“Dead Alive” (Trimark Pictures) is Peter Jackson‘s third feature length film and an essential entry into the absurd zombie canon. Lionel is a sad little man, with a crush on the shopkeepers daughter, Paquita. His domineering mother, Vera, disapproves and sets out to keep them apart. While spying on Lionel and Paquita on a date at the local zoo, Vera is bitten by the notorious rat monkey. She is afflicted with a mysterious illness that seemingly kills her. Instead she is transformed into a blood thirsty zombie, and proceeds to turn much of the town into her zombie horde.
“Dead Alive” is cartoonishly gory, best watched on an empty stomach. The film is so gory that censors in many countries insisted scenes be cut. In many ways it matches Jackson’s first feature film, “Bad Taste,” for cringe-worthy moments, albeit with better production value. One particular scene includes pre-zombie Vera’s ear falling off and into her soup. She proceeds to dispassionately eat said ear as the other dinner guests stare on in abject horror. The rest of the movie is a torrent of blood, bile and body fluids, interrupted by the budding, campy romance between Lionel and Paquita.
Also, “Dead Alive” showcases the most awesome use of a lawnmower ever. I won’t spoil it though; you’ll just have to watch.
- Chris Robertson, director of product management
