Shaun of the Dead Trailer Review

Film: Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Trailer Genre: Zombie Horror
Mark after viewing: 7/10



What happens in the trailer?
Scenes from the movie that introduce plot points are shown, and little bits of body horror are introduced, but it's all done with a comedic spin in a news report kind of way.

Which positive, clever or interesting aspects do you think you could include in your own trailer? What generic features are fulfilled well?
There were very aspects to the trailer that were done well. The first being that the trailer used key scenes from the film that gave an idea of the plot e.g. When the Zombie enters the house while Ed and Shaun are sitting on the sofa. Also a shot inside the pub of Shaun turning on the lights and Zombies are at the window of the door behind him. These scenes, unlike a few horror trailers, don’t give use any hint at all to who dies throughout the film, which leaves something for the audience to work out and use their imagination. Another good aspect was that body horror was intorduced effectivly, without over doing it. It gave the audience just enough to realise what the movie would be life, but not too much that the audience was turned off the film. Also the way the trailer was put together in the beginning, it was quickly edited and confusing - giving the audience a quick "Oh, what's going on" feel, which helps with horror trailers.

Which aspects of the trailer did you think were unsuccessful, and would put off its target audience? How is it disappointing?
There are a few aspects to this trailer that are not done well, such as humour, even though the film itself is filled with it, for a horrormovie trailer it kind of kills the atmosphere of panic that horror movies, especially Zombie ones, bring. Even if they are comedic in general, a sense of panic is key - the over use of humour kills this sense and dulls the affectiveness of the trailer.