| Peter JacksonBorn 31 October 1961 in New Zealand
Peter Jackson is one of the rising generation directors, and was in the early nineties the most popular in the horror genre. He procure a 16 mm-camera during the eighties first half, and wanted to test it by making a 10 minutes short film. However was he all the time struck by new ideas, and it became longer and longer. By using his friends as actors could he keep down the costs. All his friends worked for nothing, but his whole wages was consumed. After slightly more than four years was the film ready, and during this period had some actors got married, manage to have children and got divorced. One of them had got a pension and another died.
The quickie had become a motion picture, and "Bad Taste" was its name. A very suitable name because tasteless is just what it is. It is so stomach-churning and sick that Monty Python fading in comparison. "Bad Taste" (1987) is a splatter/comedy about aliens who are invading New Zealand hunting for fresh human flesh, to serve at an extraterrestrial multiple street kitchen. A group elite human beings sends out to make short work of them. Peter Jackson made the cheesy special effects all by himself, and was managed to fill the audience with disgust. "Bad Taste" became a cult favorite among horror fans, and was released in 30 countries. It also received several film festival awards, among other things in Cannes.
Peter Jackson had for a long time wanted to create a zombie movie, but realized that he hadnīt enough money to pull through with it. For that reason made he in 1989 the puppet film "Meet the Feebles", a weird and perverted parody of "The Muppet Show". It wasnīt a long run, but he got his money. In 1992 was finally his zombie film ready for release. "Braindead" was made with considerably larger budget than his earlier flicks, and is if possible even more sick than "Bad Taste". It is called "the ultimate zombie film" and "the goriest splatter film that ever has been made", and was the great breakthrough for Peter Jackson. Even the critics fell for "Braindead", who thought it was funny. It is after all a comedy. At the same time was "Bad Taste" and "Meet the Feebles" released and re-released all over the world, and that was additionally added to the success.
After this blood-curdling pictures wanted Peter Jackson doing something quite different. "Heavenly Creatures" (1994) was a thriller/drama based on a true story, about two girls who are so deeply involved in each other that it get deadly consequences. With "Heavenly Creatures" reached Jackson the general public, and was also Oscar nominated for best script. The horror fans felt however disappointment. "Forgotten Silver" (1995) was a made up documentary about a New Zealand filmmaker who invented color and sound to the movies without obtaining any attention. Not many outside of New Zealand have seen "Forgotten Silver".
In 1996 came "The Frighteners". A ghost comedy about a ghost hunter (Michael J. Fox) who dislodge ghosts from haunted houses. "The Frighteners" had the biggest budget of Peter Jacksonīs movies, but failed to succeed at the box office. Largely because of Jackson wasnīt allowed to have a free hand by the film company. It isnīt bad, but lacks the originality his earlier films had. Right now is he busy making a trilogy long-awaited movies from J.R.R. Tolkienīs books "Lord of the Rings".
Peter Jackson has often been compared with Sam Raimi. Their pictures are permeated with the same kind of sick humour and bizarre camera-angles. Even their careers are equivalent. Both started making low budget horror movies, and proceeded later on to make expensive Hollywood productions which reached a wider audience. I think however that Jackson is a worse copy of Raimi. But the horror genre needs new blood, and Peter Jackson has been a breath of fresh air during the latest decade.
Written by Kent Palmgren. Filmography:Bad Taste (1987)Meet the Feebles (1989)Braindead (1992)Heavenly Creatures (1994)Forgotten Silver (1995)The Frighteners (1996)Back to Directorīs of Death |