Bad Taste

Bad Taste Movie poster Country New Zealand Directed by Peter Jackson Release Date 1987 Language English Studio WingNut Films New Zealand Film Commission Distributor Image Entertainment (US) Main Cast Character Actor Derek / Robert (3rd Class Alien) Peter Jackson Ozzy Terry Potter Barry Pete O' Herne Frank Mike Minett Giles Copeland (Charity Collector) Craig Smith Lord Crumb (Alien Leader) Doug Wren

Bad Taste is a 1987 cult splatter science fiction horror comedy that was the first feature length film directed by Peter Jackson. Jackson also has an double acting role in the film.

The following weapons were used in the film Bad Taste:

Smith & Wesson Model 29

Smith & Wesson Model 29 is the first gun seen in the film. After Barry (Pete O'Herne) fails to lose a blue-shirted human impostor who has trailed him from the deserted town, he resorts to using the team's Smith & Wesson Model 29 - affectionately called "the Magnum"- on the alien.

Later the team's unstable Ozzy (Terry Potter) calls the Magnum when the team preps for the homestead infiltration and uses it for the rest of the film.

Smith & Wesson Model 29

Derek (over radio): "The headshot is the only true stopper!"
Barry (Pete O' Herne) getting a better grip of the S&W Model 29 in order to give the blue-shirted freak a splitting headache.

Ozzy taking over the Magnum

Ozzy: "That's one less!"
Shot of the S&W Model 29 after Ozzy uses it to waste the drunken alien.

Ozzy drops the Magnum

Ozzy: "You go on, l'm going to go back and stop those bastards!"
Front view of S&W Model 29.

IMI Uzi

IMI Uzi is extensively featured in the film. The gun is a actually a custom replica made by Peter Jackson, shown to eject shells and have a working cocking handle, but its bolt doesn't move.

It first appears in the hands of Derek (Peter Jackson) who - after hearing that the aliens are headed towards him - has stashed one inside his backpack. He proceeds to empty a whole magazine on an empty forest (because he is a moron) and when an actual alien appears, out of ammo, he resorts in spastic fake-shooting at it (because he is a moron.) He manages to reload and fill the threath's stomach with holes and the alien stumbles over him. In following, others appear and Derek decides to force his Uzi through the newly-holed alien's stomach to shoot the others. He loses the gun when Robert, an alien whom Derek tortured earlier, managed to escape from ensnarement and attacks his tormentor - pushing him off the cliff and making him go "Mommy!"

Uzi also appears in the cover of Soldier of Fortune magazine that Ozzy is reading while waiting Barry to report back (to illustrate that the character has some issues). The weapon is seen again later in the hands of various alien mooks.

IMI Uzi

Derek draws an Uzi from his backpack.

Derek firing the Uzi. With the magic of SFX, it is shown firing and ejecting empty shells, even though the bolt doesn't move.

Derek: "Eat lead, sucker!"
Derek firing his Uzi from the cliffside

Ozzy reading the Soldier of Fortune magazine that shows actor Tom Berenger cocking a Uzi on the cover. (For better view of the Soldier of Fortune cover, check the trivia section below)

Alien mook firing his Uzi on the boys.

Sterling MK IV SMG

Sterling MK IV Submachine guns is the primary choice of the weapons of the boys. They are seen wielding them for entire time trying to find Giles within the homestead and earlier parts of the firefight, but eventually discarded for reasons of jamming, running out of ammo, losing them in melee combat and getting more destructive equipment in their hands.

Sterling MK IV Sub-machine gun

Frank doing a chamber check on his Sterling. Even though the gun is a home-made replica, the director went his way to keep up the "illusion of authenticity."

The boys gathering up the Sterlings for the infiltration mission. If you examine the grip of the Sterling on the right, you'll notice that it doesn't have correct grip panel that proper Sterlings have.

The boys inside the homestead, with Frank making tactical signs while holding his Sterling.

The boys firing their Sterlings at the aliens at early part of the firefight.

Close-up shot of Barry reloading his Sterling Mk.IV SMG

AKS-47

AKS-47 is extensively used the athagonistic aliens of the movie.

It is first demonstrated during the alien meeting when Lord Crumb tells his workers that they need some precauctions and Robert appears to show it.

There appears to be two types AKS(s) shown in film. One has the AKM-style slant cut muzzle brake.

AKS-47

Robert (Peter Jackson, in his second double role) demonstrating the AKS-47 to his fellow aliens

Close-up shot of the AKS-47 on the floor (its owner is playing patty-cake with an fellow alien (!?))

One of the Aliens with an AKS-47 with its stock extended guarding the homestead yard.

"AK-47. It's so easy, even a child can use it." Not sure about the retarded aliens, though.

Robert arrives with his AKS-47 to try and kill the heroes.

Beretta Model 1934

When "The Boys" are getting out of the manor, the alien who blows their cover pulls out a Beretta M1934 at the Boys.

It is also used by some of the alien mooks during the shoot-outs.

Beretta Model 1934

Alien mook slowly pulling out his Beretta and cocking it's hammer.

Beretta in the hand of a felled alien.

Alien points his Beretta at the head of Giles.
Note A: Fairly thick grip indicates that it's the bigger caliber Beretta M1934 and not M1935
Note B: In the following scene, the alien escorting Giles wields Walther P38
Note C: That's not a very good grip!

Walther P38

Walther P38 is used by one of the aliens playing patty-cake who are killed by Ozzy when the firefight starts and also a drunken alien who Ozzy shoots straight in the forehead.

Walther P38 (Mauser manufacture)

Gunned down Alien with P38

Drunken Alien's P38 (image is enchanced to see the gun more clearly)

Drunken Alien aiming at Ozzy with his P38

Alien prepairing to execute Giles with his P38. Note: In previous scene, the gun was a Beretta M1934

Dramatically zooming and aiming alien is about to shoot Ozzy with the P38

Walther PPK

After the firefight starts, Lord Crumb (Doug Wren) gets a Walther PPK stashed in a drawer. He is later appears cautiously sneaking around the homestead in search of the boys and hides behind a bush. He gets a clear shot of Barry, but his perfect kill was foiled by the fact that he failed to load the magazine with real bullets in the first place. He is shown trying to load bullets in the magazine but starts to revert back to his real form and discards it.

It's intresting to note that the PPK Lord Crumb wields has grip panels with NSDAP eagle holding a wreath encircled swastika insignia installed. This kind of PPK grip is often associated with the Nazi Walther PPK Party Leader Pistol AKA "Honor Weapon of the [Nazi] Political Leaders."

Walther PPK

PPK stashed in the drawer

Lord Crumb sneaking around the homestead with his PPK

Lord Crumb: "Oh, sod it!"
Notice grips with NSDAP eagle holding a wreath encircled swastika insignia.

Colt Goverment Model M1911A1

Barry and Frank are seen wielding replica Colt Government Model M1911A1 during the firefight outside of the housestead. Most likely to compensate the fact that the M1911 is either a deactivated gun or non-firing replica, it changes into Browning Hi-Power everytime either one is shown firing their pistol on-screen.

Colt Government Model M1911A1

Frank brandishing his M1911A1

Frank with his M1911A1 startled by incoming gunfire. Notice the chrome hammer.

Barry reaching for his M1911A1. Notice the emblem on grip; indicating that it's one of the Colt M1911's designed for civilian market (Government, MK IV series). The thickness of grip and the shape of the grip panel, as well as the location of screw and an emblem indicate that this is a M1911A1 and not a Browning Hi-Power as previously stated.

Barry prepares to unload his M1911A1 (that will transform in Browning Hi-Power) on some aliens.

Barry with M1911A1 that has it's slide locked from previous scene where he empited a Browning Hi-Power on bunch of aliens.

Browning Hi-Power

When Barry and Frank are shown shooting their M1911A1(s) on-screen, they always transform into Browning Hi-Power(s).

It appears that this is a real gun because there is recoil, smoke and ejecting cartridges. Apparently, the New Zealand film commission didn't allow Peter Jackson to use blank firing guns in this movie which is why he made replicas and added in the effects during post-production. Handguns are legal to own in New Zealand so Peter wouldn't of had much trouble using them in the movie. The actors also behave like they're firing a real gun during these scenes. Full auto weapons on the other hand are restricted in New Zealand which explains the use of replicas for the "bigger" guns.

Browning Hi-Power pistol - 9×19 mm Parabellum

Frank and Ozzy shooting at the aliens while Giles is cowering in fear. You can just make the shape, but Frank's (upper shooter's) gun is a Browning Hi-Power.

Barry shooting the Hi-Power.

Action of the real Browning Hi-Power that Barry (Pete O' Herne) fires on-screen
Left image: Close-up of Barry aiming the Hi-Power
Middle image: Recoil, empty casing (circled in yellow) and smoke suggests that this is a real gun.
Right image: Slide locks back after the last round.

MP40

MP40 is used by various alien mooks and their leader Lord Crumb during latter parts of the film

MP40

Alien mook (in human form) aims his MP40 at Derek's van

Alien mooks (in their real forms) running after the boys. The one in front has MP40

Lord Crumb firing his MP40 at Frank and Ozzy

RPG-7

The Boys have a (faux) RPG-7 - complete with (also faux) PGO-7 scope - with them. What 1980's New Zealand special forces under British Commonwealth of Nations are doing with a Soviet-made weapon nobody knows but most likely has something to do with hilarious carnage.

It first appears sealed within a locked crate in the trunk of Frank's car during the team's preparations to raid the homestead. Ozzy gleams over it while the others assure that they won't be needing it.

During the final confrontation of the movie, the team decides that the aliens must be stopped and Ozzy runs to Frank's car to aquire the launcher. He breaks the lock with the S&W Model 29 and decides to test it on two aliens investigating Frank's car - blowing his co-worker's ride in process.

After Ozzy is injured Frank aquires it and fires it at the homestead, intending to nail Lord Crumb, but instead makes an animal that goes "baa" go "BOOM". It is then totally discarded.

RPG-7 with PG-7VM rocket and PGO-7 scope

Ozzy aquires the RPG-7

Ozzy taking aim with RPG-7 at Frank's car that two aliens are investigating.

Ozzy with RPG-7 running back to the homestead to settle the score with the aliens. Note the fake rocket on belt.

Frank firing the RPG-7 at the homestead.

Trivia & Additional Images

Firearm Replicas

It's interesting to note that Peter Jackson went about crafting most of the guns himself for the movie. In "Good Taste Made Bad Taste" behind-the-scenes documentary, Peter Jackson demonstrates one of the Sterling SMG replicas and explains how the magazine is actually all wood with a bit of cardboard on top, and that the gun itself was made from Aluminum pipe and some fiberglass. He doesn't specify if he made the other guns but nonetheless they're quite impressive.

Some of the firearm replicas that Peter Jackson made for the movie. From top; AKS-47, IMI Uzi and 3 Sterling Mk. IV sub-machine guns with rightmost having a extended stock.

Peter Jackson explaining how he made the Sterling Mk. IV SMG replicas while holding a type of Aluminum Pipe that was used to make them.

Other Curio

September 1981 issue of Soldier of Fortune that Ozzy (Terry Potter) reads at the car. The cover photo is actually derived from a production image of Tom Berenger from the film The Dogs of War.

"The Boys'" uniform has the British 2nd SAS patches on them. Maybe a leftover from earlier version of the script, as the boys go under the unfortunate banner of "Astro Investigation and Defence Service" during the movie.

Production Image with some of the crew dressed as the aliens from the movie. Two of the aliens have MP-40(s) and one of them has a Uzi