You’ve Got Red on You is all about Shaun of the Dead, which is a film that holds a very special place in my heart. It was one of the first “mature” films I was ever allowed to see. I was only eleven back then when my brother first took me to see it. He made sure I promised not to tell my mom. Young as I was, the comedy flew over my head. But the extreme violence hooked me in immediately. It also happened to be the first zombie picture I ever saw, which then led to an obsession for the genre.
I am not alone in my love for Shaun of the Dead. Over the years, it has taken a deeply-rooted place in its specific archetype of films. Evolving from the once-considered dub of “cult classic”; it is now a mainstay in the discussion of best zombie-centric features in existence. Although fans may know that the idea first came into conception from a taxicab conversation, there always lacked a true behind the scenes look into this genre-defining film’s creation. This is what You’ve got Red on You attempts to remedy.
Four hundred plus pages of everything you never knew; You’ve Got Red on You is not just a labor of love. It is pure effort and research; including in-depth interviews with many of those involved in the film’s creation. In addition to director Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, there are also a variety of interviews with the producer Nira Park, actor Bill Nighy, and Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Even more famous super fans such as Tarantino, Zack Snyder, and Eli Roth speak on their love for the series.
The book also spends time highlighting the true behind the scenes struggles of the project. Between a tight budget and a string of script rejections; there were plenty of times where the project became nearly dead in the water. There are highlights of conversations and late pub nights that once filled the length of the shoot. Overall You’ve Got Red on You is a passion project within a passion project. It shows how much difference creativity and effort can make in the production of an idea. It also serves as a tell-all for how a low-budget zombie rom-com took the world by storm and made superstars out of nearly everyone involved in its creation.
You’ve Got Red on You debuted worldwide on October 19, 2021 from 1984 Publishing. Grab it from your local bookstore: Amazon, Barnes & Noble in the US, and Waterstones in the UK. Are you a Shaun of the Dead fan? Will you be picking up a copy? Sound off in the comments or send us your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!
