"'Shaun of the Dead' 20 Bloody Years"

Hard to believe that "Shaun of the Dead" was released 20 years ago.

Wow. 20 years!

Twenty years since Shaun and the gang gathered at the Winchester and battled a zombie apocalypse.

Twenty years since we were introduced to Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and writer/director Edgar Wright (unless you watched their terrific British television series "Spaced").

Twenty years since "The Cornetto Trilogy" began with this film, continued with "Hot Fuzz," and ended with "The World's End." 

Man, it's been a fun 20 years.

Three Flavours Cornetto AKA: The Cornetto Trilogy consists of three terrific films: "Shaun of the Dead," "Hot Fuzz," and "The World's End." They are connected by the characters love for Cornetto Ice Cream Cones.

In the early summer of 2004, I began hearing some buzz about a "British zombie comedy" being screened across the pond to some acclaim.  Of course, I was intrigued.

Wright, Pegg, and Frost had already done some very funny episodes of "Spaced" that were horror and zombie-related (a particularly hilarious episode involving too much "Resident Evil" and too much speed immediately comes to mind).

It was a huge topic of conversation at the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention in August 2004 because it had already been released overseas. Some of the hardcore members of The Tribe had already seen it and were raving about it.

In America, it wasn't scheduled for release until the end of September, and we were all waiting with bated breath.

Because I'm a film critic, I was invited to an advanced film screening. I brought my buddy and fellow zombie movie freak, Manny, to the much-anticipated screening at the Webster Place Theaters in Chicago.

So, the movie starts, everything is going beautifully, and Manny and I are enjoying the hell out of the film. Then the first reel change happens (remember reel changes?), and instead of going from reel 2 to reel 3, we go from reel 2 to reel 4, skipping roughly 20 minutes of the film.

We went from an early scene in Shaun's apartment during the beginning of the zombie apocalypse directly to the scene in which Shaun and a large group of people are pretending to be zombies, so something was obviously wrong. I ran to the lobby to tell someone to let the projectionist know about the screw-up.

Unfortunately, it was 2004, and it was Webster Place, so the joint was virtually empty. I finally tracked down an usher who went up to the booth, and I returned to my seat (covering my eyes and ears to keep spoilers out of my head). The movie was halted.

Manny and I knew that this problem could not be fixed quickly, and we were either in for a very long night or we would be seeing this film later.

We saw the film later.

My personal Blu-ray disc of "Shaun of the Dead." I'm surprised I haven't worn it out entirely.

After that very memorable screening, I saw "Shaun of the Dead" multiple times on the big screen and countless times on DVD, cable, Blu-ray, etc. It's truly one of my favorite movies.

The plot is simple: Shaun is a goofy, aimless guy about to turn 30, stuck in a nowhere job as a clerk at an electronics store. He has an unhappy girlfriend, no future to speak of, and he spends most of his time hanging out at the pub with his idiot best friend Ed or sitting around his flat drinking and playing video games.

Then, a zombie apocalypse happens, and he must step up, fight the zombies, and save the day. That's it. It's that simple.

What follows is not only a clever look at growing older and wiser, a wonderful romantic comedy (sometimes billed as a "Zom-Rom-Com”), and a smart satire of horror flicks, but it's also a legitimately great zombie film.

Following the rules set up by the master himself, George Romero, "Shaun..." takes the genre very, very seriously (with an undying love evident in every frame), and the results are scary, funny, heartfelt, and brilliant.

With the great George Romero at Flashback Weekend. He LOVED "Shaun of the Dead."

George Romero, by the way, absolutely LOVED it! He loved it so much that he cast Wright and Pegg as zombies in his 2005 zombie masterpiece "Land of the Dead" and often referred to "Shaun of the Dead" as one of the best zombie pictures ever made.

He also loved the fact that at a time when fast zombies were all the rage (the remake of "Dawn of the Dead," which also came out in 2004, featured fast zombies), "Shaun" followed the rules and only featured slow zombies because we all know that fast zombies suck.

Here's the deal: fast zombies suck...just read my shirt.

From the terrific practical make-up and gore effects to the plot points taken directly from Romero's canon, the movie is both a wonderful tribute and a clever satire.

It's amazing it works as well as it does.

Huge laughs are followed smoothly by bloody kills, which mix in with genuine sentiment (a moment in the last twenty minutes always chokes me up). The film climaxes with a great surprise and a thoroughly satisfying ending.

In addition to a terrific script, the film also features a virtual who's who of great British comedic actors like, Kate Ashfield, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton, Martin Freeman, Matt Lucas, Reece Shearsmith, and Tamsin Greig.

There's even an appearance by Coldplay's Chris Martin as a zombie who is also very musical.

"Shaun of the Dead" is a great movie, plain and simple. Extraordinarily entertaining and beautifully made, it was a remarkable directorial debut for Wright, who would go on to become one of the most skilled and clever commercial filmmakers of the last twenty years.

There are also so many Easter eggs and allusions to other genre films that you might lose track of all of them.

Here's a couple: they named Shaun's mom Barbara just so Frost could say the line "We're coming to get you, Barbara" from “Night of the Living Dead.” They called the neighborhood Italian restaurant "Fulci's" in honor of the zombie director. And they sample the fabulous use of Goblin's score from the original "Dawn of the Dead" throughout.

There are many more, and they all work beautifully without being heavy-handed.

So, let's celebrate 20 Bloody Years of "Shaun of the Dead" by going to the theater to see it on the big screen again or watching it at home with friends. It is a classic that will live on forever (just like a zombie) and be as entertaining in 20 more years as it is now.

I got my hat....did you get yours?

And while I love "Shaun of the Dead" very much, I like "Hot Fuzz" more, which I consider the best of the Cornetto Trilogy. But that's up for debate...perhaps over a pint at the Winchester?

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15 Sequels Better Than the Original

After I saw the terrific "Alien: Romulus" last week, I began to think about movie sequels that are actually better than the original film.

Now, my thinking gets complicated here (because I am an idiot, and I always make things harder than they should be) and because I actually DON'T think that "Alien: Romulus" is better than the original "Alien."

However, I DO think that it's better than "Aliens," the second film in the series which - bear with me - most people think is better than the original, which got me to thinking about movies that are better than the ori.....oh, hell...you get what I'm trying to say here!

Note, this list isn't restricted to just "Part 2's." There are titles from series that include many sequels and high number counts. In those cases, I include the the very best entry of the series, but it has to be better than the original (again, I'm needlessly complicating things again).

Anyway, I put together a list of "15 Sequels Better Than The Original" and here it is

(in no particular order):

1) DUNE PART 2 (2024)

The best film of 2024 so far (I really can't imagine that another 2024 film will top it), Denis Villeneuve's extraordinary continuation of Frank Herbert's classic novel is filmmaking of the highest order.

When people talk about big budget, action/adventure, tent pole, franchise, Hollywood movies, this is the Gold Standard that every single release in that genre should be compared to.

It's also much more than that, and is one of the finest examples of important cinematic art (on every single level) mixed with commercial sensibility. A masterwork.

2) MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FALLOUT (2018)

Here's the deal, the "Mission Impossible" film series is amazing. It's a series in which every single entry is great, and they seem to just keep getting better which each release.

As incredible as each film is, this one, the sixth entry in the series, is absolutely the best.

Loaded with brilliantly staged and executed action sequences, jaw-dropping stunts, and enough plot twists to keep you on the edge of your seat, director Christopher McQuarrie's sublime work here is not only exciting on the simplest of levels, it is also a masterclass in the art of filmmaking.

And Tom Cruise is nuts...and I mean that in the best possible way.

3) SPIDER-MAN 2 (2004)

Sam Raimi's insane, extraordinary, and ridiculously entertaining masterpiece is easily one of the best comic book movies ever made (in fact, is was my favorite comic book movie of all time, until a certain film, that appears later on this list, was released in 2017).

It fulfills all of the requirements of a fun, escapist, action-hero epic, while also being an example of a commercial movie in which the director keeps his crazy independent spirit and personality alive.

A stunning piece of work that also contains one of best villain performances of all time by the great Alfred Molina.

4) MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)

Please.

5) STAR TREK 2: THE WRATH OF KHAN (1982)

This might be the granddaddy of the whole "sequel is better than the original" thing.

The first "Star Trek" movie from 1979 was a bit of a disaster and quite a slog to sit through. But, when Nicholas Meyer (who was coming off of the brilliant sci-fi romance "Time After Time") came in and injected life into the proceedings, things changed completely.

The result is a film that is not only a terrific example of great science-fiction, but also manages to be faithful to the spirit of the TV series, while showcasing state-of-the-art special effects and brilliant ideas.

Also, it simply kicks ass, Ricardo Montalban rules, and Shatner has never been more....Shatnery.

6) DOCTOR SLEEP (2019)

It's better than "The Shining." Yeah...I said it. It's better than "The Shining." Yeah...I said it again.

Mike Flanagan's absolutely brilliant adaptation of Stephen King's novel not only manages to stay faithful to the book, it also stays faithful to Kubrick's 1980 film version of "The Shining," which was NOT at all faithful to Stephen King's book.

It's a juggling act of monumental skill, and "Doctor Sleep" is clever, brutally effective, and scary as hell. It is a much more satisfying experience than Kubrick's rather dull, leaden and simplistic take on King's material, material Kubrick completely misunderstood.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the hell out of the sheer goofiness of "The Shining," but "Doctor Sleep" is a thousand times better, explores the themes (specifically about alcoholism) that seemed to completely allude Kubrick.

It also features an incredible, sexy, terrifying performance by the great Rebecca Ferguson that has to be seen to be believed.

7) BATMAN RETURNS (1992)

Tim Burton's follow-up to his 1989 mega-hit is a MUCH better film than the original because it's actually a true "Tim Burton Movie," while the first film was Burton attempting to make an impersonal comic-book film.

"Batman Returns" is loaded with incredible action, scary sequences, gross-out humor, and more.

It is also a GREAT Christmas movie (I watch it every year during the holidays), and a heartbreaking tragedy (the Penguin story line is devastating). The Batman/Bruce Wayne character is much more interesting (Michael Keaton seems much more invested here), and Christopher Walken rules.

But, more than anything else, it is a massive showcase for the unbelievable Michelle Pfeiffer, who is not only extraordinary in the film, but she is, without question, the best Catwoman EVER.

8) DIE HARD 2 (1990)

Yeah, that's right, I think that "Die Hard 2" is better than the original, and I make no apologies for it!

Renny Harlin's magnificently over-the-top-everything-but-the-kitchen-sink sequel starts out as an "11" on the insanity scale of 1 to 10, and never, ever wavers.

The movie takes the "Die Hard" basic premise of wrong guy, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and launches it into the stratosphere with some of the most creative and beautifully executed action sequences ever filmed.

The performances match the craziness of the script, and Harlin's brilliant direction is the Gold Standard by which most action films should be measured. This is technique of stunning confidence and giddy effectiveness.

It's one of the best action films ever made, filled with excitement, surprises, and brutally funny moments. I LOVE this movie.

9) THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (1935)

It's not hyperbole to say that this is simply one of the greatest films ever made.

James Whale's extraordinary follow-up to his extraordinary original "Frankenstein" is a more personal, effective, and emotionally devastating work. It's just breathtaking on every single level, and it makes me cry every single time I watch it.

I also think that it's the best of the Universal Monster classics, and that's saying a lot, since the Universal Monster movies are among the best films ever made.

10) BILL AND TED'S BOGUS JOURNEY (1991)

Funnier, smarter, and much more imaginatively made than the original, this very entertaining sequel has everything you want from a Bill and Ted movie, and more.

Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves (who had an INCREDIBLE 1991, in addition to this, he also appeared in "My Own Private Idaho," and "Point Break" that year.....yeah, WOW) were both awesome, and the addition of William Sadler as Death was pure genius.

Unabashedly entertaining and one of the best sequels of all time.

11) INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (1984)

The best of the Indiana Jones movies, by far, and one of Spielberg's slickest and most competently made films.

The action sequences are bigger and better, the set-pieces are more imaginative, the disturbingly dark tone is more complex, and the body count is even higher than the first film.

Another treat is that it opens with a truly great musical number, and we'd have to wait another 35 years or so before Spielberg made a proper musical with is amazing version of "West Side Story."

Also, it's the last good film in the series, as the next three entries all sucked.

12) DAWN OF THE DEAD (1979)

George Romero's first sequel to his seminal masterpiece "Night of the Living Dead" is not only a better movie, but it is, without question, the best zombie film ever made.

I won't go on and on about why it's one of the greatest films ever made, but I will say this: Romero was a genius and this is horror at its best and social satire at its finest. It is simply is a work of art that will live forever.

13) EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN (1987)

This is the second Sam Raimi movie on this list. What can I say, the guy likes to top himself.

The original "Evil Dead" is one of the most brutal, terrifying, gross, and effective horror films of all time. It is also a sterling example of independent filmmaking (released long before it was hip to be an independent filmmaker), featuring wonderful, cost-effective technique, combined with grand imagination and style.

This sequel is all of that and more, only A LOT funnier, and more consistent with the work that Raimi would do after this movie was unleashed onto the public.

This is a true classic in the horror genre (the best film of this entire franchise), and a wildly entertaining film that people watch over and over and over again.

It also gave us the true version of the legendary character of Ash Williams, the hapless, hilarious and wondrous dude played by the one and only Bruce Campbell.

A landmark film....seriously.

14) LOGAN (2017)

The best comic book movie ever made, because it's not really a comic book movie.

James Mangold's astonishing continuation of The Wolverine saga is exceedingly clever, dark, complex, exciting, and it plays like modern day Western.

Featuring superlative performances by Hugh Jackman, Dafne Keen, and Patrick Stewart, great action sequences, and a truly heartbreaking, devastatingly effective ending (that, of course, was crapped all over the by the morons who made the unspeakable "Deadpool and Wolverine"), this is commercial filmmaking at its finest.

15) GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH (1990)

Joe Dante's insane, wild, out-of-control sequel to "Gremlins" is better in every possible way to the original (and I love the original). Dante's unapologetic love for all things goofy, silly, and shamelessly cartoonish dominates this film in masterful fashion.

It takes the basic "weird creatures, weird rules" premise from the original, and turns it into a brutal satire of New York, greed, and politics (John Glover is basically playing Donald Trump, back when Trump was just a greedy, moronic real estate tycoon who attempted to ruin New York City, not the entire world).

It is also a proud, rolling, relentless 106 minute live-action "Looney Tunes" cartoon with some of the most ridiculous jokes, gags and deep references ever included in a big budget tent pole sequel.

It's absolute and complete madness... and it absolutely and completely rules.

So, that's my list of 15 sequels (also available on my Letterboxd) that are better than the originals. Check them out and enjoy!

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GEORGE ROMERO: A Tribute.

We recently passed the 7th anniversary of the death of the remarkable filmmaker George A. Romero. So, I wanted to share some Romero stuff here on my nickdigilio.com blog...so here goes.

Here I am with the great George A. Romero at The Flashback Weekend Horror Convention. It was a dream come true to know him.

First, this is what I wrote on July 16, 2017, upon hearing of George's passing:

"OK, I'm gonna give this a shot.

I am absolutely crushed by the death of George A. Romero, completely crushed. He was not only one of the most important and significant filmmakers that has ever lived; the inventor of an entire genre of movies; a maverick of independent thought; an icon in the world of horror; a satirist on the level of Mark Twain; a storyteller beyond reproach; a magnificent comedic mind....and, a helluva nice guy.

I had the honor of getting to know Mr. Romero over many years through my radio show, and my association with Flashback Weekend horror convention, and to say it was an amazing experience would be a massive understatement. 

He was kind, funny, generous and also very cantankerous when he wanted to be. He was also one of the most important artists that has ever lived, and a true inspiration to anyone who has worked in the world of cinema.

A true giant, who has left behind a treasure trove of work to be cherished and watched over and over again. I love him and his work...always have, always will. His movies truly changed my life.

He was an amazing man, and there is now a huge chasm in the horror world, and the real world in general.

Rest in Peace George Romero. 

Say Hi to Bub for me."

This is a shot from outside of our car at The Midway Drive-In during the Dusk to Dawn George Romero Fest. This is the opening of one of his zombie masterpieces "Day of the Dead."

Just this past May, I was honored to host a "Dusk to Dawn Romero Fest" at The Midway Drive-In, and I was even more thrilled that my girlfriend (THE creative force behind this website, by the way) Julie, was there with me.

Me and my lovely girlfriend Julie, getting ready to enjoy the Romero Fest at The Midway Drive-In.

It was a special night, and here are some details of the wonderful event:

Flashback Weekend’s Midway Drive-In Dusk to Dawn Romero Fest! 

It all happened on Sat. May 18, 2024, for the 45th Anniversary of George A. Romero’s “DAWN OF THE DEAD” in a very rare Drive-In showing!

It was held at the Flashback Weekend owned and operated Midway Drive In, located in Dixon, IL.

There were FOUR (4) George A. Romero classics presented, it was all hosted by me.

This was the schedule:

5:00PM – Gates opened. Vendors sold horror T-Shirts, posters, Blu-Rays, books, and more!

8:15PM – Pre Show started – Vintage coming attractions 

Followed by “NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD” (1968)  - followed by “DAWN OF THE DEAD” (1979) – followed by “DAY OF THE DEAD” (1985) – followed by  “THE CRAZIES” (1973)

I spoke between movies and got to hang out with horror followers, cool people, and Romero fans from all over the place.

It was an incredible way to honor George, celebrate his work, and remember him for the incredible contributions he made to film and culture. A truly GREAT night/morning.

Rest in Peace George, we all love you, and miss you.

Celebrating 45 Years of "Dawn of the Dead" at The Midway Drive-In this past May.

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