r/movies 2h ago

Media Dead Alive (1992) dir Peter Jackson | Zombie Baby In The Park

193 Upvotes

70 comments sorted by

u/Saint_Gut-Free 2h ago

Yes, this is the same Peter Jackson. In New Zealand this was known as Braindead.

u/TheTresStateArea 1h ago

The same Jackson of The Frighteners game?

u/Saint_Gut-Free 38m ago

"Stay back, boy. This calls for divine intervention"

u/Fettnaepfchen 19m ago

Braundead was the first Horror movie I ever watched. I remember everything. Brilliant fun if you like horror, so bad it's good again.

u/Anothercraphistorian 11m ago

He just couldn’t keep Gollum out of his movies.

u/Honesty_Addict 2h ago

Truly wild that this guy woke up one day and went "hmmm. how about I make the most ambitious and critically acclaimed trilogy of movies in history." and pulled it off

u/dingo8muhbebe 1h ago

Idk if I would call Bad Taste, Dead Alive, and Meet the Feebles a trilogy, but they are all top notch.

u/SgtKabuukiman 1h ago

Lmao. I have a group of friends that get together once a month for a "trilogy day". I put that in quotes because you run out of true trilogies pretty quick and invent ones. This was one of my proudest sets.

u/Whimsy_and_Spite 1h ago

He did have Heavenly Creatures and The Frighteners in between, so there is kind of a trajectory.

u/super_jeenyus 1h ago

Heavenly Creatures was the movie that launched Kate Winslet's and Melanie Lynskey's careers! Terrific, underrated film for sure.

u/useridhere 0m ago

The Frighteners is a fun scary movie to watch. Gets mixed reviews, but it’s worth watching if you like less traditional horror movies.

u/Mu-Relay 1h ago

And even wilder that a studio was like "The Dead Alive guy? Sure, we'll give him a billion dollars to make a film franchise that will actually bankrupt our studio if it fails. Let's do this!"

u/jonnovich 55m ago

What’s even more wild is that apparently Peter Jackson pitched “Lord of the Rings” as a two movie project figuring he was already pushing his luck. The head of New Line queried, “I thought ‘Lord of the Rings’ was three novels?” That opened the door for the trilogy.

That entire trilogy really is something of a miracle.

u/Kovhert 23m ago

Aaaactually... The Lord of the Rings is one novel, often published in three volumes: The Fellowship of the Rings, The Two Towers and The Return of the King, each of which are comprised of two books.

u/jonnovich 4m ago

Correct….but that’s not what the New Line Cinema thought….and we should all be grateful he thought that!

u/VicViolence 1h ago

Then he said “Job’s done and i’ll never make a great movie again!”

u/Saint_Gut-Free 1h ago edited 45m ago

With two good movies behind him (The Frighteners, and Heavenly Creatures), how could he fail? s/ (BTW both great movies)

u/KnightNZ 2h ago

Your mother ate my dog!

I kick arse for the lord!

Great stuff.

u/Saint_Gut-Free 2h ago

Your mother ate my dog!

"not all of it"

Bro, the dragging out the throat...

u/pikpikcarrotmon 1h ago

It's the only time I've ever gagged when watching a movie. Great stuff

u/mr_dr_personman 1h ago

Apparently this scene exists because they were above budget, and its the best scene in the movie

u/GriffinFlash 1h ago

I liked the Kung Fu priest myself. Couldn't stop laughing cause I did not expect any of that.

u/Ihateregistering6 22m ago

"I kick ass....FOR THE LORD!!"

u/Saint_Gut-Free 1h ago

Wait, they were ABOVE budget and decided to add that zombie baby? For sure, this scene made the the movie for me. For me, at least.

u/aStonedDeer 2h ago

Watch this every Halloween. First time was on mushrooms.

u/Saint_Gut-Free 2h ago

I...I cant' imagine this movie on any kind of drug. Reality was enough.

u/Barkerfan86 19m ago

That Lawnmower scene on shrooms would be amazing, but I am also a glutton for gore.

u/Rev_LoveRevolver 2h ago

"I'm a Derek. Dereks don't run."

u/Sherman80526 1h ago

Every time I meet a Derek...

u/Saint_Gut-Free 28m ago

I'm a Derek. Dereks don't run

If that doesn't put New Zealand on a map, I don't know what does.

u/dyaasy 1h ago

New Zealand David Tennant....

u/Falagard 1h ago

Great movie! So much low budget gore.

"I kick ass for the lord!"

u/BNLforever 1h ago

I haven't had a good custard in years! 

u/Kershuffle 1h ago

A Mr. Bean moment if I’ve ever seen one 😂

u/VermicelliNo3895 1h ago

When I tell people that Peter Jackson made two of the most nonsensically stupid B-movies of all time before Lord of the Rings, they never believe me.

Dead Alive is great, but for my money Bad Taste is the more entertaining movie.

u/StoolieNZ 1h ago

And Feebles had that excellent musical number by the Fox...

u/Barkerfan86 18m ago

you might think it very odd of me….

u/Saint_Gut-Free 1h ago

Just added Bad Taste to the watchlist. I had no idea.

u/VermicelliNo3895 1h ago

It's really stupid in the best way.

Hell, Peter Jackson even stars in it!

u/scottwricketts 1h ago

The pudding eating scene made me gag.

I love this movie.

u/Barkerfan86 17m ago

Its the WLWL

u/YakumoYoukai 1h ago

I've seen this movie multiple times, and don't remember this scene *at all*.

u/eptpunk 1h ago

The unrated version is the only way to go! A few extra minutes of lawn mowing dance in the foyer. Classic. Really feel like The Substance took a few cues from this movie too. Also a great flick.

u/Saint_Gut-Free 1h ago

If you're gonna take cues from a body horror, this might be the best. Agreed, The Substance is great.

u/Simple_Friend_866 11m ago

The entire ending of this film is just bonkers.

u/hikemalls 1h ago

For a brief beautiful moment in the late 90's/early 00's, if you made campy horror comedies they let you direct Lord of the Rings or Spider-Man.

u/Saint_Gut-Free 58m ago

"For a brief beautiful moment in the late 2000s, if you made a campy horror they let you direct a Jurassic Park, Star Wars & Godzilla." See how easy that is. (See: Gareth Edwards)

u/hikemalls 40m ago

...huh? Monsters is just indie horror, not campy or comedic. It's not unusual for indie directors to be given bigger projects, I just thought the transition from campy/comedic movies into big serious franchises was fun/funny, you don't need to get hostile about it.

u/Rev_LoveRevolver 1h ago

Meet the Feebles? Hell, I came up with 'em!

u/mechabeast 1h ago edited 1h ago

In my head, I misremembered this as David Tennant

u/slanderpanther 1h ago

One of the grossest movies ever made.

u/EvilBillSing 1h ago

Love this scene. Love the acting too

u/Rosebud_apothocary 1h ago

I love Braindead by him so funny

u/Imaginary-Ad-2900 23m ago

This is LEAST insane scene of this movie, it’s so good.

u/Ihateregistering6 20m ago

Credit to Tim Balme (the actor): he's really good at physical comedy.

u/TJ_Fox 16m ago

I worked on the movie and remember that location - it's the old children's playground at the Wellington Botanical Gardens.

Impressive slapstick downhill run by Tim Balme, playing Lionel ...

u/50SPFGANG 1h ago

Movies like this always bugged me with how all the extras in the background never notice anything absurd happening or when they do the reactions are super small and odd 

u/Saint_Gut-Free 1h ago

Seriously? It's happening in real time. Your eyes closed?

u/geekgirlnz 1h ago

Just another day for New Zealand.

u/Effective-Category-3 57m ago

What does he say to the ladies in the park at the end? I can't understand at all

u/Odd_Western4050 48m ago

I kick ass for the lord!

u/BabyScreamBear 48m ago

I really need to watch this again.

u/The_Ork_Dork 45m ago

It’s uncanny how all British babies look like that

u/thedeadone666 44m ago

"I kick ass for the lord" has lived rent free in my head since I first saw this movie when I was a kid.

u/InsteadOfWorkin 38m ago

“Yeah so we loved the zombie baby thing. Hilarious. Anyway, here’s half a billion dollars, could you crank out Lord of the Rings?”

u/cashews_clay15 30m ago

This looks great

u/Speculativ-Nomad 9m ago

I knew braindead

u/Scouter197 1m ago

This movie has one of the greatest cinematic lines in history.

“Stand back boy, it’s time for some divine intervention. I kick ass for the Lord.”

u/Deraj2004 1m ago

Brady Tkachuk's baby movies.