Braindead is in the same vein as Jackson’s earlier works Bad Taste and Meet the Feebles but Braindead is rather more polished, with a budget of around $3 million. Although it starts with the capture of a zombie-creating creature on the eerie Skull Island, the movie is relatively low-key in its opening half. Only in the second part does it spiral out of control into a blood-filled zombie film.

Jackson reused the song played on the organ as the mourners wait to enter the church prior to the embalming scene. It is Sodomy from Peter Jackson’s previous film Meet the Feebles (1989).

Lawsuit

The film was subject to a lawsuit. In Bradley vs. Wingnut Films Ltd [1993] 1 NZLR 415, it was alleged that the comedy horror film Brain Dead had infringed the privacy of the plaintiffs by containing pictures of the plaintiff’s family tombstone. The tombstone appeared on the film for less than 14 seconds. It never appeared in its entirety, only the letters “BRA” were visible behind a person sitting on the wall at the side of the plot. After reviewing the New Zealand judicial authorities on privacy, Gallen J stated: the present situation in New Zealand … is that there are three strong statements in the High Court in favour of the existence of such a tort in this country and an acceptance by the Court of Appeal that the concept is at least arguable. This case became one of a series of cases which contributed to the introduction of Tort of Invasions of Privacy in New Zealand.

Cast

• Timothy Balme as Lionel Cosgrove
• Diana Peñalver as Paquita Maria Sanchez
• Elizabeth Moody as Mum (Vera Cosgrove)
• Ian Watkin as Uncle Les
• Brenda Kendall as Nurse McTavish
• Stuart Devenie as Father McGruder
• Jed Brophy as Void
• Stephen Papps as Zombie McGruder
• Murray Keane as Scroat
• Glenis Levestam as Nora Matheson
• Lewis Rowe as Mr. Matheson
• Elizabeth Mulfaxe as Rita
• Harry Sinclair as Roger
• Davina Whitehouse as Paquita’s Grandmother