Braindead (1992)

Director:

Peter Jackson

Writers:

Stephen Sinclair (story)
Stephen Sinclair (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

12 February 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror

Tagline:

Some things won't stay down... even after they die.

Plot:

A young man's mother is bitten by a Sumatran rat-monkey. She gets sick and dies, at which time she comes back to life, killing and eating dogs, nurses, friends, and neighbors.

Plot Keywords:

Violent Comedy | Walking Through Wall | Extreme Gore | Black Humor | Entrails

Awards:

13 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Timothy Balme	...	Lionel Cosgrove
Diana Peñalver	...	Paquita Maria Sanchez
Elizabeth Moody	...	Mum (Vera Cosgrove)
Ian Watkin	...	Uncle Les
Brenda Kendall	...	Nurse McTavish
Stuart Devenie	...	Father McGruder
Jed Brophy	...	Void
Stephen Papps	...	Zombie McGruder
Murray Keane	...	Scroat
Glenis Levestam	...	Nora Matheson
Lewis Rowe	...	Mr. Matheson
Elizabeth Mulfaxe	...	Rita
Harry Sinclair	...	Roger
Davina Whitehouse	...	Paquita's Grandmother
Silvio Famularo	...	Paquita's Father

Also Known As:

Dead Alive (USA)
Dead-Alive (USA) (DVD box title)

MPAA:

Rated R for an abundance of outrageous gore.

Runtime:

104 min | South Korea:85 min (heavily cut) | Finland:92 min (cut version) (1992) (1993) | Spain:99 min (DVD edition) | Germany:80 min (FSK 16 version) | Argentina:99 min | Germany:94 min | USA:85 min (R-rated version) | USA:97 min (unrated version)

Country:

New Zealand

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (DVD version) (uncut) | Italy:VM14 | Finland:(Banned) (original rating) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1997) | Singapore:(Banned) | Iceland:16 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1993) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Canada:R | Chile:18 | Denmark:15 | France:-16 | Germany:(Banned) | Germany:16 (heavily cut) | Hong Kong:III | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (heavily cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:Unrated | USA:R (heavily cut)

Filming Locations:

Karori Cemetery, Karori, Wellington, New Zealand

Company:

WingNut Films

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Peter Jackson]Undertaker's assistant.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Paquita is trying to get Rita back on her feet, and the top of that zombie's head slides toward them, Paquita kicks it. It flips onto its side, but the next shot has it sliding right way up again.

Quotes:

Lionel Cosgrove: They're not dead exactly, they're just... sort of rotting.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Masters of Horror (2002) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Heat of My Thoughts

Bored of the Rings

OK, so you've seen Lord of the Rings and the umpteen sequels or whatever, so fine. Do you have any idea how Peter Jackson started out before he went "mainstream"? If not, and you have a sense of adventure, watch THIS. And add a strong stomach to that sense of adventure too. This is WAY over the top in the gore department, and it's meant to be that way so it's just ridiculous at some point. A young man (Lionel) lives with his mum in New Zealand, and on a visit to the zoo mum gets bit by a Sumatran Rat Monkey, after which she develops a taste for human flesh, and starts to fall apart. Lionel is in denial of her condition, despite her odd behavior (she eats a German Shepherd, among other things). Things begin to escalate and pretty soon they're out of control. Throw in a kung-fu priest, and slimy relative, a Hispanic girlfriend that really loves him, and the zombie mom really starts to be a problem. Best of all is the lawnmower scene, a cut above all others. Highly recommended, but if Lord of the Rings is more your speed, be prepared to be very shocked that it's by the same guy. In fact, for a real treat, watch it along with "Bad Taste" and "Meet The Feebles", you'll never be the same.