Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Shaun of the Dead Analysis
Shaun of the Dead (2004, Edgar Wright) is a more of a spoof of Dawn of the Dead, tinted with humor, with zombies eating people and a small group trying to survive while being picked of by the zombies one by one. The film centers on the main character Shaun (Simon Pegg) who lived a rather monotonous zombie like existence where everything was basically the same thing, day in and day out and has to make decisions that would never cross his mind to make. It tries to bring in elements of stereotypical characters that people may find among their own friends such as; the regular guy, the hardworking overbearing friend and the friend that does nothing but has a good time who you still keep around. There is play on the issue of ethnicity in the use of stereotypes which shows itself when Shaun meets the storeowner who happens to be Indian. This draws on the belief that Indians are either storeowners or doctors as typically depicted in film.
Shaun's character is your every day guy. He works in a local electrical store and lodges with his friends; Pete and Ed, in a messy little house. Ed is a completely lazy and whose idea of a hard days work is having a bath and going to the toilet, all in the same day. Shaun and Ed spend most of their evenings down the Wichester public house and, although Shaun feels deep down that this is a waste of his life, he just enjoys his pointless routine too much to change. Even his girlfriend Liz has had enough of his bleak and pointless existence and throws down the gauntlet in an effort to bring Shaun too his senses. Unfortunately, just as Shaun and Liz's relationship breaks down, London is grasped by a rather inconvenient outbreak of the dead rising from their resting places and eating other people.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Summary of Major Works
The show spaced jump started Wright's career. The show is about two London twenty year olds who meet by chance in a cafe while both are flat-hunting. Despite barely knowing each other, they conspire to pose as a young professional couple in order to meet the requisites of an advertisement for a relatively cheap flat in the distinctive building at 23 Meteor Street, Tufnell Park, which is owned by and also houses the landlady, Marsha Klein (Julia Deakin). Also in the building is Brian Topp (Mark Heap), an eccentric conceptual artist who lives and works on his various pieces in the ground floor flat. Frequent visitors are Tim's best friend, Mike Watt (Nick Frost), who ends up becoming a lodger after Marsha's daughter Amber "flies the nest", and Daisy's best friend, Twist Morgan (Katy Carmichael). The series largely concerns the colorful and surreal adventures of Tim and Daisy as they navigate through life, decide on what they want to do with their lives, come to terms with affairs of the heart, and try to figure out new and largely unproductive ways of killing time. Tim and Daisy repeatedly stress that they aren't a couple to everyone but Marsha, but despite (or because of) this, romantic tension develops between them, particularly during the second series.
Shaun of the Dead was Wright's first major film. Shaun is a 29-year-old TV Salesman whose life has no direction. His younger colleagues at work show him no respect and he has a rocky relationship with his step-father, Phillip. He also has a tense relationship with his housemate, Pete, because of Ed, Shaun's vulgar and crude best friend and another housemate. His girlfriend, Liz, is unsatisfied with their social life, mostly because it consists primarily of spending every evening at the Winchester, Shaun's favorite pub, as well as the fact that they never do anything alone together - Shaun always brings Ed and she has to bring her flat mates, David and Dianne. Eventually, Liz breaks up with Shaun when he fails to book a table at a restaurant for their anniversary. Shaun drowns his sorrows with Ed at the Winchester and they return home, only to have Pete storm in and confront them. Pete berates Shaun and tells him to "sort his life out." Realizing that Pete is right, Shaun resolves to sort out his life the next morning.
Hot Fuzz is one of Wright's most recent films Top London cop, PC Nicholas Angel is good. Too good. And to stop the rest of his team looking bad, he is reassigned to the quiet town of Sandford. He is paired with Danny Butterman, who repeatedly questions him on the action lifestyle. Everything seems quiet for Angel, until two actors are found decapitated. It is address to as an accident, but Angel isn't going to accept that, especially when more and more people turn up dead. Angel and Danny clash with everyone, whilst trying to uncover the truth behind the mystery of the apparent "accidents".
Wikipedia contributors. "Spaced." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 10 Apr. 2010. Web. 17 Apr. 2010.
Wikipedia contributors. "Shaun of the dead." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 13 Dec. 2007. Web. 17 Apr. 2010.
Wikipedia contributors. "Hot fuzz." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free
Encyclopedia, 7 Jan. 2009. Web. 17 Apr. 2010.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Major Themes, Influences, and Artistic Style
Major Themes, Influences, and Artistic Style
Edgar Wright's Spaced is the work that jump started his career. Wright likes to use references to popular culture — particularly but not exclusively to science fiction and horror films, comic books and video games. The series Spaced is also noted for its regular references to recreational drug use, from its title onwards. According to Simon Pegg, the series Northern Exposure and its frequent use of fantasy sequences was "one of the key influences" in the creation of the show. In fact, he and Jessica Hynes pitched the show to LWT as "a cross between The Simpsons, The X-Files and Northern Exposure." Spaced has a distinctive cinematic style set by director Edgar Wright and is shot with a single camera. In addition to borrowing liberally from the visual language of film (in particular genre films), it has particular stylistic mannerisms like the recurring device of scene changes occurring in the middle of a pan. The series' atmosphere is also established by the use of a particular flavor of contemporary dance music on its soundtrack.
The movie Shaun of the Dead is notable for Wright's kinetic directing style, and its references to other movies, television shows and video games. 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 program 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
Wikipedia contributors. "Spaced." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 28 Mar. 2010. Web. 10 Apr. 2010.
Wikipedia contributors. "Shaun of the Dead." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 9 Apr. 2010. Web. 10 Apr. 2010.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Awards and nominations
Edgar Wright is still to reach forty years old, yet he has accomplished so much at a young age. He has a very extensive resume. Wright's List of credits can be compared to those who have many more years of experience. It would not be unreasonable to confuse his works with those of seasoned veterans. He managed to excel to the next level with his rom-zom-com Shaun of the Dead and his action/comedy opus Hot Fuzz. The award winning UK series turned International cult phenomenon Spaced did not hurt his resume either. Wright has managed to evolve from a young film loving geek yearning to be recognized to one of the most wanted geeks in the film industry today.
Wright has received several nominations for his works. He received a few nominations for Spaced at the BAFTA Awards in both 2000 and 2008 for the Situation Comedy Award. Edgar's Shaun of the Dead is responsible for majority of his nominations. This film has received at least five different nominations including Best Screenplay. It actually won two different times. The first being best screen play in 2004 at the British Independent Film Awards, and second in 2005 winning best screenplay at the Bram Stoker Awards. The film has also contributed to individual nominations for Wright. He was nominated in 2005 for Best British Director at the Empire Awards, UK. He was also nominated for British Screenwriter of the Year at the London Critics Circle Film Awards. He received another nomination for Best Breakthrough Filmmaker at the Online Film Critics Society Awards. In 2008, Wright received the nomination for Best Director with Hot Fuzz at the Empire Awards, UK. These awards and nominations are potentially just a fraction of what he will accomplish through his career.
Awards for Edgar Wright". IMDB. 4/04/2010
"Edgar Wright's Official Biography". Edgar Wright Here. 4/04/2010
Friday, March 26, 2010
Edgar Wright Biography
Edgar Howard Wright is an English writer, television and film director. He was born on, April 18th, 1974 in Poole, Dorset but was raised in Wells. Edgar began directing films as early as the age of 14. He developed the classics Rolf Harris Saves The World and Carbolic Soap while attending a school at The Blue School in Wells, Somerset. Wright was made his theatrical debut at age 20 with the no-budget the western spoof, A Fist Full of Fingers. This production was known as "The Greatest Western ever made...in Somerset." The show was picked up by Sky Movies, a British satellite TV broadcast channel. Edgar wanted to move on to larger and more television based shows. Wright then started directing Sir Bernard's Stately Homes and Asylum for the BBC and UK's Paramount Comedy. He met writer-actor Simon Pegg on the set. The work with Pegg has made Wright the most famous. In 1999 Edgar was asked to direct the sitcom 'Spaced'. Written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson. The show ran for two series, and was made up of a total of 14 episodes. It was twice nominated for BAFTA's. In 2007 Edgar completed Hot Fuzz the second film with Pegg.
Wikipedia contributors. "Edgar Wright." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 17 Mar. 2010. Web. 26 Mar. 2010.
2010 Tribute Entertainment Media Group. "Edgar Wright Bio". 2010 Tribute Entertainment Media Group [Date unavailable]. 26 March 2010
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