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Australian Peter Jackson was mostly unknown when he was signed to helm the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Jackson had directed only six films previously, and only "Heavenly Creatures" and "The Frighteners" found some commercial success in the United States. His other films included "Forgotten Silver" and cult classics "Bad Taste," "Meet the Feebles" and "Dead Alive." In his earlier films, Jackson showed a prowess towards making disgustingly gory and disgustingly funny low-budget pictures. After ten years, his efforts have paid off and he is now the man behind a trilogy that will become one of the most lucrative in Hollywood history.
Jackson´s "Bad Taste" is a far cry from the ultra-budgeted "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. "Bad Taste" was shot on weekends between 1983 and 1987. It starred himself and only his friends. As his paychecks would allow, he would work on his film. It took years, and when the New Zealand Film Commission saw promise in the work he was doing, they supplied enough funding for him to finish his picture. Jackson outlined the story, but much of the performances in the film were improvisational. He had worked as a special effects person, and his talents showed in "Bad Taste" and what he gambled on as a chance to make it in filmmaking paid off.
The twisted story of "Bad Taste" has an extraterrestrial fast food company coming to Earth to collect some ingredients for what is to become the hottest food in the universe. We humans are the ingredients they seek and a small Australian town is where they gather the brains they desire. The National Investigation and Defense Service is called in when the citizens of a town begin to disappear. Derek (Peter Jackson), Ozzy (Terry Potter), Barry (Peter O´Herne) and Frank (Mike Minett) arrive on the scene to investigate. Derek and Ozzy have captured the alien Robert (Peter Jackson in his second role of the film) and eliminated a few others. They wind up finding the alien stronghold and rescuing Giles (Craig Smith) from an alien stew. They also discover the hideous plot of the aliens and must do what they can to stop them.
I will certainly give Jackson credit for his original story and twisted sense of humor. The film was heavily laced with gore and other disgusting moments. From eating vomit, to consuming brains with silverware, the film´s story is never quite sane. The film never settles into a role of being a horror film. Instead, it plays with slapstick humor and its excessive gore assists it in achieving the desired final product. "Bad Taste" has many moments that live up to its title, but never is there a time when what occurs on the screen is too harsh to stomach or to gruesome to witness. The effects achieved by Jackson are very well done for what little budget he could afford for the film.
Considering this is effectively a home movie and was shot on 16mm equipment, the final product is astounding. The feel and cult following of this film reminds me heavily of Sam Raimi´s debut film, "Evil Dead." Jackson shows his talent in this early picture and after seeing "Lord of the Rings," I feel his talent was not utilized to its fullest in that trilogy. This is a man with an incredible imagination and a very unique voice in the world of filmmaking. I cannot wait to see what he conjures up after bringing Tolkien´s books to the big screen. I hope it is as twisted and unique as "Bad Taste."
This is not a film for everybody. To watch "Bad Taste," you must possess a funny bone that is at least mildly twisted. If you have a liking for the unusual, then "Bad Taste" should be highly appealing. I have always had a slightly twisted outlook on life and what I consider funny. "Bad Taste" made me laugh hard more than a few times. The concept of having an intergalactic fast food joint collect us for food was also a real gem. If you ever pulled the wings off a fly or chuckled at the thought of your neighbor´s dog playing on the turnpike, this is certainly for you. If odd and unusual is welcome and gore does not upset, this is for you too.
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