Discover how a scrappy UK film revived the zombie genre with creativity and grit. Explore the production hurdles faced during filming and the inspiration behind the iconic portrayal of the 'Infected.' Hear about the unforgettable soundtrack that captured hearts and the dynamic performances that brought characters to life. The discussion delves into the film’s cultural impact and its legacy, revealing how it influenced modern horror and resonated with audiences even after a pandemic.
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insights INSIGHT
Dogma 95 Influence on Filmmaking
Danny Boyle embraced Dogma 95 principles to make a raw, stripped-down film.
This approach rejected big budgets and effects to focus on story, actor, and theme.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Cillian Murphy's Casting Story
Cillian Murphy auditioned five or six times before being cast in 28 Days Later.
He celebrated getting the role while queuing for a Ryanair flight.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Employ Athletes and Movement Directors
Use movement directors to choreograph unique creature behaviors in films.
Athletic performers can convey believable threat through physical power in roles like zombies.
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In this classic science fiction novel, a spectacular meteor shower causes widespread blindness, leading to the collapse of society. The protagonist, Bill Masen, who retains his sight due to being in the hospital with bandaged eyes, must navigate this new world. Along with a few other sighted survivors, including the novelist Josella Playton, Bill faces the dual threats of blind humans and the triffids, carnivorous plants that can move and kill with their poisonous stingers. The novel explores themes of survival, societal collapse, and the human response to catastrophic events, including bio-warfare and mass destruction, all set against the backdrop of Cold War paranoia.
The Hot Zone
A Terrifying True Story
Richard Preston
The Hot Zone tells the dramatic story of the appearance of rare and lethal viruses from the central African rain forest, including Ebola and Marburg viruses. The book is structured around several key events: the discovery of Marburg virus in the 1960s, the 1976 outbreak of Ebola Zaire in Sudan and Zaire, the 1989 outbreak of Reston virus in Northern Virginia, and the author's visit to a sub-Saharan cave suspected to be the natural host of Ebola. Preston's account is a hair-raising narrative that highlights the dangers and mysteries of these highly infectious and deadly viruses.
On The Beach
Nevil Shute
Published in 1957, 'On the Beach' is a tragic and introspective novel that follows the lives of a mixed group of people in Melbourne as they await the arrival of deadly radiation from the Northern Hemisphere. The story is set in 1963, a year after a worldwide nuclear war, and explores how each character copes with the impending doom. The main characters include Commander Dwight Towers, a U.S. Naval Officer, Peter Holmes, and Moira Davidson, among others. Despite the looming catastrophe, the characters continue their daily lives, engaging in activities such as gardening, socializing, and even organizing a car race. The novel highlights themes of self-destruction, the destructive relationship between humans and technology, and the importance of simple pleasures in the face of mortality. The title and epigraphs from T.S. Eliot's 'The Hollow Men' underscore the somber and reflective tone of the book[2][3][5].
How did a scrappy production out of the UK with little more than a dozen DV camcorders revive a decidedly dead genre and spark a renaissance with the recently departed? Join Chris and Lizzie as they explore Danny Boyle's lo-fi technically-not-a-zombie-movie-zombie-movie and learn why 100 buckets is never enough, the terror of Kiwi test screenings and why Danny Boyle couldn't wait to get Cillian Murphy shirtless.
*CORRECTIONS: The most violent news footage shown in the film's opening (executions, violence, etc.) was staged by Boyle and co., however, some early news footage of civil unrest is archival.
Naomie Harris was nominated for an Academy Award (Best Supporting Actress) for for her performance in "Moonlight", but she did not win.
The pilot at the end of the film is speaking Finnish, not American, and (faintly) says "Lähetätkö helikopterin?" which translates to "Will you send a helicopter?".
WHAT WENT WRONG 
