“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” by Seth Grahame-Smith and Jane Austen as a Pop Culture Recycling of Canon

Abstract

The article discusses the film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which is a reference to Jane Austen’s novel, and the problem of zombie characters as a factor modifying the reality of its original version. The analysis was carried out with reference to the plot design of the film, the way of creating heroes and the costumes within the framework of a costume movie in which the story was embedded. The aim of the article is to identify the causes and consequences of introducing undead characters to the world created by Jane Austen. The reasons for this treatment were the popularity of the zombie motif in popular culture, the tendencies to experiment with the reinterpretation of works considered classic and repeatedly processed earlier into the language of cinema, as well as an attempt to adapt them to the requirements of a contemporary recipient seeking strong impressions. In addition, the world of zombies is a manifestation of the popular aspirations to achieve an economic profit. Consequences of completing the world with the undead epidemic theme include changes in the current social order, brutalization and sexualization of relations between characters, as well as a return to the traditional film narration about women, presented primarily as aesthetic objects and a source of interest for male characters.