Filmmaker Peter Jackson mastered gory, comedic horror long before he mastered J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy epics The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. While the native New Zealander is known for his world-building and expensive special effects, Jackson began his journey as a filmmaker relying on prosthetics, fake blood, and shock value.
Jackson's 1992 cult horror film Braindead is a testament to the director's indulgent, excessive approach to scary storytelling. A zombie film at heart, Braindead features a plague-carrying rat-monkey that turns anyone it bites into a decaying, rabid flesh-eater. Replete with gross-out sequences and over-the-top acting, Braindead is essential viewing for any horror fan.
Braindead Was Released As Dead Alive In The United States
Braindead and Dead Alive are the same film released under different monikers. The movie takes place in Wellington, New Zealand. Timothy Balme plays Lionel Cosgrove, a man stifled by his overbearing mother Vera. Lionel falls in love with Paquita, a Spanish shopkeeper, and Vera disapproves of the romance.
After Vera is bitten by the infected rat-monkey, she turns into a ravenous, monstrous zombie intent upon dismembering everyone in sight. Soon, the town is overrun by the plague.
It's Jackson's Third Feature Film
Jackson made 1987's Bad Taste and 1989's Meet the Feebles before making Braindead. For Braindead, Jackson worked with frequent collaborators Stephen Sinclair and Fran Walsh to develop the screenplay.
Braindead was produced by Jackson's own production company, WingNut Films. WingNut was established in New Zealand as an independent film company in 1987.
The Film Is Part Of Jackson's Splatter Period
Bad Taste, Meet the Feebles, and Braindead are looped together as examples of Jackson's splatter phase. These films rely on extreme bloodshed, dark humor, and haphazard cinematography styles. Meet the Feebles uses Henson-style puppets who engage in carnage and evil deeds, while Bad Taste tells the story of a gruesome alien invasion.
Braindead's B-movie aesthetics are thanks in part to it's three million dollar budget. In fact, all of these early films were shot on small budgets. Jackson hired his friends to act in them, even casting himself in cameo roles.
Bad Taste, Which Took Years To Make, Informed The Style Of Braindead
Bad Taste is an indulgent gorefest about aliens who plan to harvest humans for their intergalactic fast-food empire. The movie is a testament to Jackson's DIY attitude and tireless work ethic. Jackson shot Bad Taste over many years, using every resource available to him to develop the feature-length story. He even baked the masks worn by the alien actors in his mother's oven.
The end result is a film that gave Jackson the leverage he needed to pursue bigger projects. It wasn't until 1994's Heavenly Creatures, his fourth film, that Jackson moved into the international arena.
Braindead Was Marketed As a Slapstick Zombie Movie
Braindead relies on classic slapstick comedy tropes more than Bad Taste, but Jackson still puts his propensity for slaughter and violent mayhem on full display in Braindead.
Like Bad Taste, Braindead takes place in a world occupied by quirky, idiosyncratic characters who become even weirder once their town is overrun by a zombie plague. While the laughs are not family-friendly, they are plentiful.
Braindead May Be The Bloodiest Movie Of All Time
Braiddead's practical effects include tons and tons of fake blood. Some horror buffs speculate it may be the bloodiest horror movie of all time.
In Braindead, blood isn't just an accessory; it's the main character. For the film's final scene alone, Jackson used over 300 liters of red goo.
Braindead Features Notable New Zealand Icons
Shot in and around Wellington, New Zealand, Braindead is replete with settings and public spaces familiar to locals. Jackson grew up in nearby Pukerua Bay, and he filmed the movie in places he knows well.
Iconic settings include the Wellington Zoo, Botanical Gardens, and International Airport. The Karori Cemetery also plays a prominent role in the movie.
Jackson Used Some Of The Same Filming Locations In Lord Of The Rings
Jackson opens Braindead on the fictional Skull Island, home to King Kong. This scene was filmed at the breathtaking and geographically stunning Putangirua Pinnacles. This is the same location Jackson would later use for the Paths of the Dead in 2003's Return of the King.
In 2005, Jackson remade King Kong, bringing his fascination with the giant gorilla full circle.
Braindead Was A Box Office Bomb In The US
When it was released in New Zealand in 1992, Braindead did well in theatres and received generally positive reviews. While some critics were turned off by the film's reliance on gore and blood, many hailed its humor, style, and unique pacing.
In 1993, Braindead hit US theatres as Dead Alive. The film never gained the momentum it did in its home country, earning a fraction of its budget back in American cinemas. After the success of Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dead Alive experienced a revival in the US.
There Are Multiple Versions Of The Movie
Due to its bloodsoaked storytelling, multiple versions of Braindead were released around the world. While the UK and Australia ran the original cut, Germany and South Korea only agreed to run versions of the film that leave out most of the gore.
The R-rated US version leaves out most of the brutality, while the uncut and unrated version is almost identical to Jackson's original movie.