasingly unhappy housemate, Pete (Peter Serafinowicz), and a dissatisfying job where his younger co-workers show him no respect. While Pete demands that Ed be evicted, due to his laziness, that same evening Liz dumps Shaun for not fulfilling his promise of doing something special for their anniversary. He drowns his sorrows at the Winchester with Ed. After Pete berates him and tells him to "sort [his] life out," he has an epiphany and resolves to sort his life out and win Liz back.

This revelation comes at the same time as an uprising of the undead within London, who begin to attack and devour the living, although the hungover Shaun initially does not notice and is able to walk to the local cornershop and back whilst totally oblivious to the carnage around him. Shaun finally realises what is happening only after two zombies attack him in his back garden. Shaun and Ed try to kill the garden zombies by throwing albums at them and, when these prove useless, they arm themselves with a cricket bat and spade. As Shaun finds out Pete has become a zombie after someone had "mugged" him the previous day, Shaun and Ed plan to leave the house. They rescue Liz, along with Shaun's mother Barbara (Penelope Wilton) and Phillip, who had been bitten earlier but is still alive, and wait the crisis out in the Winchester. David and Dianne decide to come along as well.

During their journey, Phillip is again mortally wounded but manages to make peace with Shaun before dying and turning into a zombie, forcing the group to abandon him and their car and proceed on foot. The group find the Winchester surrounded by zombies, and they approach the pub by impersonating zombies, but they are discovered after the zombies hear them arguing. Shaun draws the undead away while the others barricade themselves inside. Shaun returns to the pub thinking that he eluded the zombie crowd.

The time barricaded in the pub, along with the stress of fighting the encroaching zombies, gives way to angry confessions about one another. David refuses to admit he is in love with Liz, but Dianne reveals that she knows David loves Liz and not her.

It turns out that Shaun had not managed to elude the zombies and they soon return and break in through a side entrance. Shaun is forced to shoot his mother with the pub's mounted Winchester rifle after she reveals that she had been bitten earlier, dies and becomes a zombie. Shaun is in tears, and David tells him he did the right thing, which prompts Shaun to punch David in the face. David attempts to apologize to Shaun but is pulled through a smashed window, torn apart and eaten. Dianne charges outside through the front doors in a futile attempt to save David (according to a DVD extra, Dianne survives by climbing up a tree and waiting out the apocalypse), allowing more zombies into the pub. Ed prepares a Molotov cocktail, but after attempting to choke the zombified Pete, another zombie attacked him. Pete is then shot in the head by Shaun.

Escaping into the cellar, Ed decides to stay behind while Shaun and Liz escape through the barrel lift. Shaun and Liz briefly debate a murder/suicide of themselves, but can't decide who should shoot whom first so they decide to leave the gun with Ed. As the zombies break into the cellar, Shaun and Liz prepare for one last battle against the zombie horde, but, at that moment, the British Army, along with a friend of Shaun's, Yvonne (Jessica Hynes) come to their rescue. They hold hands as they approach a truck, reconciled.

Six months after the zombie outbreak, society has returned to normal, and the remaining zombies, who retain their primal instincts, have now become a part of everyday life, being used as cheap labour and game show participants. Shaun and Liz have moved in together, along with zombified Ed, who is kept chained in the garden shed, playing TimeSplitters 2.

Cast

• Simon Pegg as Shaun
• Nick Frost as Ed
• Kate Ashfield as Liz
• Lucy Davis as Dianne
• Dylan Moran as David
• Peter Serafinowicz as Pete
• Jessica Stevenson as Yvonne
• Bill Nighy as Phillip, Shaun's stepdad
• Penelope Wilton as Barbara, Shaun's mum
• Martin Freeman as Declan
• Reece Shearsmith as Mark
• Tamsin Greig as Maggie
• Julia Deakin as Yvonne's mum
• Matt Lucas as Cousin Tom
• Edgar Wright (cameo) as Rabid Monkeys newsreader, Prat-falling zombie, and Italian restaurant voice

Background

The movie is notable for Wright's kinetic directing style, and its references to other movies, television shows and video games.^{[citation needed]} In this way, it is similar to the British television sitcom Spaced, which both Pegg and Wright worked on in similar roles.

The film was inspired by the episode "Art" of the television programme Spaced, written by Pegg (along with his writing partner and co-star Jessica Stevenson) and directed by Wright, in which the character of Tim (Pegg), under the influence of amphetamine and the PlayStation video game Resident Evil 2, hallucinates that he's fighting off a zombie invasion.^{[citation needed]} Having discovered a mutual appreciation for Romero's Dead trilogy, they decided to write their own zombie movie. Spaced was to be a big influence on the making of Shaun, as it was directed by Wright in a similar style, and featured many of the same cast and crew in minor and major roles (as well as Pegg, Wright and Stevenson, Nick Frost — who played Mike in Spaced — has a starring role in Shaun as Ed, and Peter Serafinowicz and Julia Deakin, who played Duane Benzie and Marsha in Spaced, respectively — appeared in Shaun as Pete and Yvonne's mum, respectively).

The film's cast features a number of British comedians, comic actors and sitcom stars, most prominently from Spaced, Black Books and The Office. Shaun also co-stars Dylan Moran, who played Bernard Black in Black Books, and Lucy Davis, who played Dawn in The Office. In addition to this, cameo appearances are made by Martin Freeman (Tim in The Office), Tamsin Greig (Fran in Black Books, Caroline in Green Wing), Julia Deakin (Marsha in Spaced), Reece Shearsmith (a member of The League of Gentlemen) and Matt Lucas (writer/co-star of Little Britain). In addition, the voices of Mark Gatiss (The League of Gentlemen) and Julia Davis (Nighty Night) can be heard as radio news presenters, as can David Walliams (Little Britain) who provides the voice of an unseen TV reporter. Trisha Goddard also makes a cameo appearance, hosting a fictionalised episode of her real-life talk show Trisha. Many other comics and comic actors appear in cameos as zombies, including Rob Brydon, Paul Putner, Pamela Kempthorne (Morticia de'Ath in The Vampires of Bloody Island), Joe Cornish, Peter Kay (Phoenix Nights), Antonia Campbell-Hughes (from the Jack Dee sit com Lead Balloon), Mark Donovan (Black Books) and Michael Smiley (Tyres in Spaced).

Production

Locations

The production was filmed entirely in London, on location and at Ealing Studios, and involved production companies Working Title Films and StudioCanal. Many exterior shots were filmed in and around the North London areas of Crouch End and Finsbury Park. Zombie extras were mainly local residents or fans of Spaced (who responded to a casting call organised through a fan website.^{[citation needed]} The scenes filmed in and around "The Winchester Pub" were shot at The Duke Of Albany in Monson Road New Cross, a three-storey Victorian pub popular with supporters of Millwall F.C.^[2]

Reception

Shaun of the Dead was released on 9 April 2004 in the United Kingdom and 24 September 2004 in the United States.

Box office

The film proved both a commercial and critical success. In its opening weekend in the U.S., Shaun earned $3.3 million, taking 8th place at the box office despite a limited release to only 607 theatres.^[3] In the UK it took in £1.6 million at 307 cinemas on its opening weekend and netted £6.4M by mid-May. The film has earned just over $30 million worldwide in box office receipts since its release.^[3]

Critical response

Critical reaction was largely positive, with the movie receiving a score of 91 percent at the comparative review website Rotten Tomatoes (with a Cream Of The Crop score of 94 percent)^[4] and a score of 76 out of 100 at Metacritic.^[5] Nev Pierce, reviewing the film for the BBC, called it a "side-splitting, head-smashing, gloriously gory horror comedy" that will "amuse casual viewers and delight genre fans."^[6] Peter Bradshaw gave it four stars out of five, saying it "boasts a script crammed with real gags" and is "pacily directed [and] nicely acted."^[7]

Awards and recognition

In 2004 the magazine Total Film named Shaun of the Dead the 49th greatest British film of all time. In 2005, it was rated as the 3rd greatest comedy film of all time in a Channel 4 poll.^[8] Horror novelist Stephen King described the movie as "...a '10' on the fun meter and destined to be a cult classic."^[9] In 2007, Stylus Magazine named it the 9th greatest zombie movie ever made.^[10] With positive reviews, the film has acquired a cult following among audiences.^[11] In 2007, Time named it one of the 25 best horror films, calling the film "spooky, silly and smart-smart-smart" and complimenting its director: "Wright, who'd be a director to watch in any genre, plays world-class games with the camera and the viewer's expectations of what's supposed to happen in a scare film."^[12]. Bloody Disgusting ranked the film second in their list of the 'Top 20 Horror Films of the Decade', with the article saying "Shaun of the Dead isn’t just the best horror-comedy of the decade – it’s quite possibly the best horror-comedy ever made."^[13]

George A. Romero was so impressed with Pegg and Wright's work that he asked them to appear in cameo roles in the 2005 film Land of the Dead. Pegg and Wright insisted on being zombies rather than the slightly more noticeable roles that were originally offered.^[14]

Quentin Tarantino dubbed the film as one of his top twenty films made since 1992.^{[citation needed]}

Home media

The film was released on DVD shortly after its theatrical run in the US, with a DVD release around December 2004 in the US. Features included several audio commentaries, EPK featurettes about the film's production, pre-production video diaries and concept videos, photo galleries, and bloopers, and more. The film also saw release on the now-defunct HD-DVD format in July, 2007, with a Blu-ray release following in September 2009.

Merchandise

In 2006, the National Entertainment Collectibles Association announced that they would be producing action figures based on the film as part of their Cult Classics line that features fan favourite characters from various genre films. The releases so far are:^{[citation needed]}

• 12" Shaun with sound
• 7" Shaun, which was released in Cult Classics series 4. The sculpt was based on the 12" figure.
• "Winchester" two-pack, featuring 7" versions of Ed and a bloodied-up Shaun with the Winchester rifle.
• Zombie Ed, which is a re-deco of the "Winchester" Ed, to be released in Cult Classics: Hall of Fame.

Upper Deck Entertainment released a card for the popular World of Warcraft Card Game in 2007, an ally named "Shawn of the Dead", with the power of bringing back allies from the enemy graveyard.^[15]

Cultural references

Prominent are many references to George A. Romero's earlier Dead films (Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead, with Dawn in particular being referenced^{[citation needed]}). The title Shaun of the Dead is also both an obvious parody of and homage to the title Dawn of the Dead. Numerous lines, scenes and background details also directly refer to the Romero films, including the music playing over the Universal logo, which is the synthesiser soundtrack to Dawn of the Dead. The film also features a Kid Koala remix of "The Gonk," which was used over the closing credits of Dawn.

Other than Romero's work, many other references to horror films are made, such as the The Evil Dead series, 28 Days Later and the films of horror directors Lucio Fulci and John Carpenter.^{[citation needed]} More diversely, references to Blade, The Deer Hunter, Reservoir Dogs, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers the films of James Cameron and the Star Wars trilogy can be found.

Aside from its inspiration, Shaun also features many references and inside jokes from their series, Spaced.

Soundtrack

The film's score by Pete Woodhead and Daniel Mudford is a pastiche of Italian zombie film soundtracks by artists like Goblin and Fabio Frizzi. It also uses many musical cues from the original Dawn of the Dead that were originally culled by George A. Romero from the De Wolfe production music library.^[16]

A short clip of the music video to The Smiths' single "Panic" is shown in the movie, where the line "Panic on the streets of London" is heard while Shaun is flicking through TV channels. Also the song "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen is heard in a scene at the pub where Shaun, Liz, and Ed bludgeon the zombified owner of the pub to the beat of the tune. Additionally, "Kernkraft 400" by Zombie Nation is heard during one scene while Shaun is on a bus. The US theatrical trailer also features "Pretend We're Dead" by L7 (from the Bricks Are Heavy album), although that song appears neither in the film nor on the soundtrack.

On the soundtrack album, dialogue from the film is embedded within the music tracks.

1. "Figment" by S. Park
2. "The Blue Wrath" by I Monster
3. "Mister Mental" by The Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster
4. "Meltdown" by Ash
5. "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen
6. "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and Melle Mel
7. "Hip Hop, Be Bop (Don't Stop)" by Man Parrish
8. "Zombie Creeping Flesh" by Pete Woodhead and Daniel Mudford
9. "Kernkraft 400 (Osymyso Remix)" by Zombie Nation
10. "Fizzy Legs" by Pete Woodhead and Daniel Mudford
11. "Soft" by Lemon Jelly
12. "Death Bivouac" by Pete Woodhead and Daniel Mudford
13. "The Gonk (Kid Koala Remix)" by The Noveltones
14. "Envy the Dead" by Pete Woodhead and Daniel Mudford
15. "Ghost Town" by The Specials
16. "Blood in Three Flavours" by Pete Woodhead and Daniel Mudford
17. "Panic" by The Smiths
18. "Everybody's Happy Nowadays" by Ash featuring Chris Martin (Originally by Buzzcocks)
19. "You're My Best Friend" by Queen
20. "You've Got Red on You / Shaun of the Dead Suite" by Pete Woodhead and Daniel Mudford
21. "Normality" by Pete Woodhead and Daniel Mudford
22. "Fundead" by Pete Woodhead and Daniel Mudford

Comic strip

Pegg and Wright also scripted a one-off tie-in comic strip for the British comic magazine 2000AD entitled "There's Something About Mary".^[17] Set the day before the zombie outbreak, the strip follows and expands on the character of Mary, who appears briefly in the introductory credits, and is the first zombie whom Shaun and Ed are aware of, and details how she became a zombie. It features expanded appearances from many of the minor or background characters who appear in the film. The strip was made available on the DVD release of Shaun.

See also

• Zombieland
• I Spit on Your Rave

References

External links

• Official website
• Shaun of the Dead at the Internet Movie Database
• Shaun of the Dead at Allmovie
• Shaun of the Dead at Box Office Mojo
• Shaun of the Dead filming locations from movielocationsguide.com

From Wikiquote

Shaun of the Dead, a zombie themed romantic comedy (or rom-zom-com as it dubs itself), concerns the misadventures of Shaun, a young man trapped in a rut, who is attempting to sort out his life, reconcile with his ex-girlfriend and settle his issues with his mother and stepfather, whilst simulataneously having to cope with an apocalyptic uprising of the undead that is causing society to collapse.

Directed by Edgar Wright. Written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright.

Shaun

• As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "i" in meat pie. Meat is the anagram of team... I don't know what he's talking about.
• [Repeated line about Phillip.] He's not my dad.
• [repeated line.] That was the second album I ever bought!
• [Seeing a zombie without an arm] Ohh, for God's sake! He's got an arm off!
• How's that for a slice of fried gold?
• [coming across zombified Pete] Ah! Sorry, Pete, sorry... listen, we're gonna borrow your car, okay, hope you don't mind and - ah - later on, if you're feeling better, w-we're going down to the pub, so you're m-more than welcome to, to... [whispered] join us.
• What's the matter, David? Never taken a shortcut before? (This line would be repeated in Hot Fuzz)
• [distracting a zombie horde.] Come and get it! It's a running buffet! All you can eat!
• Would anyone like... a peanut?
• [As zombified Pete is biting Ed] Pete! I said, "Leave him alone!" [Shoots and kills zombified Pete.]
• [After Ed tells Shaun "Hey Shaun, look who it is" as zombified Pete walks into the Winchester] Fuck-A-Doodle-Doo!
• He's NOT my boyfriend! [Ed hands him a beer] Thanks, Babe.
• [When about to attack a zombified John] Okay, John, It's time at the bar!
• [When about to shoot at the zombies breaking through a window] Sorry, we're closed!

Ed

• Who died and made you fucking king of the zombies?
• Wa'ssup, niggas?
• Yeeaah, boy!
• Don't forget to kill Phillip!
• [repeated line.] Cock it!
• [On Pete.] It's not hip-hop, it's electro... prick. [Unaware of how right he is] Next time I see him, he's dead.
• [Indicates Hand movement of sex] "Café au lait" [Moans and points at Shaun] "Pour Vous"
• [repeated line.] Two seconds.
• WE'RE COMING TO GET YOU, BARBRA! (reference to Night of the Living Dead)
• There's a girl in the garden. Shaun: What? Ed: In the garden, there is a girl.
• Can I get any of you cunts a drink?
• Oi! Prick!
• You believe everything you hear on TV?
• Cornetto
• (In reference to what occurred earlier today) Well, your mum rang about going out tonight, then Liz rang about the two of you eating out tonight, and then your mum rang back to see if I wanted to eat her out tonight.

Other Characters

• Liz: If I don't do something, I'm going to end up going into that pub every night for the rest of my life like the rest of those sad old fuckers, drinking myself to death and wondering what the hell happened.
• Liz: PLEASE, CAN WE JUST CALM... THE FUCK... DOWN!
• Dianne: [describing the appearance of a zombie.] Vacant, with a hint of sadness. Like a drunk who's lost a bet.
• David: For a hero, you're quite a hypocrite!
• David: I'm not the one being unreasonable, pickle!
• Phillip: [On his zombie bite.] I'm perfectly alright, Barbara. I ran it under a cold tap.
• Barbara: [final words.] It's been a funny sort of day, hasn't it?
• Various: [to Shaun, repeated line.] You've got red on you.
• Pete: [To Shaun]] Sort your fucking life out, mate!
• Pete: And the front door is open... again!!!!
• Pete: Well, fuck-a-doodle-doo!
• Trisha Goddard: [re: a guest who still loves her undead husband.] You go to bed with it?!
• Radio Newscaster: The Church of England has joined other extremist religious groups in proclaiming the phenomenon 'a sign of the coming apocalypse', although Downing Street is refusing to be drawn into a religious debate.
• Jeremy Thompson: [During emergency news broadcast] In extreme circumstances, the assailants can be stopped by removing the head or destroying the brain. I will repeat that: by removing the head or destroying the brain.
• Jeremy Thompson: [On 'six months on' special] It's just not something you ever expect to have to say on air: "removing the head or destroying the brain". Extraordinary.
• Television Newscaster: Reports that the infection was spread by rage-infected monkeys have now been dismissed as boll-

Dialogue

[Opening lines; Shaun and Liz are sitting in the pub, drinking.]

Liz: Shaun - d'you see what I'm saying?

Shaun: Yeah, totally.

Liz: I mean, I know he's your best friend, but you do live with him.

Shaun: I know...

Liz: It's not that I don't like Ed. Ed, it's not that I don't like you.

[Cut to reveal that Ed is actually standing next to them, playing the pub's "Ooh Ah Dracula" fruit machine]

Ed: It's alright.

...

Liz: It’d just be nice if we could-

Ed: [playing game in background.] Fuck!

Liz: - spend a bit of time together -

Ed: Bollocks!

Liz: - just you and me.

Ed: Cock it!

...

Liz: It's just that with Ed here, it's no wonder I always bring my flatmates out, and then that only exacerbates things.

Shaun: What you mean?

Liz: Well, you guys hardly get on, do you?

Shaun: No, I mean, what does 'exacerbate' mean?

Liz: Shaun, what I'm trying to say is, I need something a little more, rather than spending every night in the Winchester. I wanna get out there and do more interesting stuff, I wanna live a little, and I want you to want to want to do it too! [Groans] Listen to me, I'm beginning to sound like your mum - not that I know what she sounds like.

David: You still haven't met his mum?!

Shaun: [To David] Not yet!

Dianne: Don't you get along with your mum, Shaun?

Shaun: No, it's not that I don't get on with her-

David: Are you ashamed by your mum, Shaun?

Shaun: No! I love my mum!

Ed: Yeah, I love his mum.

Shaun: Ed.

Ed: (sing song tone) She's like butttahhh!...

Shaun: Ed!

David & Di: Shaun!

Shaun: [To David & Di] Guys-

Liz: Shaun

Shaun: Liz! Look, I understand what you're trying to say, OK, and I agree. We should get out there. We'll start tomorrow, alright? I'll book a restaurant, you know, the place that does all the fish? Just the two of us. Things will change, promise.

Liz: [Nodding] Really, Shaun?

[Shaun nods and sips his beer.]

Liz: Shaun?

[On leaving the front door open.]

Pete: I'm not saying it was you, Shaun.

Shaun: I know, man...

Pete: I'm saying it was Ed.

...

Shaun: [About Ed.] Well, I've known him since primary school. I like having him around, he's a laugh.

Pete: What, because he can impersonate an orang utan? Fuck-a-doodle-doo.

[Shaun is trying to make up with Liz.]

Shaun: Let's go out somewhere.

Liz: What, to the Winchester?

Shaun: [Laughs, then] Do you want to?

Liz: No, I don't fucking want to!!

Liz: You, hang out with my friends? A failed actress and a twat?

Shaun: Well, that's a bit harsh.

Liz: Your words, Shaun!

Shaun: I did NOT call Diane a failed actress!

Liz: You promised you'd quit smoking when I did!

Shaun: Well...

Liz: You promised you'd try red wine instead of beer!

Shaun: I...

Liz: You promised we'd go on holiday together!

Shaun: Well, we went to Greece, didn't we?

Liz: We met in Greece!

David: At a rave.

Liz: You promised things would change.

Diane: You promised you'd get us free cable.

Shaun: I'm working on that!

Diane: Okay.

[Zombie bangs on the door of "The Winchester" and moans.]

John (bartender): Sorry, we're closed.

[Zombie moans and stops banging.]

Ed: Pisshead.

Shaun & Ed: [drunk, singing.] Doo doo doo doo. Base. White Lines, Visions dreams of passion, goin' thru my mind, and all the while I think of you!

[Shaun & Ed see two people holding each other with the woman vigourously 'kissing' the man.]

Ed: What's wrong haven't you had your tea?

[Ed & Shaun laugh.]

[The man in the backgound's neck goes limp as the woman eats his neck.]

Shaun & Ed: [resume singing.] Something of a phenomenon baby, telling my body to come along. White Lines, Blow away! Shhh!

[Shaun body slams Ed.]

Shaun & Ed: Ah, get higher baby, Ah, get higher baby, Ah, get higher girl! Ahh!

Zombie:[groans loudly.]

Shaun & Ed: [scoffs.] Daba daba daba daba daba!

Zombie: [groans.]

Shaun & Ed: Daba daba daba daba daba!

Zombie: [groans softer.]

Shaun: What's he doing? He should say bass.

Ed: Or freeze.

Shaun & Ed: What a tit.

w:Hip Hop, Be Bop by Man Parrish plays

Pete: It's four in the fucking morning!

Shaun: It's Saturday!

Pete: No, it's not. It's fucking Sunday. And I've got to go to fucking work in four fucking hours 'cos every other fucker in my fucking department is fucking ill! Now can you see why I'm SO FUCKING ANGRY?!

Ed: Fuck, yeah!

Ed: [Sulkily] It's not hip-hop, it's electro. Prick. Next time I see him, he's dead.

[Ed and Pete are fighting viciously; Shaun is trying to keep the peace]

Shaun: Whoa, we're all friends here -

Pete: He's not my friend, he's a fucking idiot!

Ed: What's that supposed to mean?

Pete: It means, why don't you FUCK OFF!? You wanna live like an animal, why don't you go and live in the shed, you thick fuck!

Shaun: Oh, leave him alone!

Pete: Stop defending him, Shaun! All he does is hold you back! Or does it make your life easier having someone around who's more of a loser than you are?

Shaun: [Hurt] What's that supposed to mean?

Pete: You know what it means. I assume it was Liz that did the dumping. [pause, pointing at Shaun with a bandaged hand] Sort your fucking life out, mate!

Ed: Whassup with you hand, man?

Pete: [annoyed, glaring at the stained gauze] I got mugged on the way home from work.

Ed: [amused] By who?

Pete: [with growing irritation] I dunno, some crackheads or something. One of 'em bit me.

Ed: [feigning disbelief] Why did they bite you?

Pete: [angrily] I DON'T KNOW! I DIDN'T STOP TO ASK THEM!! [pause, clutching sinuses] Look, I've got a splitting headache, and your stupid hip-hop isn't helping.

[Pete heads for the stairs, stopping at the front entryway]

Pete: And the front door is open, AGAIN! [slams front door shut]

Ed: [Sulkily] It's not hip-hop, it's electro. Prick. Next time I see him, he's dead.

Ed: What's the plan then?

Shaun: Right.

(Cuts to dream sequence)

Shaun: We take Pete's car, we drive over to mum's, we go in, take care of Phillip - "I'm so sorry Phillip". - then we grab mum, we go over to Liz's place, hole up, have a nice cup of tea and wait for all this to blow over.

Ed: Why have we got to go to Liz's?

Shaun: Because we do.

Ed: But she dumped you!

Shaun: I have to know if she's all right!

Ed: Why?

Shaun: Because I love her!

Ed': All right... gayyy... I'm not staying there, though.

Shaun: Why not?

Ed: If we hole up, I wanna be somewhere familiar, I wanna know where the exits are, and I wanna be allowed to smoke.

Shaun: Okay.

(cuts to dream sequence again)

Shaun: Take Pete's car, go around mum's, go in, deal with Phillip - "Sorry Phillip!" - grab mum, go to Liz's, pick her up, bring her back here, have a nice cup of tea and wait for all this to blow over.

Ed: Perfect!

Shaun: No, no, no, no, no, wait, we can't bring her back here.

Ed: Why not?

Shaun: Well, it's not really safe, is it?

Ed: Yeah, look at the state of it.

Shaun: Where's safe? where's familiar?

Ed: Where can I smoke?

(Shaun and Ed pause then slowly make a realization)

Shaun: (cuts to dream sequence a third time) Take car. Go to mum's. Kill Phil - "Sorry." - grab Liz, go to the Winchester, have a nice cold pint, and wait for all of this to blow over. How's that for a slice of fried gold?

'Ed: Yeah, boyyyeee!

(Shaun and Ed clang weapons together)

Ed: What's going on, Shaun?

Shaun: [on the phone trying to reach emergency services without any luck] Shit. It's engaged.

Ed:How about an ambulance?

Shaun: It's engaged, Ed.

Ed: [after a pause] Fire engine?

Shaun: [exasperated] It's one number, Ed! And it's busy! Okay? What'd'you want a fire engine for, anyway?

Ed: Any'fing with flashing lights, you know?

Shaun: They still out there?

[Ed pulls back the curtains, revealing two zombies scratching at the window]

Ed: [shuts curtains, steps away contemplatively] Yeah. What you think we should do?

Shaun: Have a sit down?

[Shaun is channel hopping; Channel 4 News]

Krishnan Guru-Murthy: Though no one official is prepared to comment, religious groups are calling it Judgement Day. There's...

[VH1, playing "Panic" by The Smiths]

Morrissey: - Panic on the streets of London...

[ITV News]

Newsreader: - as an increasing number of reports of...

[Football]

Commentator: - serious attacks on...

[Five News]

Newsreader: - people, who are literally being...

[Nature documentary, leopards eating a gazelle]

Narrator: - eaten alive.

[Sky News]

Jeremy Thompson: Witnesses' reports at best are sketchy, but one unifying detail seems to be that the attackers in many instances appear to be...

[T4]

Vernon Kaye: - dead excited to have with us here a sensational chart topping...

[Looking through Shaun's LP collection for suitable records to throw at two approaching zombies]

Ed: Purple Rain.

Shaun: No.

Ed: Sign o' the Times.

Shaun: Definitely not.

Ed: The Batman soundtrack?

Shaun: Throw it.

[Ed does so; it misses]

...

Ed: Dire Straits.

Shaun: Throw it.

[Ed throws it - clipping Mary in the side of the head]

Ed: Stone Roses?

Shaun: No.

Ed: Second Coming?

Shaun: I like it.

Ed: Ah! Sade.

Shaun: That's Liz's.

Ed: Yeah, but she did dump you. [Throws it]

Ed: Yeah, boyyyeee!

[Shaun and Ed clang weapons together]

Ed: Any zombies out there?

Shaun: Don't say that!

Ed: What?

Shaun: That!

Ed: What?

Shaun: That!! The "zed" word. Don't say it!

Ed: Why not?

Shaun: Because it's ridiculous!

Ed: Alright... are there any, though?

Shaun: [looking out the door mail slot, sees an empty street] I don't see any. Maybe it's not as bad as all that. [turns his head, sees a pack of zombies] Oh, no, wait, there they are.

[About Shaun's stepdad]

Shaun: Did you know that on several occasions... he touched me?

[long pause as Barbara turns to glare at Shaun]

Shaun: That wasn't true. Made it up, shouldn't have done that, sorry.

Phillip: Can you please turn that noise down?

Barbara: Are you alright, dear? Would you like another tissue?

Phillip: I'd be fine if it weren't for that bloody racket!

[Shaun is trying to persuade his mother to leave the zombified Phillip in the car]

Shaun: He's not my dad!

Barbara: (exasperated) Oh Shaun...

Shaun: Mum! He was, but he's not anymore!

Barbara: [Rushes to door] I really think we could... [Shaun stops her]

Shaun: Listen to me, Mum, listen! That's not even your husband in there! Ok? I know it looks like him, but there is nothing of the man you loved in that car, nothing!

[Zombified Phillip switches the music in the car off]

Shaun: [About Ed] He's not my boyfriend!

Ed: [Handing beer to Shaun] It might be a bit warm, the cooler was off.

Shaun: Thanks babe. [winks]

David: I'm not staying here.

Liz: David don't do it, that's suicide.

Ed: I think he should go.

Ed: Big Al says so.

Shaun: Yeah, but Big Al also says dogs can't look up!

(After Shaun has defeated a zombie with a rifle without firing it)

Ed: Why didn't you just shoot him?

Shaun: For the last time Ed, it's not...

[Gun misfires]

Ed: I knew it! I fucking knew it! I told you, Big Al was right!

[Shaun removes the dart imbedded in his skull]

Shaun: Okay. But dogs CAN look up!

Shaun: Phillip, have you still got the child-locks on?

Phillip: Safety first, Shaun.

[After Shaun has broken up with Liz; "If You Leave Me Now" by Chicago comes on the juke box]

Ed: [glaring at the juke box] Who the hell put this on?

Shaun: [With tears in his eyes] It's on random.

Ed: For fuck's sake.

[After 'Don't Stop Me Now' by Queen comes on the pub jukebox, thus attracting zombies]

Shaun: Who the hell put this on?!

Ed: It's on random!

Liz: For fuck's sake!

Shaun: Pete? Pete?

Ed: Why can't we go up there?

Shaun: Because A) he might be one of them, and B) he might still be annoyed.

Shaun: Pete? Peeete?

Ed: OI, PRICK!

[There is a pause]

Both: He's not in.

[Shaun and Ed back up to the body of a man they've just hit with the car; Shaun rolls down his window]

Shaun: Excuse me... are you all right? Hello?

Ed: Aw, come on, why can't we just go?

Shaun: We've got to be sure.

Ed: He's going to be dead either way!

Shaun: Ed, that's not the point!

[The body rises and moans, zombified, at Shaun and Ed]

Shaun: Oh, well, thank God for that.

Shaun: [smugly.] What's the matter, David? Haven't you ever taken a shortcut?

[Shaun and Ed pull up to Barbara's house and sees Phil's Jaguar in the driveway]

Ed: Oh! Hello! Who's a pretty boy, then? [Whistles] You didn't tell me Barbara had a Jag. I've always wanted to drive one of those.

Shaun: Yeah, well, it's Phillip's, okay? He won't let anybody near it. Honestly, I put half a Mars bar in the glove box once and he chased me around the garden with a bit of wood.

Ed: Fuck. It's gorgeous.

...

[later exiting the house with Barbara and Phillip]

Shaun: Where’s the car?

Ed: Hmmm...I pranged it. [Moves to reveal wrecked car]

Shaun: You were parked.

Ed: Yeah. Guess we’ll have to take the Jag.

[After Phillip has been bitten by zombies]

Phillip: You didn't call the doctor, did you?

Barbara: Well, I thought it might be best, dear.

Phillip: I'm perfectly alright, Barbara. I ran it under a cold tap.

Barbara: But Phillip...

Phillip: We had our jabs when we went to the Isle of Wight.

[Phillip is dying from his wounds]

Phillip: Shaun...

Shaun: Yes, Phillip, I got him to turn it down.

Phillip: Being a father... it's not easy.

Shaun: What?

Phillip: You were 12 when I met you, already grown up so much. I just wanted you to be strong and not give up because you lost your dad.

Shaun: Phillip, you don't have to explain...

Phillip: No, no, I do... I always loved you, Shaun. And I always thought you had it in you to do well. You just need...m-motivation. Somebody to look up to and...I thought it could be me. Would you just... take care of your mum? There's a good boy.

[Phillip dies]

David: We're in a pub! What're we going to do now?

Ed: Get a round in?

Shaun: David, kill the Queen!

David: What?

Shaun: The jukebox!

[After Shaun gets shouted at by Liz]

David: [Smugly] Basically, I'd say your nine lives are up, Shaun

Shaun: Get fucked, four eyes! Why don't you go out with her, you love her so much?

David: What do you mean by that?

[Shaun rolls his eys and storms off; David and Diane stand next to each other uncomfortably]

David: Well, I don't know what he meant by that.

Shaun: If you get cornered...

[Hits himself on head with cricket bat]

Shaun: ...bash 'em in the head, that seems to work. Ow.

Shaun: Mum, look, what would you say if I told you that over the years Philip's been quite unkind to me?

Barbara: Well you weren't always the easiest person to live with

Shaun: Mum, he chased me around the garden with a bit of wood!

Barbara: Well you did call him a you-know-what!

Shaun: Oh, what, did he tell you that?

Barbara: Yes he did.

Shaun: Mother fucker!

Barbara: Shaun!

Shaun: Sorry mother!... mum!

Barbara: My how you've grown!

Ed: Yeah, you'd better believe it.

[Shaun has checked the coast to see whether it's clear]

Liz: Well... is it clear?

Shaun: No.

Liz: How many?

Shaun: Lots.

[Shaun is waiting impatiently through a busy signal on the cordless]

Shaun: Come On!!!!

Ed: Ain't you gonna thank me, then?

Shaun: For what?

Ed: Tidyin' up.

Shaun: [looks about] It doesn't look that tidy.

Ed: [peering at the coffee table, as though the beer cans were the only thing he missed] Well, I had a few beers when I finished.

Ed: Do you want your messages?

Shaun: What?

Ed: Well, your mum rang about you going around tomorrow night, and then Liz rang about the two of you eating out tonight, and then your mum rang back to see if I wanted to eat her out tonight.

Shaun: What?

[Repeated exchange]

Yvonne: Shaun! How are you doing?

Shaun: Surviving.

[As Shaun joins Ed in playing a videogame and presses a button on the joypad]

Videogame voice: Player 2 has entered the game.

Ed: You've got work.

[Shaun presses button again and gets up]

Videogame voice: Player 2 has left the game.

Shaun: All right, I've got a car outside, but it's going to be a bit cramped, so has anyone got transport?

Dianne: Ooo, yes.

Shaun: Great, where?

Dianne: Oh, no. Well, I passed my test.

[While disguised as a zombie, Ed's phone rings]

Ed: Two seconds!

[He answers and chats on his phone, despite the horrified looks of the others, until Shaun knocks it out of his hand]

Ed: Oi! What are you doing?

Shaun: [Shouts] What am I doing?! What are YOU doing, you stupid moron?

Ed: Fuck off!

Shaun: [Shouts] YOU FUCK OFF! FUCK FUCKING OFF! LOOK AT ME! I'VE SPENT MY WHOLE LIFE STICKING MY NECK OUT FOR YOU AND ALL YOU EVER DO IS FUCK THINGS UP! FUCK THINGS UP AND MAKE ME LOOK STUPID! WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO LET IT HAPPEN ANYMORE, OK? NOT TODAY!!

Liz: Shaun!

Shaun: WHAT?!

[Sees the hundreds of zombies staring at them]

Shaun: Oh.

[David points a gun at the newly deceased Barbara, Shaun breaks a bottle & holds it to David's neck]

Shaun: DON'T POINT THAT GUN AT MY MUM!

[Ed breaks a bottle & holds it to David's neck aswell]

Ed: DON'T POINT THAT GUN AT BARBARA!

Liz: Ed, don’t exacerbate things!

Ed: What does that mean?

Di: This isn’t exactly fair!

Ed: Here.

[Ed gives his broken bottle to Di, who points it at Shaun. Ed goes to the bar.]

Di: Thank you.

[Ed returns with a corkscrew, which he points at David's neck.]

[There is a girl standing in Shaun's garden, back to Shaun and Ed]

Shaun: Excuse me?

[No response]

Shaun: Excuse me?

[No response]

Shaun: Hellew?

[No response; Ed picks up a pebble and throws it off her back]

Ed: Oi!

[Girl turns round, a zombie]

Shaun: Oh, my God... she's so drunk! [laughs]

[Repeated exchange]

Ed: I'm sorry, Shaun.

Shaun: It's OK.

Ed: No, I'm sorry, Shaun.

Shaun: What?

[Smells Ed's fart]

Shaun: Oh, God, that's rotten!

Ed: I'll stop doing them when you stop laughing!

Shaun: I'm not laughing!

Shaun: I do not find it hard to keep my social life and my work life separate.

Worker: Shaun, it's Liz for you.

[Hands him the phone]

Liz: How many shells have we got left?

Shaun: Um...two. I suppose we could, you know, take a few of them out if they stand in a line.

Liz: I wasn't thinking about them.

Shaun: I know.

[Pause]

Shaun: What about Ed? There's only two shells.

Ed: I don't mind being eaten.

Shaun: How're we gonna do this?

Liz: Um...I don't know. Um...One of us has to go first.

Shaun: Well, m-m-maybe one should do the other, and then do themselves.

Liz: Oh, maybe you should do me. I'll only muck it up if I have to do myself.

[Shaun mimes shooting Liz and then shooting himself]

Shaun: You know, I don't think I've got it in me to shoot my flatmate, my mum, and my girlfriend all in the same evening.

Liz: [Thoughtfully] What makes you think I'm taking you back?

Shaun: [Tenderly] Well, you don't want to die single, do you?

Ed: That's it, I would like to be shot.

Liz: Goodbye, Ed. Love you.

Ed: Cheers!

Shaun: I love you too, Ed.

Ed: Gaaayy!

Ed: See? You don't need Liz to have a good time.

Shaun: Oh, don't, man.

Ed: No! Go ahead, look at me. Can I just say one more thing? I'm not gonna say, you know, there's plenty more fish in the sea. I'm not going to say if you love her, let her go. And I'm not going to bombard you with cliches. But what I will say is this...

[Chuckling]'

Ed: It's not the end of the world.

[zombie's hand beats on the door]

[Shaun has just discovered the zombies have returned and has a horrified look on his face. Dianne is going through TV channels]

Ed: Liz? Erm... Have you got a quid?

Liz: Erm... (fumbles in her pocket and finds a pound coin) Yeah. (She hands it to him and he goes to the slot machine. Dianne continues changing channels) Never anything on, is there? (notices Shaun's horrified expression) What?

Shaun: (nervously) I think we might have a bit of a problem.

Liz: What do you mean?

Shaun: (glancing at the rattling door and whispering) They followed me.

Liz: I thought you said you gave them the slip.

Shaun: Yeah...

Liz: (whispering) Well, we'll just have to be extra quiet then, won't we? (a panicked look suddenly comes over her face as she remembers Ed is about to use the slot machine)

Shaun: What?

[The music on the slot machine plays to signal Ed's win]

Shaun and Liz: (simultaneously) ED NO! (they run to the machine) TURN IT OFF!

[They pull the plug out of the machine, but the damage is done. A horde of zombies converge on the windows and door]

[During a stand-off, when David tries to shoot the recently-deceased Barbara]

David: You know I'm right, Liz. She's going to come back, and she's going to kill all of us. That's what your ex can't seem to realize!

Shaun: [Tearfully] That's what this is about, isn't it? It's just he doesn't like me! He's always hated me, and now he wants to shoot my mum!

David: She's not - !

Shaun: You never thought I was good enough, that I deserved her!

David: What are you talking about?

Shaun: Oh come on! We all know you're in love with Liz!

David: [Stung] That is not true!

Shaun: Yes it is!

David: That is not true!

Dianne: Yes it is.

David: What?!

Dianne: I know that you only hung around with me in college to be close to Liz, and when she knocked you back I was there to pick up the pieces. I've come to terms with that, Daffs. Why can't you?

David: Lizzy, I want you to know that my feelings for you have always been -

Liz: David, please! We have slightly more pressing concerns right now!

Shaun: You're the one who's gone from being a chartered accountant to Charlton Heston!

David: I'm not a chartered accountant!

Shaun: Well you look like one!

Ed: Yeeeeah!

David: I'm a lecturer!

Shaun: You're a twat!

Ed: Yeeah!

David: She's not your mum anymore! In a minute, she'll be just another zombie!

Shaun: [Tearfully] Don't say that!

Ed: We're not using the "Z word!"

Liz: (exasperated) Please can we just calm the fuck down!

[Last lines]

Game console: Player two has entered the game.

[Shaun reaches out to grab the remote. Zombified Ed tries to bite Shaun's outstretched arm]

Shaun: Ed! [shows him the remote]

Zombified Ed: [Groans and returns to his game]

[Phillip dies in car next to Shaun]

Shaun: [Crying] Mum! Phil's gone!

Barbara: Where's he gone?

Shaun: Mum! He's dead!

[Barbara turns for a second behind her]

Barbara: No he isn't!

[Shaun turns to Phillip - who has become a zombie]

[Everybody except Barbara screams]

[Shaun walks into the living room and finds Ed sleeping on the sofa]

Shaun: D'you want anything from the shops?

[Ed responds with his eyes still closed]

Ed: Cornetto

[After hearing a report on TV about the zombies]

Ed: I think we should go out there.

Shaun: But the man said stay inside!

Ed: Oh, fuck the man!

[After zombified Pete walks into the Winchester with the other zombies]

Ed: Hey Shaun, look who it is!

Shaun: Fuck-a-doodle-doo!

Taglines

• A romantic comedy. With zombies.
• Buy milk. Call mum. Dodge zombies.
• Bought milk. Called mom. Dodged zombies (American alternative)
• Ever felt like you were surrounded by zombies?
• This September, aim for the head.
• In a time of crisis, a hero must arise... from his sofa.
• It's just one of those days when you're feeling a little...dead.

Cast

• Simon Pegg — Shaun
• Kate Ashfield — Liz
• Nick Frost — Ed
• Dylan Moran — David
• Lucy Davis — Dianne
• Penelope Wilton — Barbara
• Bill Nighy — Phillip
• Jessica Stevenson — Yvonne
• Peter Serafinowicz — Pete

External links

Wikipedia has an article about:

Shaun of the Dead

• Shaun of the Dead quotes at the Internet Movie Database
• Shaun of the Dead at Rotten Tomatoes
• The official Shaun of the Dead site