1. Emily Kelly
Learning Aim A
Comparison Essay – Zombie Land and Sing Street
Within this essay, I amgoing to compare the horror film Zombie Land and the musical
comedy movie Sing Street. Zombie Land was realised on September 25th 2009 and Sing
Street was realised in 2016. In this essay, I will be including narrative, genre and generic
conventions, audience expectation and the use of cinematic techniques in the different
films.
The Narrative in Zombie Land uses the Five act structure- act 1, 2,3,4,5 and broadly linear
narrative. This also includes character flashback, as there is a small cast of characters. One
main positive trend- get to pacific play land/ find a twinkle. In addition, Zombie Land is fit in
with Real word setting with zombie’s real world. It is also about a group of people becoming
together to fight against the situation they are faced with the zombies and overcoming
difficulties. However, Sing Street is about a boy who has moved to a new school and meets a
girl who changes him. The narrative In Sing Street is five-act structure, linear narrative.
There is also large cast of characters- school setting, which leads to more narrative threads-
a number of backgrounds. Each character has stories hinted. This is also real word settings,
however fantasy music videos.
Both films can be seen in terms of Todorov ideas of narrative structure. Zombie lands
equilibrium is not pre zombie stage with Columbus methods of survival. Sing streets
equilibrium is broken is when the films opens. This makes Connor realise he will need ways
of surviving and then changes when he sees the girls he likes. This is shown through Connor
trying to get the girl. This then takes him to leaving his failed family behind and set off to
start anew.
The genre and generic conventions of Zombie Land is Monsters- Zombies – comedy- Horror.
It is set most at night and some in the day. It is also represented through not the monster
but just the monster and shows how the monster can be appeared in a different genre
rather than horror as the typical genre. However sing streets genre and generic conventions
is Music/Songs throughout mixed with Show and performance through Romance and
fantasy sequences during songs.
Both films have similar audience expectations but in different ways. In Zombie Land as it is a
horror film, we would expect to lose some of the characters along the way. The audience
expectation for Zombie Land is teenagers and adults. Whilst Sing street audience
expectation is also teenagers. Zombie Land does show this with the death of Bill Murray.
However in Sing Street, we don’t lose any of the characters but Connor does leave his family
behind. Also in the end of Sing Street, it is left on Connor and his girlfriend on the sea.
The micro elements of Zombie land is rules displayed within 3d text. Meanwhile Sing Street
is music overlapping/ Non diagetic sound over diagetic sound. In zombie land this is shown
in the scene when Columbus is talking about surviving from the Zombies when has talking
about each step. Whilst Sing Street uses non diagetic sound in the scene when Connor is
singing drive it like you stole it.
2. Emily Kelly
Learning Aim A
The purpose of Zombie Land is to make money. This is done by making copies and sells to
make profit. It is also to entertain and it is the scare and makes the audience laugh as it is
the product of the film. The film is made to come across as funny more than serious. This is
shown throughout the film between the two main characters, Columbus and Tallahassee.
This is also being represented to the audience as a different type of film compared to
others. Comedy horror genre- the two genres come across as something different. However
sing streets purpose is to make money by selling different soundtracks. The genre of Sing
Street is Musical. It is a National film industry in Ireland, Dublin and the song would need to
sell the entire song soundtrack made.
The messages and values of Zombie land is how to be prepared for a zombie apocalypse and
the sing street messages and values is about romance and finding yourself. In zombie land
the flashback scene when the woman next door turns into a zombie, this is also used with
Columbus when fighting the zombies away. However in Sing Street, the drive it like you
stole it scene a, it becomes a fantasy and then the Mise en scene changes and the
characters that are mainly problems throughout the film disappear.
Both films are very similar when trying to achieve a message going across to the audience.
Sing street is showing that you should always chase and follow your dreams and to never
give up. It also shows that if you are having any issues that may include family, it is also
telling the audience that you can work through any issues and still achieve something. This
is also showing that if you truly have passion for something, anything is possible if you keep
trying and keep going with that passion.
Whilst zombie land is showing that you have to work hard in order to achieve something
and also to never give up. Zombie land is showing to also be brave and find different ways to
achieve something if it doesn’t go right the first time. This can then suggest that meeting
new people and removing yourself from your comfort zone can lead to you being a wiser
and stronger person. This is also showing that you can fight against anything if you have the
right mindset and the power to carry on and also the ability to quick thinking and quick
responses.
The technical ways of both films are similar but give the different audiences and film what
they want to see/ except. They both focus on the key tension in both films and the
viewpoints of characters. In zombie land it shows how they fought against the zombies and
in Sing Street it shows how music is a way to forget problems and imagine that everything is
fine. Each films use different camera angles to create tension. An example of this is in
Zombie land when the zombies appeared and there was a close up of Columbus and then a
sound effect to further create suspense leading to action packed scene.
Both films have been very successful. Both audiences from the films liked the content that
was produced and how it was represented. Zombie land made over $60.8 million in 17 days
and Sing Street made $13.6 million overall. Zombie Land was successful because of how the
producers brought a horror film and comedy together as one and how it was represented to
the audience. As a viewer who has watched zombie land, I enjoyed how the two genres
were brought together and how the comedy was brought out from the characters which
made me laugh. As the audience loved zombie land so much, it was nominated for 18
3. Emily Kelly
Learning Aim A
awards and won 5 of them. Sing Street was also a success due to how much profit they
made on the film. Their budget for Sing Street was 4 million. Sing street met their purpose
of a musical which I also enjoyed as a viewer and how to songs were cooperated into the
scenes and how the music flowed throughout.
