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Last night, we went to see the "gala preview"[0] of Hot Fuzz.
Hot Fuzz is Simon Pegg and Nick Frost doing cop films. It has elements of the traditional US cop movie, including Bad Boys II and Point Break (both referenced), but those are the only real bits that US audiences will understand. A lot more of the film is taking the piss out of traditionally British police drama: Dixon of Dock Green is an obvious target, as are the Sunday Night Specials[2] like Midsommer Murders. Crimes are unthinkable in a small town, people just have accidents, a police officer must attend the church fete, et al. Of course, then it hits high gear. From the moment Simon Pegg's character runs a Land Rover off the road and drop-kicks a granny, the mood shifts. Adrenaline hits. There's guns. Lots of guns. Even more guns than that.
In short: Dixon of Dock Green meets the League of Gentlemen with Rambo's ammo budget and Shaun of the Dead's irreverant piss-taking. Glorious.
[0]: A tenner-a-ticket event, with a free Shaun of the Dead DVD for attendees, ten days before the official release. "Preview" I can understand, but "gala"? These people[1] just pluck words out of a dictionary based on how they sound, rather than anything like the word's meaning.
[1]: Advertisers, marketers, and any of the other soulless humanities graduates that pollute the world by their very presence.
[2]: A particular genre of detective programmes set in the Home Counties, where people are killed among beautiful gardens and stately homes and the only mystery is whether the head of the Women's Institute is really as old as the camera makes her look. A kind of televisual opium, designed to sate the viewers on a Sunday night
Hot Fuzz is Simon Pegg and Nick Frost doing cop films. It has elements of the traditional US cop movie, including Bad Boys II and Point Break (both referenced), but those are the only real bits that US audiences will understand. A lot more of the film is taking the piss out of traditionally British police drama: Dixon of Dock Green is an obvious target, as are the Sunday Night Specials[2] like Midsommer Murders. Crimes are unthinkable in a small town, people just have accidents, a police officer must attend the church fete, et al. Of course, then it hits high gear. From the moment Simon Pegg's character runs a Land Rover off the road and drop-kicks a granny, the mood shifts. Adrenaline hits. There's guns. Lots of guns. Even more guns than that.
In short: Dixon of Dock Green meets the League of Gentlemen with Rambo's ammo budget and Shaun of the Dead's irreverant piss-taking. Glorious.
[0]: A tenner-a-ticket event, with a free Shaun of the Dead DVD for attendees, ten days before the official release. "Preview" I can understand, but "gala"? These people[1] just pluck words out of a dictionary based on how they sound, rather than anything like the word's meaning.
[1]: Advertisers, marketers, and any of the other soulless humanities graduates that pollute the world by their very presence.
[2]: A particular genre of detective programmes set in the Home Counties, where people are killed among beautiful gardens and stately homes and the only mystery is whether the head of the Women's Institute is really as old as the camera makes her look. A kind of televisual opium, designed to sate the viewers on a Sunday night
