Edgar Wright: The Definitive Guide To Homages, Influences And References
Wright and Pegg admitted consciously attempting to stuff Hot Fuzz with as many action clichés as possible, informing themselves using Roger Eberts Bigger Little Movie Glossary, which provides fine detail of all action film scenarios. These include having a character wake up in a dark hotel room and flick on the light switch without having to fumble for it something Angel does in the Castle Hotel and giving an object which saves a characters life undue attention (Angels notebook). However, one of the main ones is the cliché about minor characters who know a disproportionate amount of information, and according to the DVD commentary, Wright believes that Hot Fuzzs Leslie Tiller follows in this trope like characters in Chinatown and JFK before her. Danny jumping in front of Nicholas to take Tom Weavers blunderbuss shot is another action cliché when a hero will sacrifice himself and take a bullet for someone else. Wright is providing a homage from among other films In The Line of Fire, The Last Boy Scout and, of course, Hard Boiled.