Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #8162 in DVD
• Released on: 2005-11-01
• Rating: Suitable for 18 years and over
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 87 minutes

Special Features
English
Region 2

Synopsis
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.

Customer Reviews

open season on ETs
yes you know all about peter jackson and how's he's gone on to cgi masterpieces (though i haven't seen 'king kong'). and no doubt you have some idea of the plot; new zealand's answer to aliens' marines ("i wish we'd change that name") find there are aliens amongst them, and deal with them accordingly.
so what about it then? well it's silly, gory and incredibly good fun - defo one done made specifically for (and starring) him and his mates. as well as the gore (though not to the same extent as 'braindead', which i found tough to stomach at first sitting) there's some incredibly banal and funny civil-service type dialogue as our four heroes muddle their way through things - "that's elevator music for headbangers". its the little touches that make this film so special - the aliens in the car, the numerous amusing deaths and gung-ho dialogue ("i know, and i've got another one right here"). and of course it features one of my favourite scenes as an alien realises that a) he's out of ammo and b) he's very shortly going to be out of luck, but c) he still has a few handy pine cones lying around. brilliant change in facial expressions if nothing else. ah, the things we find funny...
the acting was for me never much of an issue, but one bad thing about the film is derek's character being just plain irritating before he has his accident. and while i appreciate a certain reviewer's comments about the package quality, there's no way this is getting less than 5 stars. and yes, one day i do intend to get a clapped out ford capri with that car stereo setup...

If you're lucky, you might get a chunky bit...
Peter "Lord of the Rings" Jackson's first commercial movie release was made on a minuscule budget and with more than a little help from his friends, not to mention mum and dad. It is undeniably a crudely amateurish zombie-populated gore-fest, in the nascent gross-out style that Jackson would push to its ultimate gory conclusion in his more polished next release - the truly inspired Braindead.

The plot of Bad Taste is recycled from umpteen corny old American B movies from the middle of the last century - aliens have landed in a remote part of the country, with the aim of exploiting humanity for nefarious ends. A small group of humans cotton onto what's happening and set out to save planet Earth.

The standard of acting is hardly Oscar material; the dozen or so actors (no actresses!) are recycled time and time again; the sound and soundtrack are very basic and the special effects are mostly crude and ridiculous. So why does it work and why has Bad Taste acquired such cult status? Quite simply because it is incredibly entertaining! The outrageous visual gags and often inspired one-liners (delivered in deadpan manner more often than not) provide a whole series of laugh-out-loud moments. Some of my favourites being the ongoing effects of Derek's (Jackson) traumatic head injury, the machine-gun firing literally through the body (didn't Jeunet pinch that idea in Alien 4?), the aliens dropping out of the tree in great number following a volley of shots from one of our heroes, Robert's (Jackson again) throat-cutting gag, the serving of the "gruel" (I defy anyone not to feel queasy the first time they see that!) and, of course, the gross-out "born-again" final sequence. Each of the gory set-pieces are strung together by some amusing dialogue and the paying of cheeky homage to everything from The Professionals, Doctor Who and Mad Max to The Waltons (yes, really!).

Not everything works, sure. I felt some of the shoot-out and pursuit sequences were a tad laboured and some of the gags struck me as very laddish in-jokes that only Jackson and his chums would guffaw at (I mean, what gives with the cardboard cut-out Beatles???) but just put it down to inspired lunacy and, rest assured that Jackson's inspired scattergun technique guarantees that the viewer will never have to wait too long for the next belly-laugh to appear.

Bad Taste is not as good as Braindead, but it still provides a lot of entertainment and is bound to appeal to those of you who love tongue-in-cheek horrors in the Evil Dead genre. Perfect leave-your-brain-at-home fare after a few beers with your mates, but I'd skip the "chunky bit" if you're planning to enjoy a meal shortly afterwards!

Bad Taste - Great Film
This film has to be one of the funniest, goriest i have seen. From exploding sheep to vomit eating this film is not for the easily grossed out.
The Plot : A group of four agents (including Derek, played by Director Peter Jackson) have to stop a group of aliens from taking over a small town and turning the humans into burgers.
Lots of blood, gore and comedy make this film a winner.

"I'm a Derek, and Derek's don't run"