Braindead (1992)

	Directed by: Peter Jackson	AKA Dead Alive (US title) COUNTRY New Zealand Genre Splatter/Horror/Comedy NORWEGIAN TITLE Braindead RUNNING TIME 104 minutes
	Produced by: Jim Booth
	Written by: Stephen Sinclair Frances Walsh Peter Jackson
	Based on a story by: Stephen Sinclair

Cast includes:
CHAraCter	ACTOR	rATING
Lionel	Timothy Balme	½
Paquita	Diana Peñalver
Mum	Elizabeth Moody	½
Uncle Les	Ian Watkin	½
Nurse McTavish	Brenda Kendall	-
Father McGruder	Stuart Devenie	½
Void	Jed Brophy	-
Undertaker’s Assistant	Peter Jackson	-

Review

At a time when Peter Jackson wasn't preoccupied with making overlong showcases of classic literature, he was the relatively unknown Kiwi alternative filmmaker that the world was about to notice. After his wildly amusing (but somewhat uneven) début, Bad Taste, Jackson wrote (with his wife Fran Walsh and author Stephen Sinclair) and directed Braindead. Received as an instant cult classic by film clubs and indie lovers, the film has since reinforced its position as arguably the best-ever splatter movie (Sam Raimi fans will have me excused).

The film is built around the simple story of young, clumsy Lionel, who lives in an old Victorian mansion with his destructively controlling mother and becomes the object of a tarot-inflicted crush from neighbour girl Paquita. Their love awakes the wrath of Lionel's mother, which is only amplified (to say the least) when Mum is bitten by a not-too-cosy rat-monkey from Sumatra.

Although they're quite pleasant, there's nothing remarkable about the dramatic or romantic content of the film. These elements function merely as settings for Jackson's blood-thirst, so to speak. The film is arguably the bloodiest (it terms of sheer volume) of all horror movies, but even though Braindead carries a lengthy sequence of fairly repetitive action, it always stays on top of its game. The special effects are nothing short of extraordinary, especially taking the budget into account, and the creativity and vision with which the most graphic scenes are executed are simply amazing.

Braindead most definitely isn't for every taste. But that said, this film is so professionally conducted and possesses a thematic ambivalence that won't offend viewers who are able to see it in an artistic light. Peter Jackson shows a great deal of flair in combining the horror with the distinctive satire and comedy with which Braindead is soaked. In my opinion, it remains Peter Jackson's best work.