Braindead (1992)

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.

Director:

Peter Jackson

Writers:

Stephen Sinclair (story), Stephen Sinclair (screenplay)

Stars:

Timothy Balme, Diana Peñalver, Elizabeth Moody

14 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

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?

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Plot Keywords:

zombie | zombie attack | living dead | monkey | zoo | 

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Taglines:

The rot has set in....

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Genres:

Comedy | Horror

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Hungarian title means like "Cool!". In Hungary this word is made up by adding two words (Dead and Good) together.

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Goofs

The first Aleister Crowley "Thoth" deck appeared in a monochrome edition published by the Simpson Printing Company of Dallas, Texas, in the early 1960s. Llewellyn, in conjunction with the Ordo Templi Orientis, published the first color version in 1969.

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Quotes

Uncle Les: Ahhh, so you found your father's old stag movies, didn't ya?

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Alternate Versions

After Lionel has bitten through the intestine and falls onto a zomies head, in Dead Alive we move onto Les killing zombie by "rolling" it to death in a clothes press. In Braindead Lionel is confronted by the vicar & nurse zombies who impail each other on a pitch fork and continue to have sex.

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Connections

References Night of the Creeps (1986)

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Soundtracks

The Stars and Moon
Composed by Peter Dasent and Jane Lindsay
Performed by Kate Swadling
Published by Mana Music/Central

User Reviews

Brilliant zombie-movie

Braindead was the first really gory splattermovie I saw, and I have seen plenty since then, but Braindead is still the best zombie/comedy-movie I`ve ever seen. All the actors are terrible but that is precisely what makes this movie so cool. It is the king of the cult-movie. What really makes this movie a must is all the zombies and the extremely ultraviolent way they are slaughtered. As you may understand by now, you need to have a sick sense of humour to watch this film. Peter Jackson rules! 10/10

Details

Official Sites:

NZonScreen listing

Country:

New Zealand

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

13 August 1992 (New Zealand)

Also Known As:

Braindead

Filming Locations:

Botanic Garden, Wellington, New Zealand

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$23,765, 15 February 1993

Gross USA:

$242,623

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$242,623

Company Credits

Production Co:

WingNut Films, New Zealand Film Commission, Avalon/NFU Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min 85 min (R-rated) 97 min (unrated) 80 min (FSK 16) 92 min (1992) (1993) (cut) 85 min (heavily cut) 99 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1