Directed by Simon Pegg, who plays PC Nicholas Angel in the film, and Edgar Wright, Hot Fuzz is a British action comedy which was very well received. Pegg, Wright and Nick Frost, who stars as PC Danny Butterman, had worked together on the critically acclaimed Shaun of the Dead. Nine weeks after Hot Fuzz opened it had earned nearly twice what Shaun of the Dead had made in the US. The storyline follows the ambitious PC Angel who, having been accused of making his colleagues look bad, is transferred from the London Metropolitan Police to what seems to be a relatively crime-free country town in rural Gloucester. It is here that he meets Danny Butterman, the son of the local inspector, Frank Butterman (Jim Broadbent) and his soon to be partner. After that a series of mysterious accidents begin to occur. Due to the popularity of Shaun of the Dead there was interest by Cate Blanchett (plays Jeanine [uncredited]), Jim Broadbent, Stephen Merchant (plays Peter Ian Staker), Garth Jennings (plays a Crack adict [uncredited]) and the Director, Peter Jackson (plays the thief dressed as Father Christmas [uncredited]) in playing cameo roles. Ten crew were used to develop the visual effect sequences. The destruction of the mansion was particularly complex but achieved by the use of strategically placed gas mortars whereas the explosion at the Sandford Police Station was depicted by exploding a miniature model of the building. Hot Fuzz was filmed at a number of locations in Hertfordshire, some of which are not accessible, but much of the filming was actually done in Wells (Somerset), Wright’s home town.

Release / Airing: 14/02/2007