With autumn setting in and Halloween creeping closer, there’s nothing like an evening at home with snacks, drinks, good movies, and good company! Themed movie nights are the perfect way to celebrate Halloween’s swift and spooky approach.
The Zombie Comedy, also known as Zomedy or Zom Com, has become a recent hit with horror and comedy fans alike. It entered the spotlight with Edgar Wright’s huge cult hit, Shaun of the Dead, and is a genre that has since been utilised both successfully and unsuccessfully. Here’s what you should watch if you’re going to throw a zomedy themed Halloween movie night.
Shaun of the Dead (2004)
The unrivalled cult zom com. Shaun of the Dead, written by British comedy superstar Simon Pegg (Spaced, Hot Fuzz, Run, Fatboy, Run ) and director Edgar Wright, follows Shaun (Pegg) as he tries to win back his girlfriend, Liz (Kate Ashfield) with the help of his best mate, Ed (Nick Frost). Oh, and he also has to defeat a city full of zombies along the way.
With a brilliant cast, including Dylan Moran (Black Books), Lucy Davis (The Office), and Peter Serafinowicz (TV’s new series Running Wilde), Shaun of the Dead became an instant classic. Its impeccable comedic timing, as well as its perfect combination of blatant and subtle humour means that you’ll love Shaun of the Dead the first time you watch it, and you’ll grow to love it even more every time you watch it again.
Zombieland (2009)
Zombieland is a sort of American answer to Shaun of the Dead with a different storyline, but just as much heart and humour. It’s the early twentieth century and zombies have taken over. A young man, Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), decides to travel from Texas back to Ohio to see if his family is still alive. Along the way, he meets and joins forces with Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin).
Written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, Zombieland has a very Max Brooks (author of The Zombie Survival Guide) feel to it. Columbus goes through his journey armed with a series of hilarious rules and zombie-fighting protocol. Although it doesn’t quite match Shaun of the Dead in its comic brilliance, Zombieland is a fun ride with a fantastic cast – there’s even a cameo from comedy legend Bill Murray.
Fido (2006)
A much lesser known Canadian zomedy, Fido is not to be missed. Set in the 1950s in a fictional middle-class neighbourhood in a fictional suburban town, Fido stars Carrie-Ann Moss as the domestic housewife Helen, Dylan Baker as her husband, Bill, and Kasun Loder as their son, Timmy. The scene-stealer of the film, however, is Scottish comedian Billy Connolly in the title role, Fido.
Fido‘s 1950s aesthetic doesn’t ever falter, and writers Andrew Currie, Dennis Heaton, and Robin Chomiak effortlessly fit zombies into their fictional world as well. It’s a film that plays with ideas of the American Dream, keeping up with the Joneses, materialism, an obsession with guns, and many other things that will keep you laughing for the whole ninety minutes.
So sit back with these Zom Coms and enjoy a laugh with your blood, guts, and brains!
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Andrea Beca - Andrea has a BA (distinction) in English and Creative Writing from the University of Alberta, and an MLitt (distinction) in Dramaturgy and ...
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