“Pride and Prejudice and Zombies – Remix Example – Hayden Thompson

An example of remix (at once a  mashup and a parody) that is interesting because of the ways in which it is remix. If I may go down the list of 4 chief determining factors from the UM article…

First, the purpose and character of this work are of a commercial nature, which typically works against fair-use, but this is where it begins to be tricky. Jane Austen isn’t alive anymore to dispute any of this, and I wonder how well she would have received news of such a work in her living days. I believe, though, that the commercial nature of this particular work is a huge factor in introducing a broader audience to the work of Jane Austen in recreational and even educational contexts(although I’d probably have it on my downtime bookshelf in a classroom), which happens to be another major factor in determining fair use.

The volume of borrowed content is another important factor in deciding fair-use, so it’s wise that P&P&Z  credits Jane Austen as a co-author as it makes heavy use(necessarily) of substantial parts from Pride and Prejudice. Lastly, the intent of this work is creative, and not to use Jane Austen’s hard work to take money out of her pocketbook. While it may not be appealing to Austenian purists, it is an exceptionally creative re-imagining of a work with a previously more limited popular appeal.