Bad Taste ** (1987, Terry Potter, Pete O’Herne, Craig Smith) – Classic Movie Review 8416

Debut director Peter Jackson’s 1987 New Zealand horror movie Bad Taste is junk food for the mind – no substance and too much ketchup, and it is so rare that it is still uncooked and bleeding.

Aliens want planet Earth as the latest stop in an intergalactic fast-food chain, with us as the fast-food, in the wildly out of control explosion of gut-wrenching gore and bad jokes.

Bad Taste is designed with cultdom in mind, but exploding innards and ugly aliens gobbling guts can probably only be made to work in small doses – at least best in small doses – and this whole film is an overdose in bad taste that fairly quickly outstays its welcome.

However, signs of imagination and talent can be discerned among the graphic gore.

The main cast are Terry Potter as Ozzy / 3rd Class Alien, Pete O’Herne as Barry / 3rd Class Alien, Craig Smith as Giles / 3rd Class Alien, Mike Minett, as Frank / 3rd Class Alien, Doug Wren as Lord Crumb and Dean Lawrie as Lord Crumb SPFX Double / 3rd Class Alien. Peter Jackson plays Robert, Minister and Derek, who must save the world with his chainsaw and kill all the aliens.

There are three versions: 91 minutes, 86 minutes (1989 video release) and 98 minutes (DVD).

Bad Taste is directed by Peter Jackson, runs 92 minutes, is made by WingNut Films and New Zealand Film Commission, is distributed by Blue Dolphin Film Distribution (UK), is written by Peter Jackson, Tony Hiles (additional material) and Ken Hammon (additional material), is shot by Peter Jackson, is produced by Peter Jackson and is scored by Michelle Scullion, with special effects by Peter Jackson.

Bad Taste is followed by Meet the Feebles, Braindead [Dead Alive], Heavenly Creatures, The Frighteners and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8416

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