Things Are Going to Change: Genre Hybridization in Shaun of the Dead

Abstract

This article on comics purports to examine genre dynamics in Shaun of the Dead (Wright 2005). In particular, it seeks to detail the interactions between the romantic-comedy elements present in the film and its ostensible alignment with the zombie genre in the Romero mold. The article argues that a close analysis of the film’s narrative structure belies the apparent balance between the two genres, which the filmmakers sought to keep “separate and intact”. Through an analysis of the role of repetitions, references and influences, the article details the inscription of the zombie plot in the pliable structure of the romantic-comedy, along with the effect of this inscription on the subtext of the zombie genre.

Keywords

• genre
• horror
• romantic comedy
• comics
• film
• Romero George