Pontypool, the 2008 Canadian zombie thriller, was inspired by the Orson Welles’ radio broadcast of War of the Worlds. Adapted by Tony Burgess from his novel, Pontypool Changes Everything, the claustrophobic cult film shares a few intriguing elements with the famous 1938 radio program.
After a successful theatrical run in Canada, Pontypool was released direct-to-video in the U.S. a year later. Though it received little promotion, the positive critical reception peaked interest once it was available for streaming. Director Bruce McDonald, who had dozens of eclectic film and television credits to his name, created an intense and involved thriller with a small cast and restricted setting. Released the same year as the high profile Dawn of the Dead remake, Pontypool’s flesh-eating zombie hordes are mainly illustrated through dialogue and sound, offering a very different cinematic experience in the process.
The plot of Pontypool, which varies greatly from the novel, is deceptively simple. Shock jock Grant Mazzy (Stephen McHattie) arrives at work while a riot in town begins to escalate. He and his assistant, Laurel-Ann (Georgina Reilly), become increasingly concerned as they listen to their helicopter reporter, Ken, offer disturbing details on the violence before being disconnected. He manages to call them back, describing the rioters actions as they attempt to eat each other—and themselves. Grant and the few employees in the small radio station eventually learn that a virus spread through the English language is turning people into cannibalistic aggressors. Eventually, the station is bombarded by the diseased while inside, the virus begins to infect the station employees.
Pontypool Was Inspired By The Famous Orson Welles’ Broadcast
Canada has a rich history in the horror genre, which hit a peak in the late 1970’s when “tax shelter films” were being produced in huge numbers. Between 1975 and 1982, Canadian feature film investors were allowed to deduct 100% of their investment from their taxable income. This mandate created a huge increase in film production, especially in the horror genre. Films like Pontypool could be sold successfully without huge names attached, allowing for small budgets with the potential for large grosses. David Cronenberg’s early films, including Shivers and The Brood, were made with this incentive. However, soon after it was revoked, the number of Canadian films produced every year was greatly reduced.
By the mid 2000’s, indie productions like Pontypool had become an anomaly. Novelist Burgess, whose book source is actually the second in a horror trilogy, had an idea on how to generate suspense on a small budget. He used the famous Orson Welles’ radio broadcast of War of the Worlds as a template, cleverly incorporating audio of all the action happening outside the station. Sort of an inverse of the radio play, the people in the studio are hearing the disturbing audio. Director McDonald followed the cues and made the most of the “radio drama” aspects, relying more on implied violence and emphasizing the terrifying exchanges of the victims outside. Critics lauded the decision to keep the action inside the radio station; creating a chilling, claustrophobic intensity.
Satisfied with this way of translating his book, Burgess also created a radio play of Pontypool the same year. Basically an edit of all the audio from the film, it’s a condensed version of the story with a different ending. While the radio version isn’t available, an unabridged Audible Audiobook of the novel can be purchased online.
