Shaun of the Dead is undeniably one of the all-time great horror comedies. While certainly a comedy first and foremost, Shaun of the Dead contains a surprising amount of horrific elements that safely nestle it within the horror genre.

When it was released in 2004,Shaun of the Deadearned widespread acclaim for its performances, writing, directing, and seamless blending of genres. Today, it is widely considered a cult classic and one of the greatest horror-comedies ever released.

For Halloween, let's celebrate its legacy by remembering both the hilarious and the gruesome.

10 Scariest: David's Death

One of the scariest scenes of the movie, and certainly the goriest, concerns poor David. After the massive argument (and trying to murder Shaun), David makes his way to the pub's window in an attempt to escape. However, the zombies get to him first, pull him through the window, and literally tear him apart limb from limb.

It could be a reference to Rhodes's demise in Day of the Dead, as that too involves a particularly grisly disemboweling. While Shaun obviously takes it to the extreme, it is nevertheless a deeply disturbing series of events.

9 Funniest: "It's Alright."

Edgar Wright is a master director, and this is perfectly encapsulated in the introductory sequence of Shaun of the Dead. He manages to make expositional dialogue and character introductions extremely entertaining through his directing and editing.

After Liz mentions Ed, the camera pans to the nearby Ed playing a video game, who fittingly remains lingering in the following shot. And then Shaun mentions David and Di, revealing Liz's flatmates (with a particularly funny sound effect) sitting at the table. It's wickedly funny and a bit of filmmaking genius.

8 Scariest: Shaun Kills His Mum

Shaun of the Dead gets quite serious in its final third – like Shaun having to commit matricide. Shaun notices his mother's bite and hauntingly realizes the outcome. Meanwhile, the others simply stand there and weep as they watch Shaun cry over his dying mother.

The entire sequence is quite unsettling, as it perfectly captures the fear and tragedy of the situation. The scene ramps up the scary when Barbara stands up, fully zombified. Her eyes are white and glazed over, and she makes a creepy groaning noise as she stares at the group.

7 Funniest: The Plan Montage

Once again showing off Edgar Wright's brilliance is the famous Phil montage. Not only is it expertly edited and written, but it's also wickedly funny, as each segment of the plan gets progressively simpler as Shaun runs out of patience and time.

The funniest bit involves killing Philip, going from "We take care of Philip" to "deal with Philip" to simply "kill Phil." This is mirrored in Shaun's dialogue within the montage itself, progressing from a sympathetic "I'm so sorry, Philip" to a more passive "Sorry Philip" to a coldly uncaring "Sorry!" It's brilliant stuff.

6 Scariest: Witnessing The Carnage

Shaun of the Dead is a comedy, but it portrayed the whole "character witnesses the extent of the carnage" sequence in quite an eerie and disturbing fashion. After leaving the house, Shaun and Ed listen to a news broadcast about the zombie uprising.

It makes for unsettling background noise as Shaun witnesses various terrifying events around the neighborhood, like neighbors running from a house (and a zombie catching one of the escapees), a body bag writhing on the gurney, and a horde of zombies walking along a field. It's genuinely terrifying.

5 Funniest: Fence Hopping

One of the movie's more famous sequences involves Shaun and a particularly unstable fence. While taking a shortcut through a neighborhood, Shaun decides to act cool and confident in front of David and hop a fence.

However, the fence simply collapses underneath him, sending Shaun tumbling to the ground. It's a silly bit of slapstick, but it works. In fact, it proved so popular that the "fence gag" became a recurring joke throughout the Cornetto trilogy, with Simon Pegg taking two of the three falls.

4 Scariest: The Zombie Shuffle

The zombie shuffle is primarily played for laughs, as each character is doing something different. Ed is performing poorly, and Barbara is barely doing anything at all – the joke being that she's too preoccupied with having been bitten that she passes as a mindless zombie.

However, the scene is also quite tense. The zombies themselves are well made-up, and some look directly into the camera, placing the viewer within the larger group and their precarious situation. The eerie music playing throughout the sequence certainly doesn't help.

3 Funniest: Record Throwing

Shaun of the Dead isn't a parody so much as it is a funny send-up of the zombie genre. But this scene proves one of the main exceptions. Hearing that they need to "remove the head or destroy the brain," and not having a gun on hand, Shaun and Ed decide to fight the zombies with utensils, jars, plates, a plastic basket, a toaster, and records.

It's a hilarious parody of zombie movies and its reliance on guns, portraying the outbreak in a far more realistic and weapon-less fashion. The funniest scenes are often the most relatable.

2 Scariest: Shaun Reveals The Zombies

Following the tense walk to the Winchester, the film takes a bit of a break as the characters get comfortable in their new surroundings. That is, until Shaun attempts to fiddle with the breakers and watch television. He accidentally flips the light switch outside, revealing a handful of bloody zombies outside the window.

It's not a jump scare, but it is surprising and makes for a disquieting visual. The ominous music also begins to play, letting the viewers know that the Winchester has been thoroughly compromised.

1 Funniest: Dealing With Mary

Before the record fiasco, Shaun and Ed are forced to deal with their first zombie, a grocery store employee named Mary. Thinking she's just a drunk, Shaun and Ed playfully toy around with her before Mary jumps on Shaun. Ed's first reaction isn't to help his friend, but to go inside and grab the camera.

When she approaches Shaun again, he pushes her away and directly onto a piece of metal that goes through her stomach. Their resulting shocked faces is one of the funniest visuals of the entire movie.

NEXT: 10 Best Moments Of Foreshadowing In Shaun Of The Dead

Next 10 Best LGBTQ+ Couples In Teen Movies

About The Author

Nathan Sharp (852 Articles Published)

Nathan Sharp is a writer from outside Toronto, Ontario. He has a love of movies and television, having enjoyed them for more than twenty years. His preferences include drama, action, and horror, with the former being a particular point of interest and fascination. He also has a love of video games, particularly those of Rockstar. Whether it be about film, television, or video games, Nathan loves a good discussion and has written hundreds of articles for Screen Rant.

More From Nathan Sharp