Bad Taste |
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| WingNut Films in
association with the New Zealand Film Commission. ©1987. Budget: approx.
$250,000. Locations: Makara, Pukerua Bay, Gear Homestead, Porirua. Distributor:
Endeavor Entertainment Ltd. Rating: R16 (Violent content may offend),
December 1987. 35mm. Colour. 91.5 mins. Director and producer: Peter Jackson. Special assistants to the producer: Mum and Dad (Joan Jackson and Bill Jackson). Consultant Producer: Tony Hiles. Screenplay: Peter Jackson, additional material by Tony Hiles, Ken Hammon. Camera operator: Peter Jackson. Editors: Peter Jackson, Cameron Chittock. Film crew: Ken Hammon, Pete O'Herne, Terry Pottere, Mike Minnett, Craig Smith, Dean Lawrie, Philip Lamey. Music: Michelle Scullion. Songs: The Remnants, Madlight. Sound: Ken Saville, Brent Burge, Kit Rollings, Jamie Selkirk. Cast Peter Jackson (Derek, Robert) Pete O'Herne (Barry/ 3rd class alien), Mike Minett(Frank/3rd class alien), Terry Potter (Ozzy/3rd class alien), Craig Smith (Giles/3rd class alien), Doug Wren (Crumb), Dean Lawrie (Alien leader, special effects), Peter Vere-Jones (Crumb's voice), Ken Hammon, Michael Gooch, Peter Gooch, Shane Yarrall, Laurie Yarrall, Dean Lawrie, Costas Botes, Bob Haliburton, Clive Haywood, John Nelson, Steven Smith, Matt Noonan, Ray Battersby, Mike Appleby, Peter Apppleby, Robert Johnston, Philip Lamey, Mark Lamey, Grant Taylor, Dean Taylor, Dave Hamilton, Tony Hiles, Kerry Underhill, Garry Brown, Peter Henderson, Robin Griggs, Graham Butcher, Andrew McKay, John McTavish, Graham Nesbitt, John Logan Jnr, Cameron Chittock, Mike Kane, Scott Bradshaww, Giles Forrest, Carol Taylor, Kim Taylor, Jock Fyfe, John Ruby, Robin Watene, Mark Jackson, Janine Riely, Margaret Byford (third class aliens).
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When
extra-terrestrials decimate Kaihoro (population 75) Internal Affairs sends in the boys,
a.k.a the Astro Investigation and Defence Service. Derek and Barry massacre several aliens
before Derek plunges over a cliff. Charity worker Giles is marinated by aliens in
preparation for their farewell feast. IADS reinforcements Ozzy and Frank join Barry and
Frank learns the extra-terrestrials, on an intergaltic mission to supply meat for their
fast-food chain, have packaged Kaihoro's population in preparation to space-shippping them
home. Storming the house, the boys free Giles. Derek returns, having secured
his loose brains into his skull with a belt, and attacks the aliens with a chainsaw. Ozzy
bazookas the house and a sheep and the only surviving alien, the leader, phones home.
Launching the house into orbit, he meets his maker when Derek powers through his skull
with a chainsaw and emerges, born again, between his legs. Cackling with glee Derek
anticipates revenge. Bad Taste is made in the spirit of small boys playing shoot-em-up in the backyard. A do-it-yourself comedy splatter, it's Monty Pythonesque humour has been dubbed "splatstick". Fun is made of the horror/splatter genre and of New Zealand culture, with many parodic allusions to other films. Much care was taken with make-up, costumes, animation, prosthetic body parts, models, special effects arer home-made from cheap materials. Kilos of raw meat and buckets of fake blood provide the gorre and the green vomit scene is a highlight. Weapons are made of cardboard and foam rubber and Jackson made gun replicas out of aluminum tubing, wood and Fimo. Gun flashes are achieved by double-exposing the film. Clever choreography in the battle scenes generally keeps them from seeming repetitive and with approximately 2300 shots in the film the cutting rate is very fast. The musical score reinforces the over-the-to tone and smooths over rough patches. Peter Jackson's 10 minute splatter, Roast of the Day, began shooting in October 1983 and evolved into Bad Taste. With Ken Hammon (who dies 23 times in the film) |
he made up the story as he went along. Shot
only on Sundays, the film was not comleted until October 1987. The four year shoot made
for logistical problems: the script changed according to who was available; the lead actor
left the cast after two years then returned; Jackson himself played two parts because he
knew he could be relied on to turn up (he also had most of the production roles); actors
played aliens and their assasins; and actor Pete O'Herne had not shaved on the first day
of the shoot so had to maintain the stubbly look for four years. Jackson began filming using his own money. Three years int the shot the Film Commission provided finance, momst of which was used in post-production, when assistance was given by professionals Tony Hiles and Jamie Selkirk. Bad Taste posters were banned in the London Underground and Australian censorship authorities cut out a minute before letting it into the country. The Evening Standard (London, September 1989) offered Bad Taste as 'the best reason yet for not having to visit New Zealand.' Locally and overseas the film has attracted a large cult following. HM _________ 1988 Cannes screening, standing ovataion. International Festival of Fantasy and Science, Paris: Prix de Gore. 1989 Fanta Festival, Rome: Special Public Prize. 1992 Wellington Fringe Festival Accolades: Peter Jackson, achievement in creating a new genre in New Zealand film-making, comedy splatter.
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