Dead Alive (1993)
90%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: 14 wins & 7 nominations
Dead Alive, the gory masterpiece from Kiwi director Peter Jackson, is a film that revels in its own absurdity. With endless reserves of giddy energy and a delirious showcase of old-fashioned horror effects, this film is not for the faint of heart. The finale, in which Lionel reduces a horde of flesh-eaters to a mulch of blood, flesh, and offal with the aid of a flymo, is probably the goriest scene ever. But amidst the sensational grotesqueries and wondrously choreographed bloodbath, there lies a subtle anti-co-dependency tale that is both intelligent and humorous. Paired with truly inventive effects and plenty of monster mayhem, Dead Alive is a cult treat that continues to deliver nearly 30 years later.
Dead Alive is the perfect movie to watch if you’re in the mood for some gore and laughs. It’s like a twisted version of a rom-com, except instead of a couple falling in love, there’s a guy fighting off a zombie outbreak with a lawnmower. The special effects are impressive, and the amount of blood and guts is enough to make even the most seasoned horror fan squirm. Just make sure you don’t have a full stomach before hitting play.
Production Company(ies)
The Samuel Goldwyn Company,
Distributor
Trimark Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Botanic Garden, Wellington, New Zealand
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for an abundance of outrageous gore
Year of Release
1993
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
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Aspect ratio:1.66 : 1
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Runtime:1h 41m
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Language(s):English, Spanish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Feb 12, 1993 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 8, 1998
Genre(s)
Horror/Comedy
Keyword(s)
Dead Alive, R, Horror/Comedy, 1h 41m, directed by Peter Jackson, written by Stephen Sinclair, Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson, produced by Jim Booth, starring Timothy Balme as Lionel Cosgrove, Diana Peñalver as Paquita Maria Sanchez, Elizabeth Moody as Mum (Vera Cosgrove), Ian Watkin as Uncle Les, reviewed by Scott Tobias, Peter Rainer, Jonathan Rosenbaum, Budd Wilkins, David Stratton, Nigel Floyd, Tim Brayton, Jas Keimig, Mike Massie, Ed Travis, R.L Shaffer, Rodolfo Sánchez, $70.5K box office gross in the USA, R MPAA rating, horror, comedy, zombie, gore, overprotective mother, Sumatran rat-monkey, zoo, bitten, zombie mother, locked in basement, walking dead, high-society party, Trimark Pictures
Worldwide gross: $242,623
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $503,990
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,740
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 54,961
US/Canada gross: $242,623
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $503,990
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,324
US/Canada opening weekend: $23,765
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $49,366
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,214
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $3,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $6,231,766
Production budget ranking: 1,836
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $3,355,806
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$9,083,581
ROI to date (est.): -95%
ROI ranking: 1,991
Diana Peñalver – Paquita Maria Sanchez
Elizabeth Moody – Mum (Vera Cosgrove)
Ian Watkin – Uncle Les
Brenda Kendall – Nurse McTavish
Stuart Devenie – Father McGruder
Director(s)
Peter Jackson
Writer(s)
Stephen Sinclair, Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson
Producer(s)
Jim Booth
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
14 wins & 7 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (44) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (39) | Rotten (5)
[O]nce Lionel stops trying to cover up the zombie threat and starts fighting it, Dead Alive becomes a delirious showcase for molds, squibs, and other old-fashioned horror effects.
October 5, 2019
Scott Tobias
AV Club
TOP CRITIC
After you see it, you want to race out of the theater and recommend it to your sickest friends right away.
October 19, 2016
Peter Rainer
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Ordinarily I don’t care for this kind of thing at all, but something must be said for Jackson’s endless reserves of giddy energy, which are clearly meant to be silly.
October 19, 2016
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Lionsgate’s visceral, albeit barebones Blu-ray package lets viewers really sink their teeth into Dead Alive.
October 20, 2011
Budd Wilkins
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The best to date from Kiwi gore specialist Peter Jackson.
July 22, 2008
David Stratton
Variety
TOP CRITIC
The finale, in which Lionel reduces a horde of flesh-eaters to a mulch of blood, flesh and offal with the aid of a flymo, is probably the goriest scene ever.
June 24, 2006
Nigel Floyd
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Made with extraordinary, obvious joy by a filmmaking team besotted with the idea of making a movie.
April 6, 2022 | Rating: 4/5
Tim Brayton
Alternate Ending
Dead Alive is a grisly but absurd romp that you definitely shouldn’t watch while eating dinner.
February 1, 2022
Jas Keimig
The Stranger (Seattle, WA)
Sensational grotesqueries lend to an intricately orchestrated, wondrously choreographed bloodbath that is one of the funniest – and most fun – of all horror flicks.
September 11, 2020 | Rating: 10/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
I feel like Dead Alive is telling the definitive anti-co-dependency tale.
April 1, 2020
Ed Travis
Hollywood Jesus
Paired with some truly inventive effects (especially considering the budget), plenty of blood splatter and monster mayhem, Dead Alive is cult treat that continues to deliver nearly 20 years later.
October 5, 2019
R.L. Shaffer
IGN Movies
The film was capable enough to treat the zombie genre with humor as well as respect. [Full Review in Spanish]
October 5, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Rodolfo Sánchez
Sensacine…
Plot
After accidentally turning his mother into a zombie, Lionel tries to keep her locked in the basement, but her repeated escapes turn most of the neighbors into the walking dead in the horror-comedy film Dead Alive.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd statement about the film Dead Alive on Fresh Kernels.
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