Edgar Wright: The Definitive Guide To Homages, Influences And References

By Edward Owen /

The TV news reports Shaun and Ed watch feature Sky News anchor Jeremy Thompson announcing a fake bulletin concerning the dead returning to life. The phrasing he uses of €˜removing the head or destroying the brain€™ is a homage to Night of the Living Dead, as Thompson€™s lines are direct lifted from the film€™s TV reporter. Also, Thompson€™s role was originally a lot smaller, but Wright and Pegg were so impressed with how he handed such ludicrous news with a straight face that they gave him a bigger part, which included lines at the end of the film when Shaun flicks through the channels. The DVD commentary also reveals that the duo were aware of Thompson€™s previous work, with Pegg remarking €˜he€™s actually in Volcano, as well, if you€™re a Jeremy Thompson completist.€™

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