Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Timothy Balme | ... | Lionel Cosgrove | |
Diana Peñalver | ... | Paquita Maria Sanchez | |
Elizabeth Moody | ... | Mum (Vera Cosgrove) | |
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Ian Watkin | ... | Uncle Les |
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Brenda Kendall | ... | Nurse McTavish |
Stuart Devenie | ... | Father McGruder | |
Jed Brophy | ... | Void | |
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Stephen Papps | ... | Zombie McGruder |
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Murray Keane | ... | Scroat |
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Glenis Levestam | ... | Nora Matheson |
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Lewis Rowe | ... | Mr. Matheson |
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Elizabeth Mulfaxe | ... | Rita |
Harry Sinclair | ... | Roger | |
Davina Whitehouse | ... | Paquita's Grandmother | |
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Silvio Famularo | ... | Paquita's Father |
In New Zealand's peaceful town of Wellington, Lionel Cosgrove--an oppressed bachelor who is still living with his despotic mother, Vera--has finally found his soulmate: the kind grocery store clerk, Paquita. However, before long, things will take a turn for the worse in Lionel's already messed-up world, when Skull Island's vicious Sumatran Rat-Monkey bites Vera after a visit to the local zoo. Now that Vera's got the "bite", the virulent infection is rapidly turning her into a puss-squirting flesh-eating living dead, and the volatile situation is bound to get out of hand, as an ever-growing collection of dead bodies and other stimulant-enhanced zombie misfits start to cram Lionel's basement. Poor Lionel--whether you like it or not--you need to man up and clean up the mess; moreover, summon up the courage to confront your decomposing mummy, and the family's ugly secret. Nevertheless, has Lionel what it takes to save the day, and get the girl? Written by Nick Riganas
Lionel Cosgrove is a good guy having a tough time with things. Ever since his father died saving him during a swimming accident Lionel has been taking care of his mother. But unfortunately his mother must have come from the same parenting class as Norman Bates' mother since she is as manipulative and smothering. But things seem to be on the up and up for him when he starts a romance with a local shop owner's daughter. But a date to the zoo takes a turn for the worse when Lionel's overprotective mum follows him and manages to get bitten by a "rat monkey", a particularly nasty creature whose bite is killer literally. The bite turns his mum into a zombie and each one she bites turns as well. Pretty soon poor Lionel is living in the house of the dead and fighting off a lecherous uncle scheming to grab the estate.
Peter Jackson (of Lord of the Rings fame) once again proves he is more than able to give us the gory goods and make us laugh the entire time. This insanely entertaining flick has buckets and buckets of blood and gore, probably one of the (if not THE) bloodiest around. For a film with a miniscule budget (approximately $3 million) he makes every penny count and turns out a very nice looking film. The comedy is pure slapstick and at times dark as pitch. The actors attack their various roles with a solid energy that gives the film a maniac pace. "Brain Dead" (aka "Dead Alive") is the best splatter comedy money can buy.