Dead Alive

Posted by James Schu (jgs210@psu.edu) on November 22, 2006

So, you’d like to learn a little more about the man who brought Kong back to life? Maybe you’ve heard about his ambitions to bring the popular Halo video games to the silver screen? Or maybe you’re curious about the man responsible for the epic grandeur of the Lord of the Rings trilogy? Let’s go back in time, then, somewhere between Shaun of the Dead, the Evil Dead movies and Re-Animator, and revisit Peter Jackson’s 1992 zombie-horror schlockfest, Dead Alive, which, depending on your point of view is either the biggest skeleton in the acclaimed director’s closet or a delightful buried treasure in his back catalog. In the fourteen years since its release, Dead Alive has amassed both a loyal cult following and a considerable notoriety for its grossly (pun definitely intended) overwrought gore.

After a pre-credits opening scene that simply bellows ‘B-movie’ (you can practically see the strings holding up a miniature airplane), we’re introduced to an anonymous, sleepy New Zealand town and its unassuming residents. There’s Paquita, the superstitiously romantic drugstore clerk; Lionel, our endearingly awkward hero; and Lionel’s jealous and overprotective mother (in an homage to Psycho). Like most films in the genre, Dead Alive’s plot functions basically to create gory, over-the-top set pieces, and is centered around an uncomplicated boy + girl love story (and boy’s attempt to secretly hide several un-dead zombies in his basement, but we’ll get to that). Lionel’s mother is the first victim of the rabid, diseased Sumatran Rat Monkey (a nightmarish horror unto herself, she impales its head with her stiletto heel). The Rat Monkey is portrayed in such crude claymation that it’s a wonder this Jackson is the same person who has worked such FX magic in his later films.

Lionel spends one night with Paquita before awaking to find his ‘mum’ in a progressively zombiefied state. Needless to say, her disease spreads, creating other zombies, and havoc ensues, giving way to slapstick of the foulest variety (usually centered around fully or partially dismembered body parts). As someone relatively familiar with the genre, I was caught off guard by just how far Jackson would go. One early fight scene between Lionel, his mum and her nurse had my jaw on the floor (figuratively, of course, though in Dead Alive’s world, the literal meaning holds just as much water). There’s also a dining room lunch scene (two, actually) that may have you losing your own lunch, as I almost did.

There’s always the potential for this type of ‘on-purpose’ B-movie to become corny, like when Snakes on a Plane tried just a bit too hard to be bad. The reason why Jackson succeeds is because he goes even further than you’d ever expect. Take, for example, a zombie-decapitating kung-fu priest (I know, you’re rolling your eyes already). “I kick ass for the Lord!” he sneers, in what presumably was a good line on paper, but made me cringe because it was just so cheesy. But Jackson, instead of being complacent with this gimmicky character, goes further with the gore. In doing so, he takes the joke to that next level, and he crosses the line from unfunny-corny to hilarious pandemonium. The same thing occurs with Lionel’s fight with a zombie baby (which, in some scenes, is clearly a small adult wearing a baby mask). It’s so awful, it’s funny, and not in the corny way you’d expect. Jackson progressively piles on the outrageousness and gore as the movie unfolds. (Yeah, and you thought it was bad when mum ate her own ear after it fell into her soup? Tip of the iceberg)

If you make it that far, Dead Alive’s final act is probably its funniest, and naturally, you’ll be amazed by the sheer volume of blood. There’s also some recurring jokes that grow on you after repeat viewings, such as the ball of organs that constantly hounds Lionel, or the zombie baby’s disturbing laugh. However, this movie is not for everyone (as if that wasn’t obvious by now), so the faint of heart–or the full of stomach–should be forewarned. You’ll either love it or you just won’t get it. Whether you’re laughing too hard or whether you’re just plain disgusted, Dead Alive will have you doubled over in one way or another.

The Upside: There’s more intentional cheese than Lambeau field on Sunday, and most of the time, it works.

The Downside: It’s far from perfect, and some jokes fall flat. Not everybody’s sense of humor can handle this type of thing–and that’s to say nothing of their intestinal fortitude.

On the Side: Dead Alive is frequently referenced in Jackson’s later work; i.e. the “lightbulb-in-head” gag that appears in The Frighteners and the crates in King Kong stenciled with “Sumatran Rat Monkey” on the side.

Final Grade: B

Read more articles by James Schu