Culture

Written/Directed by: Peter Jackson. Starring: Terry Potter, Peter O’Herne, Craig Smith, Mike Minett, Peter Jackson and Doug Wren

Imagine if your dad and a bunch of his mates got together and decided to film a Mothra. It’s kinda naff cause it’s your dad and he’s a bit naff and so are his mates, but it’s funny all the same. That’s kinda what Bad Taste is like – a bit dorky, zero budget, and lots of brains, blood, and gore.

 
Peter Jackson’s first foray into feature filmmaking is a far cry from the Oscar award-winning material that we have seen of late. Aliens have landed in good ole’ Nu Zuland - Kaihoro to be exact - and have killed all 75 people in the town to take back to their home planet as samples of a new fast food delicacy.

All is not lost, however, as the Astro Investigation and Defence Services (AIDS) are on the job. AIDS are Derek (Jackson), Frank (Minett), Ozzy (Potter), and Barry (O’Herne); and they’ve come to sort out the evildoers. Jackson also has the distinction of playing Robert, an alien henchman (Derek wears glasses and is clean-shaven, Robert does not wear glasses and has a beard; tricky shit going on here).That’s essentially all there is to it. Pretty simple.

Extending out the 88 minute running time are lots of hacking, shooting, cutting, chain sawing and rocket-launching. This results in lots of blood spilling, guts flying and brain splattering. The special effects are crude at best but they get the job done. Sure, it probably doesn’t look like the characters are eating actual brains, or drinking vomit, but the fact is it looks gross. Plus there are some pretty cool explosions courtesy of the rocket launcher– a car, the side of a house, and a sheep – they all go up in a blaze of glory. A must see New Zealand film.