Shaun Of The Dead - Close Reading (Group Activity)

At first we see a black screen. The background music is 60’s Horror themed; it builds up but eventuates to nothing. With the ding of a bell the horror themed soundtrack abruptly stops and is replaced with flowing music, we are introduced to the main character (Shaun). This relates to the film in the way that the film builds up to but results in nothing really.

He is sitting in a bar, we can tell this by the bartender calling out orders, the sound of people talking, glasses clanking, a game machine and the fact that Shaun is holding a cigarette and drinking a beer. The expression on Shaun’s face shows that he’s paying minimal attention and isn’t involved in the conversation around him. The fact that they’re in a loud environment and there are people interrupting those shows that their conversation isn’t exactly private. This shows that how easily distracted Shaun is and how nothing about their relationship is secret to their friends.

The conversation is about the two main characters’ relationship, a subject most couples would like to keep to themselves. While his girlfriend (Liz) is trying to talk to him the noises in the bar (mentioned above) are overpowering her. This tells us that Liz isn’t always put first and is often pushed aside for other things. When Liz asks a question of Shaun he answers what Liz wants to hear but his friend Ed in the background is saying what Shaun’s actually thinking. This sets a humorous tone to the scene and suggests that Ed and Shaun are very in tune with one another.The information established in this scene alone is vital to the telling of the rest of the film. The crumbling of Shaun and Liz’s relationship, The closeness between Ed and Shaun, the involvement of the couples’ friends in their relationship and Shaun’s lazy attitude in life.