Out of all the snow-based horror films I could think of, one kept coming to mind. Tony Burgess’s Pontypool was an exceptional horror film that never got the love it deserved. While it may have received a physical release in 2009, very few people talked about it. A friend introduced me to this film in 2015 and I became obsessed with it. It wouldn’t be until Dead Meat released their Pontypool Kill Count, which currently sits on the verge of two million views, that it would have its much-needed comeuppance. It also helped that it was put on Shudder at some point around then.
Pontypool follows Grant Mazzy (Stephen McHattie), who was recently relocated to the small town of Pontypool after being fired from his long-time radio gig. He finds himself adjusting from his former shock jock life as he tries to build up an audience in this small town. He’s joined in the studio by his tech assistant, Laurel-Ann Drummond (Georgina Reilly), and his producer/station manager, Sydney Briar (Lisa Houle). Not too long into the broadcast, Grant receives a call from Ken Loney (Rick Roberts) in his Sunshine Chopper with troubling news. A horde of people have seemingly rioted into the office of Dr. Mendez (Hrant Alianak). What comes next is one of the most impressive and well-conceived zombie films of all time.
Pontypool is written by Tony Burgess, based on his novel Pontypool Changes Everything. Pontypool Changes Everythingis the second part in a trilogy with the first installment being The Hellmouths of Bewdley and the third being Caesarea; these novels were soon called The Pontypool Trilogy. Much like Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves, Pontypool Changes Everything seems unfilmable. It’s an incredibly unique and difficult novel that both itches and wrinkles your brain. Pontypool is a very loose adaptation of his own novel, but it gets all the boxes checked. Burgess’s novel is akin to Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange in overall reading difficulty. This novel is not a casual read. Burgess’s prose could definitely be a turnoff for casual readers. If you want to read Pontypool but don’t want to read Pontypool Changes Everything, there is a transcribed stage play that is incredibly fun and much easier for casual reading.
What makes Pontypool so intriguing is how the information regarding the zombie outbreak is disseminated. With this being a film about a radio show host, the majority of information regarding the zombies is told through calls to Grant from Ken (and a special appearance from another character but I won’t spoil who). Moreover, the infection isn’t spread directly through bites, instead it’s spread through words. The English language is infecting the residents of Pontypool. It should be noted that Pontypool director Bruce McDonald does not refer to the zombies as zombies; instead, they’re conversationalists. We’ll stick with calling them zombies for ease.
Pontypool releasing in 2008, is very important for the zombie subgenre. This is around the time the subgenre was taking over the shelves of Blockbuster and Walmart. I couldn’t go to one of these stores without seeing oversaturated shelves with low-budget, quick-turnout zombie films. Pontypool’s take on the subgenre was, in hindsight, uniquely refreshing. Burgess and McDonald give us a healthy dose of zombie action toward the end of the film, but Burgess edges the audience until there’s no other choice than to give us blood and action.
There’s nothing I can say regarding the spreading of the infection that hasn’t been said by people smarter than I, and that’s okay. If this novel or film was released today there would be heavy implications regarding why the infection is spread through language. Since I was just a wee lad when Burgess released his novel in 1998, I don’t necessarily know all the intricacies of what was happening politically at the time (I know a surface-level amount) but there’s no way you can read this novel or watch this film and not feel heavy undertones of social commentary. It also raises a very important question of just how quickly words can harm someone/a group of people. It’s like…a stand-up comedian being invited on stage by a presidential candidate and then calling a group of people in a certain U.S. Territory garbage.
Pontypool is a novel and film far ahead of its time. It will satiate the zombie lover who wants to see some flesh-ripping carnage and those who want a zombie story with deeper implications. (We don’t need to talk about the Christmas carol scene.) Plus, who doesn’t like seeing Stephen McHattie absolutely chewing the hell out of the scenery while drowning his sorrows deep in a bottle?
