Dead Alive

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Dead Alive

R

Released Feb 12, 1993

1h 41m

Horror

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

89%

Tomatometer

46 Reviews

86%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

Overprotective mother Vera Cosgrove (Elizabeth Moody), spying on her grown son, Lionel (Timothy Balme), as he visits the zoo with the lovely Paquita (Diana Peñalver), is accidentally bitten by the fearsome Sumatran rat-monkey. When the bite turns his beloved mother into a zombie, Lionel tries to keep her locked safely in the basement, but her repeated escapes turn most of the neighbors into the walking dead, who then crash a high-society party thrown by Lionel's boorish Uncle Les (Ian Watkin).

Critics Consensus

The delightfully gonzo tale of a lovestruck teen and his zombified mother, Dead Alive is extremely gory and exceedingly good fun, thanks to Peter Jackson's affection for the tastelessly sublime.

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Scott Tobias

AV Club

[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.

Oct 5, 2019

Full Review

Peter Rainer

Los Angeles Times

After you see it, you want to race out of the theater and recommend it to your sickest friends right away.

Oct 19, 2016

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

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.

Oct 19, 2016

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

A film so excessively gory that it makes the Pacino version of Scarface look like a vintage episode of Reading Rainbow by comparison.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 27, 2024

Full Review

Kristy Strouse

Wonderfully Weird and Horrifying

Dead Alive has killer effects and eccentric hilarity, and it thrives through Jackson's passion. This is a must-see for any horror-comedy fan.

Oct 26, 2022

Full Review

Tim Brayton

Alternate Ending

Made with extraordinary, obvious joy by a filmmaking team besotted with the idea of making a movie.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 6, 2022

Full Review

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Erik B

The follow-up to Bad Taste is even more gory and horrific...but it's also more of an actual film. Worth checking out...if you've got the stomach!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/28/25

Full Review

Mike U.

This is a true classic. A must see for horror fans!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/22/25

Full Review

Andy F.

This movie is insane in the best way. SO much gore and body horror. Full of comedy. One of the best horror comedies I’ve seen. What a freaking crazy experience!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/22/25

Full Review

Kazi Z

Best violent movie ever.I love it. That’s called movie,absolute cinema,precisely and perfectly for horror lover fan's.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

07/20/25

Full Review

Andy B

It's one of the silliest films you'll ever watch and one you definitely need to be in the mood for, but the final 30 minutes are such pure creative, goofy energy, that it's almost impossible to dislike.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/28/25

Full Review

Nick O

Still Peter Jackson’s greatest achievement to date. Wall to wall…ceiling to floor…gore, gore and more GORE!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/23/25

Full Review

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Peter Jackson

Director

Timothy Balme

Lionel Cosgrove

Diana Peñalver

Paquita Maria Sanchez

Elizabeth Moody

Mum (Vera Cosgrove)

Ian Watkin

Uncle Les

Brenda Kendall

Nurse McTavish

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Synopsis

Overprotective mother Vera Cosgrove (Elizabeth Moody), spying on her grown son, Lionel (Timothy Balme), as he visits the zoo with the lovely Paquita (Diana Peñalver), is accidentally bitten by the fearsome Sumatran rat-monkey. When the bite turns his beloved mother into a zombie, Lionel tries to keep her locked safely in the basement, but her repeated escapes turn most of the neighbors into the walking dead, who then crash a high-society party thrown by Lionel's boorish Uncle Les (Ian Watkin).

Director: Peter Jackson
Producer: Jim Booth
Screenwriter: Stephen Sinclair, Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson
Distributor: Trimark Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Horror, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 12, 1993, Original
Release Date (DVD): Sep 8, 1998
Box Office (Gross USA): $70.5K
Runtime: 1h 41m