Film on Vinyl: Shaun of the Dead

Welcome to another installment of Film on Vinyl, Joe Donohue’s column that celebrates the blending of his love for film and music by reviewing and dissecting movie soundtracks pressed on the oh-so-sweet vinyl record. Next up on the playlist: Mondo's release of the "Shaun of the Dead" soundtrack.

Every once in a while a movie comes along that proves that you don’t need a massive budget to entertain the crap out of audiences. Such is the case with Edgar Wright’s “Shaun of the Dead.” Back in 2004, this little gem beautifully blended horror, comedy and romance all into one delectable package, and Wright’s dim-witted, but lovable characters have had our hearts ever since.

I can remember the year that “Shaun of the Dead” came out. I was working at a movie theater, and unfortunately I was one of the last people to see the film. All of my co-workers kept quoting lines and talking about this hilarious new film, so I knew I had to see the film before it was completely ruined for me. After the credits rolled, I didn’t really know what to say, and honestly, I was a little disappointed.

It wasn’t really until my second viewing that my eyes were really opened. I sat back and looked for every little nuance, and inside jokes that I could find, and it was during this viewing that I truly fell in love with Shaun and Ed. What I also loved about this film was its score. The interesting mix of hip-hop … wait, make that electro, and eerie music made for a truly haunting and unique score.

When Mondo announced that they would be selling “Shaun of the Dead” soundtrack on vinyl, I knew I had to have it. So, I purchased one of those soundtracks and have never been happier.

Packaging:

Mondo is fantastic at handpicking the perfect artists to craft one-of-a-kind album covers for their releases. “Shaun of the Dead” boasts stunning artwork by the artist Jock, which perfectly captures the essence of one of the best moments of the film. Shaun is standing on top of a phone booth surrounded by a sea of the undead. Everything outside of Shaun is a brownish tint to really help accentuate the titular hero. The style of art also wonderfully captures the essence of classic horror posters.

What really elevates this piece to a whole other level is the center art. It’s here that you’re greeted to a bevy of the film’s signature zombies all reaching out to snack on your cerebellum. While the album art is quite legendary, this vinyl piece only gets better as you move inward. While the record is available in classic black, Mondo also produced an ale-colored record, and a strawberry-swirl vinyl.

Tracks:

Few soundtracks really complement their film as much as the score to “Shaun of the Dead.” Daniel Mudford and Pete Woodhead’s zany and irreverent score perfectly evokes the film’s spirit. One minute you’re listening to some poppy song that you can’t help but bob your head to, and the next you’re slapped in the face with a track that chills you to your very core. That’s what makes this score so special.

While this score has a mountain of tracks, there are a few that really stick out in my mind. "Cornetto Quest," "The Z Word / There’s a Girl in the Garden" and "Pint of No Return" are just a few of my favorites. It’s really very hard to pick just one because every single track brings up vibrant memories of the film as soon as the first notes hit my ears.

Thoughts in a nutshell:

Mondo’s release of the “Shaun of the Dead” soundtrack is nothing less than brilliant. I have yet to find a Mondo release that I didn’t outright love, and I couldn’t be any happier to have this soundtrack as a piece of my collection. Bravo, Mondo. Bravo!

Until next time, make sure you’re using the appropriate cartridge. Remember to always spin responsibly.

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