50 Movie Death Scenes That Left You TRAUMATISED

Without question, one of the most beloved, and undeniably quintessential British comedy movies is Shaun of the Dead. This was the original zom-com, buoyed by the peerless chemistry between Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and director Edgar Wright, as well as the latter's outstanding knack for storytelling and foreshadowing.

Much like Zombieland, the bulk of the film is rather silly, in the best way possible. It takes a zombie apocalypse and makes it funny, as the narrative revolves around Shaun (Pegg) trying to keep his friends and family safe from harm.

This may have lulled audiences into a false sense of security, because there are two harrowing scenes in particular that did not follow the tone of the rest of the film. The first is the emotional moment between Shaun and his step-dad after the latter was bitten, but this is nothing compared to the death of Shaun's mother, Barbara (Penelope Wilton). 

The scene has everything. The discovery that Barbara has been bitten, the heartbreaking goodbye from Shaun, and David (Dylan Moran) insisting that she be shot to stop her from coming back, before Shaun ultimately has to put her down himself. All this was driven by the fact that Simon Pegg is a phenomenal dramatic actor, and it is the stand-out scene in a film that has so many stand-out scenes.