A Good Zombie Is Hard To Find: Representations of Gender in "Shaun of the Dead"

by Gretchen Stull

Blending several film genres, 'Shaun of the Dead' is counted among a small but growing sub genre of film known as romantic zombie comedy. As such, it is uniquely suited for gender critique. This thesis answers the question, what gender messages does 'Shaun of the Dead,' a contemporary British film, communicate to American audiences? Containing all the defining filmic characteristics of the horror genre, with the added cinematic elements of both zombie horror and the romantic comedy sub genres, 'Shaun of the Dead' communicates gendered messages about the American sociocultural landscape that hold meaning for American movie-going audiences. Placing zombies in the ideological position of Other, the film depicts the tension and struggle among dominant and competing gender ideologies within the United States. Ultimately, this depiction serves to maintain and repair dominant American ideological values and power structures. Additionally, 'Shaun of the Dead' provides a commentary on the prevailing American sociocultural fears of the time period in which it was released, allowing audiences members to confront shared fears and overcome them onscreen.

152 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2010

About the author

A New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Gretchen wrote her Master's thesis on zombies. Technically, that makes her a professional zombologist. Remarkably, there isn't much work out there for a zombologist (yet!), so in the meantime, she writes. And writes. And writes. Sometimes, she even gets to write about zombies, so it all works out in the end.

Gretchen writes a mixture of paranormal romance, facebook status updates, and anything ending in the word punk (cyberpunk being her newest favorite). She has an unhealthy obsession with zombies, John Wayne movies, Marvel comic books, and avgolemono soup. She lives in Nashville with her extremely patient husband, completely impatient son, and two cats who may be plotting her demise.

Reviews

[Gretchen]

I've read this more times than anyone ever needs to while writing it, but it's up to other readers to decide the rating :)

NOTE: This is the published version of my master's thesis. Although it is about zombies and zombie movies, it is not a lighthearted, fun read. It's suited for those doing research in film/media, communication, sociology, and/or gender studies.