How does “Shaun of The dead” Subvert Structuralist Notions of A Horror Film?

Shaun of the dead is a post modern film. It plays with generic conventions knowingly, and there’s a deliberate subversion of paradigms. In Shaun of the dead, they do this through the character types; the props they use; the location, and through the use of mise-en-scene, camera angles and sound.

The characters in Shaun of the dead are subverting and upholding stereotypes. For example, the zombies in this film just like in any other ‘zombie film’ move very slowly, they are emotionless and also they feed upon human flesh. They also slightly use “Propps” character types: You have the main character, his girlfriend, the geek that’s in love with the main characters girlfriend, the main characters dopey best friend, the hippy girl, the mum, and the villain(s). This set out of characters also reminds me of the character types in scream. Although they do this, they also challenge the notion of horror characters; this is shown when in an emergency, and Shaun and Ed mess about slowly choosing a weapon, whilst the zombie is slowly approaching them. Also after a big fight with the zombies, they just casually chill out in the living room and Ed is eating his Cornetto. This subverts the notion of a horror film character as, when you see a stereotypical horror film, in the event of an emergency, the characters would think fast instead of debating which Record by which artist should be thrown. They also play with the idea of having the same character types, for example when Shaun is leading the group behind the neighbourhood gardens, and they bump into another group of people, and the two groups are almost identical. This also shows that the group of people could be anyone. The mise-en-scene also contributes to this. Shaun has been shown to be wearing a short sleeve shirt with a red tie and a red name badge, which suggest that he works in some kind of retail, giving the fact that the shirt is short sleeved.  Ed has been shown to be wearing a worn out greyish/brownish short sleeved with the words “I got wood” written on it, this shows that this is most likely to be his favourite top, as it looks worn out, also shows that he is laid back, and doesn’t really care of his appearance.  Liz is wearing a blue jacket with a shirt, and jeans, shows that she is also casual and practical. Also Liz upholds stereotypes by being the final girl, but then subverts it by being blonde and not really much of a hero. The nerdy one is simple wearing jeans a stripy jumper and a brown jacket, the fact that he is wearing glasses, is stereotypically as glasses in a film is used to show some ones intelligence. The hippy girl is wearing a stripy shirt, jeans a red scarf around her neck, a red bag, and a hat. The fact that she has even bothered to match her scarf with her bag, shows that she cares about her appearance and that she is the stylish/girly one out of the bunch, which differs from Liz’s character. And the final character, Shaun’s mum she is just wearing jeans a plain violet jumper, a cardigan and a black bag. Throughout the film, they’re chipping away at the characters, but leaving only the two characters. This upholds the stereotypes as this usually happens in a horror film. The fact that at the end of the film they keep Ed as a zombie, he is tied up in the shed, being kept like a pet, definitely subverting structuralist notions as that doesn’t happen in horror films.

The props used in Shaun of the dead definitely subvert structuralist notions. They use pretty much anything that they can find as a weapon, instead of a knife which is a typical paradigm, which was shown, but then rejected. Instead they use a cricket bat; which is usually used in a middle class game (sport) which subverts the meaning. Children’s toys/plastic chairs have been used which erupts their innocence. A spade/shovel has been used which doesn’t uphold the stereotypes as a spade/shovel is usually used for gardening which is a calming thing, where here it is destructive. Also when the song “don’t stop me now” is being played through the diegetic sound, this then turns into the non diegetic sound, they use a cue stick to attack the zombies, and when they attack the zombies they do it in time with the song. At the very end, they use a rifle, which was found in the pub, which even though is a paradigm, subverts the whole setting as it is used normally in an action/western film.

The location and settings throughout the film subvert structuralist notions of a horror film. It challenges the notions as it is set in a suburbia, which is supposed to be a calmer/quieter area, not as violent also it could be anywhere. There is a reverse shower scene, just like the scene in psycho, but it’s reversed, instead of the villain being on the other end on the shower curtains with a knife, its Shaun on the other end, with a baseball bat. This whole film is mostly set over the course of one day, gets darker towards the end, and as it gets darker it gets more dangerous and tense. This subverts structuralist notions of a horror film as horror films are usually set during the night. Most of the action is set in the pub. The pub is just one room, which is usually packed and crowded never normally isolated, which reminiscence to a saloon. Also the fact that it’s set in a pub shows that it could be any pub, with any group of people. Which doesn’t uphold stereotypes as in horror movies, they are normally set in the dark in isolated places, such as; woods, abandoned warehouses, haunted houses, and isolated houses.

The message that this film is slightly giving, is that it is criticising the modality of life that we are all stuck in a routine, and that life is mindless.