Bad Taste

Made on a shoestring budget, director Peter Jackson's (Heavenly Creatures, Lord of the Rings) adolescent gross-out 1987 debut stars the former splatterfest auteur and a few of his friends as "The Boys," a New Zealand quasi-S.W.A.T. team battling alien creatures (who, for economic reasons, look just like humans--until the final reel) that have come to Earth to collect the primary ingredient (you and me) for an intergalactic fast food treat called Crumb's Crunchy Delights. Sporting comic gore in The Evil Dead and Re-Animator vein (without, unfortunately, commensurate scripting or acting), Bad Taste serves up axed heads, eviscerated guts, aliens drinking "chuck" (as in upchuck), an exploding sheep, and one of the most over-the top mano y alieno final battles ever committed to celluloid, as well as a few choice moments of humor (including a cheap Waltons joke). Still, this is what critics refer to--once they've lifted their heads out of their barf bags--as "promising" (though it's unlikely you will ever again see Jackson spending the majority of a film with a belt wrapped around his head to keep his leaking brain matter from falling out). Given its cult film status (although 1992's Dead Alive is better and grosser) and Jackson's rising star as Tolkien cinematic interpreter, consider this extra-less disc a strong optional purchase. [Note" a 2-disc "limited edition" (not seen) is also available for $39.98.] (R. Pitman)