Bad Taste is a 1987 New Zealand science-fiction comedy horror film directed, written, produced, photographed, co-edited by and co-starring Peter Jackson, who also made most of the makeup and special effects. Produced on a low budget, it is Jackson's first feature film. Jackson and friends take on most of the key roles, both on and off-screen. The plotline sees aliens invade the fictional New Zealand village of Kaihoro to harvest humans for their intergalactic fast-food franchise, where they face off against a four-man paramilitary force, of which at least one member appears to have gone insane. It was a film that provided Jackson with the necessary leverage needed to advance in the industry.
Since its released, Bad Taste has become a cult film and has received generally positive reviews.
Plot[]
The Astro Investigation and Defense Service (AIDS) sends sends Derek, Frank, Ozzy, and Barry to investigate the disappearance of everyone in the town of Kaihoro, New Zealand. They find the town has been overrun by aliens disguised as humans in blue shirts. Barry kills one the of aliens and is attacked by others. After Derek notifies Frank and Ozzy, he begins torturing Robert, an alien they caught earlier. Robert's screaming attracts a number of aliens in the woods, but Derek kills the would-be rescuers and then gets attacked by Robert and falls over a cliff to his presumed death.
Meanwhile, a charity collector named Giles is passing through Kaihoro. He is attacked by Robert who has been eating the brains of the alien killed earlier by Barry. Giles escapes in his car and stops at a nearby house for help. Another alien answers the door and captures Giles. He later wakes up in a tub of water and is told that he is about to be about to be eaten. Derek also wakes up to find that he landed in a seagull's nest. He also finds that brain is leaking out the back of his head, so he stuffs it back in and uses a hat to hold it in place.
That night, Frank Ozzy and Barry sneak into the aliens' house and find a room filled with bloody cardboard boxes. They were killed by an alien for alien fast food. Robert vomits into a bowl which the aliens dine on, including Frank. He escapes and tells the team members of the plan. They sneak out to save Giles as the aliens sleep.
At sunrise, they try to leave but are attacked by the aliens. Derek's hat is shot off and he starts losing more of his brain, so he uses his belt as a headband. He grabs a chainsaw from the boot of his car and heads for the alien house. As the boys leave with Giles, the alien leader (Lord Crumb) and his followers transform into their true from. Ozzy uses a rocket launcher to blow up Frank's car which has been overrun by aliens.
Frank and Ozzy hunt for Lord Crumb and kill many aliens along the way. Meanwhile, Derek kills an alien with his chainsaw and replaces the missing parts of his brain with the alien's brain. An alien prepares to shoot Frank and Ozzy but gets "beheaded" by Derek after he bursts through the wall behind it. Frank and Ozzy are shocked to see him alive.
As they run, Lord Crumb shoots Ozzy in the leg and Frank fires his rocket-launcher at the leader, but it misses and almost hits Derek, finally taking out a sheep in a nearby meadow. Derek is knocked out by the alien leader and the house transforms into a giant spaceship which blasts off into space with Derek still aboard.
On board, Derek looks out the window to see that he is leaving Earth. Lord Crumb hears a strange loud noise and investigates. He is killed by Derek who ambushes him and cuts the alien in half with his chainsaw, proclaiming: "I'm born again!". Derek then uses Crumb's phone, saying: "I'm coming to get you bastards!" He then puts on the alien leader's skin laughing maniacally as he rockets towards the alien planet. On Earth, the guys drive away into the sunset in Derek's car.
Cast[]
- Terry Potter - Ozzy / 3rd Class Alien
- Pete O'Herne - Barry / 3rd Class Alien
- Peter Jackson - Derek / Robert
- Mike Minett - Frank / 3rd Class Alien
- Craig Smtih - Giles / 3rd Class Alien
- Costa Botes - 3rd Class Alien
- Doug Wren - Lord Crumb
- Dean Lawrie - Lord Crumb SPFX double / 3rd Class Alien
- Peter Vere-Jones - Lord Crumb's voice
Production[]
Bad Taste begins Jackson's penchant for using the Morris Morris in his film - Giles drives a Morris Minor Subsequently every car in Meet the Feebles is a Morris Minor (including a limousine) and several are seen in Braindead.
