Braindead (1992 film)
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Promotional release poster
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| Directed by | Peter Jackson |
| Produced by | Jim Booth |
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| Story by | Stephen Sinclair |
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| Music by | Peter Dasent |
| Cinematography | Murray Milne |
| Edited by | Jamie Selkirk |
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104 minutes |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $3 million |
| Box office | $242,623 (US) |
Braindead (also known as Dead Alive in North America) is a 1992 New Zealand splatstick zombie film directed by Peter Jackson, produced by John Booth, and written by Jackson, along with Fran Walsh and Stephen Sinclair.
The film follows Lionel, a man who lives with his mother Vera and constantly gets in trouble for his relationship with Paquita. When a rabid rat-monkey bites his mother, she in turn gradually converts the residents of the town into a zombie horde.
Since its release, Braindead has received acclaim from contemporary critics, with many filmmakers and critics calling it the goriest "splatter film" in history. Although a bomb financially at the time of its release, the film since gained a cult following, with more attention after Jackson's success with The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
In 1957, explorer Stewart McAlden (Bill Ralston), leads his team out of Skull Island with a captured Sumatran Rat-Monkey — a hybrid creature that resulted from the rape of tree monkeys on the island by plague-carrying rats. The team is stopped by warrior natives, who demand the return of the creature. Stewart gets bitten by the Rat-Monkey during their escape to a waiting jeep. Seeing the bite mark on Stewart's right hand, his men hold him down and amputate it. A bite mark and scratches are then seen on his left arm and his head, respectively, and those parts are also removed. The captured Rat-Monkey is shipped to Wellington Zoo in New Zealand.
Lionel Cosgrove (Timothy Balme) lives with his domineering mother, Vera (Elizabeth Moody). To Vera's dismay, Lionel falls in love with Spanish Romani shopkeeper's daughter, Paquita María Sánchez (Diana Peñalver). While snooping on the two during a visit to the zoo, Vera is bitten by the rat-monkey. The animal's bite turns her into a ravenous zombie. Lionel tries keeping her locked in the basement while simultaneously trying to maintain his relationship with the oblivious Paquita. Vera escapes and is hit by a tram.
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