Well, I'll be dipped in shit! They let Peter Jackson direct the "LotR" movies? Now I've seen everything! Gotta admit,
though...no one has quite the, err...umm..."visual ethic" that Peter Jackson does!
For those of you who have been living under a fucking rock for the last several years, "Dead Alive" is one of...if not
the...bloodiest and goriest films ever made. There are scenes where (I'm not exaggerating in the slightest) more blood
and guts are spilled in three minutes than in Lucio Fulci's entire canon of films! No shit! I mean it! That's no small feat,
as you know, and it's obvious that this film was a total labor of love for everyone involved. I can't say that I blame
them...it must have been a blast to work on "Dead Alive". The overall mood of the film is so goofy and giddy, while
maintaining a ludicrous level of sheer disgust and revulsion, that the film just zips by...and leaves you wanting more!
Briefly, the plot is this...
Milquetoast Kiwi Lad Lionel lives with his mother...to call her overbearing and cruel would be the understatement of the
century...and lives in a state of utter servitude to her. No girls, no booze, no fun...ever. Frankly, it's a wonder that poor
Lionel didn't grow up to be serial killer (though he does have a seemingly preternatural killer instinct, which we'll soon see.
Fortunately for Lionel, a cute local gal, Paquita, has the hots for him, and soon the two become "romantically entangled",
much to the chagrin of Lionel's
psycho mom. She follows the couple on a date to the local zoo, and she is bitten by a vicious...and cursed..."Sumatran Rat
Monkey", thus setting off a chain of events that has to be seen to be believed.
Suffice it to say that in "Dead Alive", you'll
see everything from zombies to hilarious baby bashing...from priests who "kick arse for the lord" to corpses who suffer
"full cranial
blowout" during the embalming process...from bloody lawnmower attacks to piles of entrails that reanimate and proceed
to admire themselves in the mirror...we got it all in this hysterically funny (intentionally) sickie of a flickie!
A special note needs to be made here to discuss the humor in "Dead Alive". It rivals (and perhaps even surpasses) "Re-Animator"
as the funniest gore flick ever made. In addition to boasting the above referenced grossly funny set pieces, "Dead Alive" is
one of the more quotable horror films of all time. For your consideration:
"I kick arse for the lord!"
"What?!? No pudding?!?"
"Is that the one with the donkey and the chambermaid?"
"Got a bit of a cavity there, mate!"
"Your mother ate my dog!"
and on, and on, and on...
Peter Jackson was always quite the funny fellow, but he really outdid himself this time. I wouldn't go so far as to call him a
"comedic genius", but I will say that "Dead Alive", in many ways, is funnier than most of the alleged "comedies" that get
pumped out every year.
This film is the third in what I like to term the "Nasty NZ" trilogy, starting with "Bad Taste" and "Meet the Feebles", and one
can really see how much PJ's skill as a filmmaker and visionary has grown since his early days in the business. "Dead Alive"
is much more than a gross-out movie...it's a highly effective comedy (my favorite bit involves the Nazi-veterinarian..."You
want a syringe, or are you going to sniff?"), a relatively cute love story, and it even manages to be a good period piece, as
well (it takes place in the late '50's), with excellent attention to period detail such as costuming, props, and automobiles.
Lions Gate/Trimark have regrettably released a barebones edition of this awesome film. It's a bit disappointing that no
extras of note
are included..."Dead Alive" is one of those inarguable classics that absolutely screams for an extensive "special edition"...but
the film itself and the quality of the video and audio is so good here that all you gorehounds should scramble to get your
sticky hands on this one. Who knows. Perhaps in the wake of "Lord of the Rings", distributors will wake up and give PJ's early
horror flicks the special treatment they deserve. All around excellent entertainment...gory, goofy fun! Get it now!
If you liked "Dead Alive", Atrocities Cinema Also Recommends the similarly-themed "Re-Animator",
Well, I'll be dipped in shit! They let Peter Jackson direct the "LotR" movies? Now I've seen everything! Gotta admit,
though...no one has quite the, err...umm..."visual ethic" that Peter Jackson does!
