Video:
As I said earlier, "Bad Taste" was shot entirely on 16mm film. Peter Jackson went as far as building his own steadi-cam. It was also shot over a period of four years and the resulting film has the same look throughout the entire picture and never once comes across as a home movie. The film is presented in 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen. To keep the movie friendly to 16x9 televisions, it has black bars to the right and left of the frame. This gives a more appropriate 1.78:1 aspect ratio. I thought this was a very intelligent decision. The resulting picture is nicely detailed, exhibits bright and vivid colors, shows deep blacks and is completely free of digital artifacts. There are a few rare moments where source material blemishes are apparent and film grain is present, but minimal. There are some pats on the back deserved for this one.
Audio:
Anchor Bay has provided all the latest and greatest when it comes to audio options. Both Dolby Digital EX and DTS ES are selectable. A Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround mix is thrown in as well. The problem with these soundtracks is, however, the nature of the films original source materials. This film was shot for next to nothing in monetary value and no matter what you do, you can never make a soundtrack for a film like "Bad Taste" sound great without making an entirely new soundtrack. The sound is clean. The New Zealand accents are strong and intelligible. But, the rear channels are nearly silent, as is the .1 LFE and the center channel only conveys dialogue. This is clearly not the fault of the remastering, but the fact that you just can´t do much with what was originally present.
Extras:
First and foremost, I must praise the tri-fold packaging of "Bad Taste." A clear plastic sleeve holds everything together. The front cover has a holographic effect that shows the alien holding up either one or two fingers (in a non-friendly manner). What is noteworthy is how the center hub holds the disc in place. The new mechanism locks the disc in place. I´ve never seen this before and found it to be very nice. I hope to see these center holders again.
As much as I liked the packaging, I´m still puzzled at the thought of making this a two-disc set. The first disc holds the film, a theatrical trailer and a standard menu-based biography on Peter Jackson. The second disc holds a twenty-five minute documentary on the making of the film and is titled "Good Taste Made Bad Taste." I imagine the decision to split this into two discs was an economic decision, but technically, it could have very easily been held on one complete disc. The documentary was very nicely done and showed Jackson revealing his secrets and motivations for the film. However, you come to expect more out of a two-disc "Limited Edition," and the fact that this could have been contained on one-disc comes at a puzzlement.
Summary:
If you want a glimpse as to who the man who directed the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, you should look no further than the "Bad Taste" special edition. This twisted and unique debut from Jackson showcases his unusual sense of humor and his ability to get the most out of a limited budget. He had two roles in the film and did a commendable job of acting, but his story and vision are what shines in this film. Granted, this is not a film that will appeal to everybody. It may be downright disgusting or too silly for some. However, it is unique and the near horrendous gore is all done in completely "Bad Taste." Anchor Bay deserves a pat on the back for brining this to DVD and having it look as good as it does. This may be the thinnest 2-disc set I have ever seen, but the documentary is good enough that there is absolutely no reason to own the single disc release.
As I said earlier, "Bad Taste" was shot entirely on 16mm film. Peter Jackson went as far as building his own steadi-cam. It was also shot over a period of four years and the resulting film has the same look throughout the entire picture and never once comes across as a home movie. The film is presented in 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen. To keep the movie friendly to 16x9 televisions, it has black bars to the right and left of the frame. This gives a more appropriate 1.78:1 aspect ratio. I thought this was a very intelligent decision. The resulting picture is nicely detailed, exhibits bright and vivid colors, shows deep blacks and is completely free of digital artifacts. There are a few rare moments where source material blemishes are apparent and film grain is present, but minimal. There are some pats on the back deserved for this one.
Audio:
Anchor Bay has provided all the latest and greatest when it comes to audio options. Both Dolby Digital EX and DTS ES are selectable. A Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround mix is thrown in as well. The problem with these soundtracks is, however, the nature of the films original source materials. This film was shot for next to nothing in monetary value and no matter what you do, you can never make a soundtrack for a film like "Bad Taste" sound great without making an entirely new soundtrack. The sound is clean. The New Zealand accents are strong and intelligible. But, the rear channels are nearly silent, as is the .1 LFE and the center channel only conveys dialogue. This is clearly not the fault of the remastering, but the fact that you just can´t do much with what was originally present.
Extras:
First and foremost, I must praise the tri-fold packaging of "Bad Taste." A clear plastic sleeve holds everything together. The front cover has a holographic effect that shows the alien holding up either one or two fingers (in a non-friendly manner). What is noteworthy is how the center hub holds the disc in place. The new mechanism locks the disc in place. I´ve never seen this before and found it to be very nice. I hope to see these center holders again.
As much as I liked the packaging, I´m still puzzled at the thought of making this a two-disc set. The first disc holds the film, a theatrical trailer and a standard menu-based biography on Peter Jackson. The second disc holds a twenty-five minute documentary on the making of the film and is titled "Good Taste Made Bad Taste." I imagine the decision to split this into two discs was an economic decision, but technically, it could have very easily been held on one complete disc. The documentary was very nicely done and showed Jackson revealing his secrets and motivations for the film. However, you come to expect more out of a two-disc "Limited Edition," and the fact that this could have been contained on one-disc comes at a puzzlement.
Summary:
If you want a glimpse as to who the man who directed the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, you should look no further than the "Bad Taste" special edition. This twisted and unique debut from Jackson showcases his unusual sense of humor and his ability to get the most out of a limited budget. He had two roles in the film and did a commendable job of acting, but his story and vision are what shines in this film. Granted, this is not a film that will appeal to everybody. It may be downright disgusting or too silly for some. However, it is unique and the near horrendous gore is all done in completely "Bad Taste." Anchor Bay deserves a pat on the back for brining this to DVD and having it look as good as it does. This may be the thinnest 2-disc set I have ever seen, but the documentary is good enough that there is absolutely no reason to own the single disc release.
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[release]9119[/release]