... This review is of his first full length film, Bad Taste, a revolting comedy sci-fi/horror film made to a shoestring budget. It was finished in 1987, but had been filmed over the course of several years. This review covers the film only, since my copy is on VHS.
The plot
The premise of this ... Read review
Advantages: Great film, funny, action-packed, dark comedy Disadvantages: Don't watch it if you don't like gore, violence
...his first full length film, Bad Taste, a revolting comedy sci-fi/horror film made to a shoestring budget. It was finished in 1987, but had been filmed over the course of several years. This review covers the film only, since my copy is on VHS.
===The plot=== The premise of this story is that aliens (lead by the evil Lord Crumb) have invaded the small New Zealand village of Kaihoro and have turned the local population into fast ... ...===Background about the film=== Bad Taste was filmed over several years whenever they had enough money to do some more shooting. This is most noticeable in the special effects, which get gradually much higher budget towards the end of the film. Initially, the aliens just look like humans in denim because that is all that could be afforded. Towards the end, when more money is available, the aliens take on their true gruesome forms.
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By now, after the immense success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, there can be very few people who like movies but who haven't heard of Kiwi film-maker Peter Jackson. But not all his films were made on such an epic scale and with such huge budget. This review is of his first full length film, Bad Taste, a revolting comedy sci-fi/horror film made to a shoestring budget. It was finished in 1987, but had been filmed over the course of several years. This review covers the film only, since my copy is on VHS.
The plot
The premise of this story is that aliens (lead by the evil Lord Crumb) have invaded the small New Zealand village of Kaihoro and have turned the local population into fast food. A visiting charity collector called Giles has been kidnapped and is shortly to be turned into food. All that can stop the aliens from moving on and taking over the country is a crack squad comprising Frank, Ozzy, Barry and Derek, four eccentric characters from the unfortunately named Astro Investigation and Defence Service (AIDS).The intrepid team are called in to investigate the mysterious goings on that seem to be concentrated around a large house. Mysterious denim-clad thugs who are disguised to look like humans, but who are really aliens are intent on taking them out. Can the heroes infiltrate the aliens' hideaway and foil their plot and save both the day and Giles? Obviously you'll have to watch to find out!
As the film goes on, our heroes get an increasingly impressive range of armaments to fight the alien interlopers ranging from guns to rocket launchers. These get more impressive towards the end of the film, because additional sources of funding for the film were found!
Do not underestimate the nastiness of the film - expect a lot of swearing, spurting blood, splattered brains and a whole host of other violent and gory special effects. The "gruel" scene in particular stands out from the rest of the film as being the most memorable, cringe-making and unutterably foul; this scene is where the famous line "Aren't I lucky, I got a chunky bit" comes from.
The cast
The lead actors in this film are Terry Potter,Pete O'Herne, Craig Smith, Mike Minett, Peter Jackson and Doug Wren. Most of the cast were friends of Peter Jackson rather than professional actors, and they gave up their weekends and holidays over the four years that the film was being made. Most of the cast take on varying roles - the protagonists are also in one or more baddie roles, where they don the wigs and the blue denim that the alien goon squad wears.
Jackson himself performs two differing roles - one as the rather deranged Derek "I'm a Derek and Dereks don't run" and another as a violent alien thug called Robert. In one memorable scene that showcases his talent at directing and special effects, Robert and Derek have a dramatic fight on a cliff. This was performed without expensive computer special effects and was done by use of careful shooting angles and body doubles.
Background about the film
Bad Taste was filmed over several years whenever they had enough money to do some more shooting. This is most noticeable in the special effects, which get gradually much higher budget towards the end of the film. Initially, the aliens just look like humans in denim because that is all that could be afforded. Towards the end, when more money is available, the aliens take on their true gruesome forms.The locations for this film were all near to Wellington, which is where the cast lived. If you do find yourself in the area, I can recommend a visit to nearby Makara Beach (a film location for Bad Taste) around sunset as the views are spectacular. Don't forget a jacket though, as it is very windy.
My take on the film
I first encountered Bad Taste eleven years ago at a film club evening. This was well before the Lord of the Rings, and I had never heard of Bad Taste or of Peter Jackson before, so I hadn't a clue what to expect. But I went along anyway since all my film buff friends were going and it was either tag along or (the horror!) go to the library and study. We all crammed into one tiny student bedroom, which had a television and a grainy video player with really bad tracking.
Knowing my friends as I did, I was expecting something highbrow, arty and very dull. How wrong I was! I was soon transfixed by the low budget mixture of action, adventure, comedy and gore. It was one of the most viscerally disgusting films that I had ever seen, but somehow I just couldn't bring myself to look away.
And so began my love for Jackson's films and for the comedy gore genre as a whole. In real life, I wince at the sight of blood and am frequently mocked in my karate club for my habit of covering my face any time we get shown a self defence technique involving eyes. And yet somehow I love this type of movie. My tip for watching: I make sure I have something to hide behind for the really gruesome parts. I usually use a jacket or cushion.
Summary
In conclusion, this movie is an example of comedy gore at its finest and shows that you don't need a high budget or well known actors to make a good movie. Do not underestimate the nastiness of this film. It is funny and extremely disgusting - make sure you have a blanket or coat to hide behind at some of the more gruesome moments, such as the gruel scene - yummy!
Advantages: low budget b-horror at its worst wich is at its most entertaining point Disadvantages: only for dedicated well trained fans
...lord of the rings trilogy? Bad taste therefor is together with "Braindead" material for moviepsychologists to analyse. This movie will never be embraced by the big public but is in a different way also considered to be a classic in my eyes. A gore splatter extravaganza ending up in a heroic struggle between the AIDS team (Astro Investigation and Defence Service) and some ugly basterds from out of space o, search for some new meat to make intergalactic ... ...is a perfect example of bad taste but hey who cares? Myself being a b-horror addict would recommend it to all hardcore horror fans. For other people it can be interesting to see the first movie of Peter Jackson. People that don't like mainstream horror probably wont like this one neither. movie details: duration : 98 minutes year: 1987 directed by Peter Jackson featuring Peter Jackson and others special dvd features: scene selections / making of ...
sidhartha83 20.06.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Bad Taste (DVD)
Peter Jackson's very first movie, Bad Taste is an action/comedy/zombie/sci fi cult gore-fest in which Lord Crumb, a flabby fast-food restaurant propierter from beyond the stars, invades a fictional New Zealand town to harvest meat for their franchise. A four-man paramilitary organization known as 'The Boys' are sent to investigate. The film was filmed on weekends over the course of four years, so when it starts, it has a very low budget and looks ... ...the movie however, it seems to pick up a considerable budget and employs reasonably impressive costumes and effects. The acting remains terrible throughout however, but along with the cliche` expressions and excessive gore and guns used throughout, it all adds to the film's charm. It drags a little in places, but seeing slaughtered humans in cardboard boxes, heads exploding, and sheep been blown up with RPGs makes for quite a few satisfying payoffs. ...
Mutalisk 17.07.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Bad Taste (DVD)
Advantages: funny, enjoyable Disadvantages: no nude chicks!
An excellent debut from one of cinema's most noticeable names, tho I personally think Peter Jacksons comedy gore flicks such as this are more entertainin by miles than the hobbit-gorilla ones. The over the top limb rippage to the ameture feel of acting are not only a chuckle to watch, but inspirin to any future film makers, as if Peter can do it, why cant anyone else?
This is a highly enjoybale film, aliens, blood splatter, vomit eating, flying ... ...You'll also notice from the film making side - a group of friends having fun with homemade effects, a great success story as mr Jackson went on to strength to strength after this. Before he went cgi crazy, you'll spot a knack for good old fashioned live make up effects.
For fans of mindless fun, comical gore, Evil Deads, Braindead, ET.
Three thumbs up! ...
the.martin 21.09.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Bad Taste (DVD)
Advantages: Gorefest Disadvantages: Not for the weak stomached
Peter Jackson's debut as screenwriter and director is an hilarious and frequently disgusting B movie parody of a coastal town taken over by Lord Crumb and his army of alien invaders, who are planning to harvest humans for an intergalactic chain of fast-food restaurants. But Derek (Jackson) and his mates from AIDS (the Astro Investigation and Defense Service) are sent in by the government to destroy the enemy at all costs and ensure the survival of ...
kerrieryall 11.10.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful Review of Bad Taste (DVD)
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Advantages: Twisted humor, highly imaginative, gory and inventive Disadvantages: Amateurish filmmaking (although that's part of its charm). Niche
New Zealand filmmaking sensation Peter Jackson, who won over the hearts of the masses with his epic 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy, started out in humble beginnings. Extremely humble in fact. His first film, 'BadTaste' was originally conceived as a short that Jackson started making with his mates when struggling for things to do in their mundane, small town surroundings. It was a project that occupied the weekends, four years worth of weekends as it turned out with Jackson planning out scenes to shoot during the week. He constantly added new elements to the story and before he knew it he was on his way to making a fully fledged feature and with a little help from the New Zealand Film Commission got funding to end his pet project in style.
When the population of a small New Zealand town mysteriously disappears, the Astro ...
Markula 30.06.2009
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Bad Taste (DVD)
Advantages: A great budget film, well thought out and certainly a good start for Peter Jackon Disadvantages: It's no Lord Of The Rings but then it was a lot cheaper
only appeared in films Peter made. I thought though that when you consider all the factors that went into making the film the acting is pretty good.
As I mentioned if you are looking for a serious well made film then BadTaste certainly isn?t a film for you. If however you are looking for an easy going splat film then this will be a good choice. It?s ideal viewing for 3am when you?ve just stumbled back from a club to sit and enjoy with your cheesy chips. It?s not a great film but it certainly is enjoyable and lets face it every director has to start somewhere. I will warn you though there are some rather horrid moments throughout the film, dead people n boxes anyone??
Available from amazon.co.uk on DVD for £7.98 ...
Andy.mack 04.10.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Bad Taste (DVD)
Advantages: Great comedy. Does not take itself seriously. Disadvantages: If you cannot stand gore, you will find it hard to watch.
instants: such as Oz firing a rocket towards a balcony where Lord Crumb is located, only to miss and accidentally blow up a lone sheep, behind the house.
If you are susceptible to gore, then you should avoid BadTaste, no matter how funny I personally think it is; people eating raw brain fibre with a spoon, aliens drinking a ceremonial basin of green puke, Derek loosing the back section of his brains... the list goes on.
The DVD extras are featureless, but there again it does not really matter.
You get the film and a chapter selection... that's it.
And that's all you need anyway.
If you are familiar with Meet the Feebles and Braindead, then you should enjoy BadTaste too.
*
(Written by myself - no violation, no lifting, no breach of copyright) ...
gantzgraf 22.08.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Bad Taste (DVD)
After working on this movie for more than four years on an extremely tight budget (and with a cast and crew consisting only of himself and a group of close friends), filmmaker Peter Jackson eventually completed it with the help of the New Zealand Film Commission, who were very impressed with what they'd seen so far of Jackson's first cinematic effort. In BAD TASTE, a small New Zealand coastal town is taken over by the extraterrestrial Lord Crumb and his army of alien invaders, who are planning to harvest the inhabitants for an intergalactic chain of fast-food restaurants. But Derek (Jackson) and his mates from AIDS (the Astro Investigation and Defense Service) are sent in by the government to destroy the enemy at all costs and ensure the survival of mankind. With plenty of gross-out shock effects, grotesque humanoid aliens, and high camp value, it's easy to see why this film became a cult favorite and a big hit on the midnight-movie scene. Jackson would go on to direct the ultragory DEAD ALIVE, the acclaimed drama HEAVENLY CREATURES, and one of the greatest trilogies in cinema history THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
After working on this movie for more than four years on an extremely tight budget (and with a cast and crew consisting only of himself and a group of close friends), filmmaker Peter Jackson eventually completed it with the help of the New Zealand Film Commission, who were very impressed with what they'd seen so far of Jackson's first cinematic effort. In BAD TASTE, a small New Zealand coastal town is taken over by the extraterrestrial Lord Crumb and his army of alien invaders, who are planning to harvest the inhabitants for an intergalactic chain of fast-food restaurants. But Derek (Jackson) and his mates from AIDS (the Astro Investigation and Defense Service) are sent in by the government to destroy the enemy at all costs and ensure the survival of mankind. With plenty of gross-out shock effects, grotesque humanoid aliens, and high camp value, it's easy to see why this film became a cult favorite and a big hit on the midnight-movie scene. Jackson would go on to direct the ultragory DEAD ALIVE, the acclaimed drama HEAVENLY CREATURES, and one of the greatest trilogies in cinema history THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
