Peter Jackson has a wide range of successful projects under his name, from blockbuster franchises like The Lord of the Rings to cult classics like Meet the Feebles and Dead Alive. And his journey to becoming one of the most proficient filmmakers in the industry began with the 1987 film Bad Taste, which paved the way for his illustrious career in the film industry.
The film has since become a cult classic known for its over-the-top gore and dark humor. However, it faced significant challenges during production, particularly due to limited resources. In order to realize his vision, Jackson found himself compelled to employ unconventional methods to secure funding.
Peter Jackson’s Sneaky Tactics to Fund His Debut Feature Film
Peter Jackson’s journey as the filmmaker began with the gory extravaganza of the 1987 sci-fi horror comedy Bad Taste. Based in a fictional town in New Zealand, the film follows a group of government agents tasked with combating aliens, who are harvesting humans for their interstellar fast-food chain.
The filmmaker planned the project as a short film, however, it evolved over time, and it took them four years to finish the movie as it transitioned from a short film to a feature film with even more gorier elements. However, the lack of resources to fund the movie led him to take an unconventional approach.
He screened the film for the Film Commission’s executive director Jim Booth, who liked the movie. However, it would have been hard to convince others on the board to fund the film as well. So they ended up utilizing a loophole to get the funding for the movie. Jackson told Film Threat,
“However, he, as the director, did have the ability to approve small amounts for script developments, like $5,000. So he organized it behind the backs of his colleagues, but we eventually got the point where we needed the money for post production and had to go to the Commission with the film.”
Once they formally presented the movie, the Film Commission approved the project, which The Hobbit director claimed has since become their most financially successful film. The film’s success led to further support from the commission for Jackson’s subsequent films, including Meet the Feebles and Braindead.
Peter Jackson Shared His Love For Special Effects
During his conversation with FilmThreat, Peter Jackson also shared his love for special effects and how it was the one thing that got him interested in filmmaking. Reflecting on how he decided to make Bad Taste even more gory with its transformation into a feature film, he shared that the special effects in the film made it even more entertaining.
The Lord of the Rings director enjoyed the process as he liked doing the effects. “Special effects are what got me interested in making films in the first place,” he said before adding, “They were an excuse to blow things up and make monsters and such.”
However, with time he also got interested in direction and storytelling became increasingly significant to him. Jackson credited his first film Bad Tastes as a learning experience, despite the absence of formal film education in New Zealand.
However, he also admitted that it would have been unlikely for him to attend the film institute. “I don’t want to sit there being told what to do, I’d rather just go out and do it, and make my own mistakes,” he said, explaining why he wouldn’t have thrived in a traditional film school environment.
Bad Taste is available to stream on Prime Video.
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