Review of Bad Taste (1987) by Hugo S — 14 Mar 2008

BAD TASTE (1987).

Directed by Peter Jackson.

Starring Peter Jackson, Terry Potter, Pete O'HerneBad Taste was Peter Jackson's first film. It had a small budget, bad actors, a student movie quality, a preposterous plot and a whole lot fo talent, behind the camera.Its a film that is very hard to rate. The Lord of the Rings director shot his film on week-end on a period of about four years. His friends palyed the lead, he himself had two roles and he financed the entire thing himself, until, near the end, the New Zealand Film Comission finally gave him some money, and its easy to tell when that happened, cause at the end of the film, it has some visual effects. There was no script, everything was thought on the moment.Its bad, its meant to be bad, so you cant say its a terrible film, its too mcu self-aware to be considered that.In the 80's, young director had to show their talent with crappy horror films. Some were directing installments of franchise like Freddy or >I>Jason but some like Sam Raimi, decided to go on with their on film. Sam Raimi made Evil Dead, its was bad but people loved it, cause it was all meant to be that way, its the same with Peter Jackson's Bad Taste.Its about aliens coming on Earth to hunt humans to get supplies for a fast-food restaurant in outerspace. A team, called «The boys» fight back. Its filled with silly action sequences, making fun of such films as Rambo or other, without reall being a parody. Also, what made this film famous, was its gore. If you have seen Braindead, also known as Dead Alive, a later Jackson film, you will know what I mean by gore. Its looks totally fake. Its not meant to sickens though, its meant to gross out and laugh afterwards, it works every single time. Just for exemple, one dude falls of a cliff and when he wakes up, the back of his head it cracked open and a part of his brain is stuck on a rock. He takes it and put it back in place.The actors are bad and the post-production dubbing make them even worse. Jackson in the other, in one of his role is actually quite good, playing the comic relief, in a film already quite funny.Bad Taste isnt genius, even in its genre. Its a fun time, the 85 minutes go by pretty fast and its not too soon forgotten but its nothing great. Although, Peter Jackson showed what he had already. There are many inspired shots despite the budget and its surprisingly very effective in some bits. Nice piece of trash.