Product Details

• Actors: Costa Botes, Graham Butcher, Michael Gooch, Peter Gooch, Robin Griggs
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Starz / Anchor Bay
• VHS Release Date: November 20, 2001
• Run Time: 91 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (172 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005OCPP
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #284,625 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Could a title be any more direct? New Zealand maverick Peter Jackson made a splash (well, more of a splatter) with this film debut, a slapstick gross-out comedy about an alien fast-food franchise that turns a small town into a cheap source of meat. All that stands in the extraterrestrials' way is the Alien Investigation Defense Service (yes, it's a tasteless gag), a bunch of would-be Rambos who take on the aliens with axes, rocket launchers, and chainsaws. Jackson mines vomit jokes, dismembered corpses, and brain-spattering gore for over-the-top laughs and succeeds with inventive low-budget effects, crack timing, and sheer exuberance. Not bad for a film made on weekends with homemade props and a bunch of energetic mates. Jackson topped himself a few years later with the even more outrageous and hilarious bloody gut-buster Dead Alive.

The limited-edition two-disc set also includes the documentary featurette "Good Taste Made Bad Taste," a revealing "making of" shot at the time of production and featuring behind-the-scenes footage of Jackson's home-made special effects, and a 16-page booklet with cast interviews. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great and Disgusting Time! (4.5 stars), September 18, 2004

By 

Michael Crane (Orland Park, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bad Taste (Limited Edition) (DVD)

Peter Jackson's directorial debut, "Bad Taste," is a hilariously good time involving a whole lot of blood, guts, brains, the chugging of vomit and tons of laughs. Done in the true slapstick-horror fashion, this is a disgusting and pleasantly demented flick that refuses to take itself seriously. It's over-the-top in every way, and that's what makes it so fun to watch. It's not recommended for people with weak stomachs, but people looking for carnage and laughs will feel right at home with this.

It doesn't have the most scientific or complex plot, but why should it? It involves aliens from another planet that are disguised as humans--acting more like zombies, but they move a lot faster and are handy with automatic weapons. The aliens are here for one thing only... hamburger meat--made from humans! They have already completely massacred an entire town and plan to do the same to the rest of the world! Now, it's up to a couple of goofball assassins to save humanity and take these extra-terrestrial psychos head on... God help us all!

This was everything I was hoping it would be. It's completely over-the-top, ridiculous and a real gross-out event. What more could you want? This isn't a movie where you're looking for brilliant acting or directing. You just want to enjoy yourself. The movie is purposely goofy, as it is never afraid to make fun of itself in many ways. The best way I can describe this is it's "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" meets "The Evil Dead." It's not scary, but since it is slapstick-horror it doesn't really need to be. Considering how low of a budget Jackson and company had, it has some pretty cool and disgusting special effects. I could never make something like this, that much is for sure.

As I said in the beginning, it's not recommended for people with weak stomachs. Sure, it was made on a low budget, but the special effects are still disgusting enough to make you feel sick if you're not up for it. You also have to not take this seriously. If you try to take it seriously, then you will loathe every second. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the chaotic freak show. The limited DVD edition offers a really neat changing-cover. The picture and sound is as good as it can get (the sound is the real prize, allowing you to hear all the squishy-squishy joy of blood and brains splattering all over the place!). Special features include the theatrical trailer and a making-of documentary.

"Bad Taste" is for anyone who has a sick and twisted sense of humor, and who is in the mood for something extremely goofy. I think Peter Jackson should revisit the genera again in the near future, as he really shines in it with this movie. I'm sure he has a lot of fun with it, too. Again, not recommended for the weak, but if you're looking for all the blood and guts you can handle while laughing at the same time, it's all right here. A great gem that is bound to entertain you over and over again. -Michael Crane

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Be warned--this isn't a 2-disc special edition...it's a cheap release, June 11, 2009

By 

Daniel W. Kelly (NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Peter Jackson's Bad Taste (DVD)

enough people have reviewed the merits of the movie, I just want to let people know, this particular listing (ASIN: B00004Z1GI ), as of the date of this review, is described by amazon as the 2-disc special edition. It's not. It's a cheapo single disc release by an obscure company, and it pretty much looks like it was transferred from a VHS tape in full screen. Definitely not worth the listed price of 17.99.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the Definitive Cult Classic, July 25, 2000

By 

Mr. Stuart Chandler "chanelit" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bad Taste [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Absolutely crazy horror comedy and Peter Jackson's (who is now busy making 'Lord of the Rings')debut movie. Gore and blood abound as 'The Boys' are called in to get rid of an alien menace killing townspeople to use them as the latest fast-food taste sensation on another planet.

At one point, one of our heroes, Derek, falls off a cliff and splits his head wide open - the rest of the time he has to wear either a hat or belt on his head to keep his brains in! Exploding sheep, aliens eating brains and vomit, 'The Boys' killing everything in site and a starship in the size of old house - this film has it all and twice over. All done with more than a hint of humour, this extremely black-comedy, blood drenched from beginning to end will make you laugh hysterically and feel a bit grossed out at the on-screen display. Directed with passion, made over four years' worth of weekends with a bunch of friends and virtually no-budget, this cult classic is essential viewing for all horror fans, especially those who enjoy cheesy humour. If you like 'Evil Dead 2' and the Monty Python films, you'll love this - watch it now!