Many people would be outright disgusted by this film, which in itself demonstrates its brilliance. I've not hear Peter Jackson discuss or admit responsibility for this film in ANY interview I've seen with him since he started making the Tolkien films. And frankly the murder, mayhem, violence and gore in this film makes the LOTR cycle seem perfectly cartoonish. And in this film there are cars, people don't have to walk for miles and miles and miles... when they could have just rode a giant eagle. But I digress.I first saw this film when I was back at Uni, when it was released. In all likelihood I would have been drunk, as must Peter Jackson when he wrote and directed the thing. Whatever he was on, it liberated his mind sufficiently to create art with the spirit and genius of Poe, Lovecraft, and Coleridge.OK not quite - but if there was any name you'd expect to be attached to a film like this it would be Tarantino, not Jackson.Overall I give this a 10 out of 10. Partly because it's genius and mostly because whatever star rating I give it makes no difference to the universe....And in parting, a tip: Enjoy life and live it to the full, because you never know when you might choke on a chocolate cherry cake in someone's cleavage. :)

King Kong (2005), Heavenly Creatures (1994), The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003); what do they all have in common? Well other than the fact that they are all high quality films, they all share a director with the little seen; little loved 1989 New Zealand film Meet the Feebles (1989). That's right; before Peter Jackson won critical acclaim for his magnificent spectacles and J.R.R. Tolkien adaptations he was the director of a twisted, tawdry parody of The Muppets (1976-1981), ranking up there with The Toxic Avenger (1984) in its level of vulgarity.The movie aptly juggles a multitude of stories surrounding the struggling variety show cast and crew. The main character of Meet the Feebles is an aging star, Heidi the Hippo (Danny Mulheron) who is struggling to keep her relationship with adulterous producer Bletch the Walrus (Peter Vere-Jones). That, in addition to a sugary sweet love story between a hedgehog and a poodle is about the tamest thing about Meet the Feebles. There are subplots involving drugs, STDs, Vietnam flashbacks, gun violence and plenty of puppet sex.The sheer ridiculousness of this nightmarish puppet show makes it too ghastly to look away. It appalls intrigues and impresses in equal measure. Everything from the camera-work to the puppeteering to the script are crude yet wildly effective. The size of each anamorphic puppet varies from elaborate sock puppet to a multi-crewed giant all requiring a certain level of skill which while not on par with Jim Henson, is fun to watch.This film, coupled with Peter Jackson's Dead Alive (1992) makes me wonder where the director would be if he had stayed on the path of grotesque horror and gallows humor. Give the man a humungous budget, award winning actors and the top technical talents of Hollywood, and he'll give you a triptych of timeless classics. Give him just $750,000 a hand-held camera and some felt and he'll give you a memorable marionette experience that won't be equaled until Team America: World Police (2004). One thing's for certain if he had stayed on the path we wouldn't have had to endure The Frighteners (1996).The script written by Jackson and three other New Zealanders is fresh and funny giving the audience everything from silly muppet-like puns to ribald musical numbers including "Sodomy" sung by Sebastian the Fox (Stuart Devenie). Much of the gross out humor is provided by a character simply known as The Fly (Brian Sergent) who buzzes around for tabloid gossip and develops his photos in a toilet.The rest of the film is filled to the brim with knife throwing, machine gun toting; cocaine sniffing mayhem intermingled with rabbit-HIV and sadomasochism for good measure. I'd recommend this film to anyone with a warped sense of humor over a certain age. Those who were endeared by Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear and Gonzo the…whatever, should probably avoid Meet the Feebles. Not because of its cynical treatment of hand puppets might ruin fond memories but because those same fond memories might be replaced by rude hilarity that ensues in Peter Jackson's 8th best film.http://www.theyservepopcorninhell.blogspot.com

Meet the Feebles is a spoof of children's television puppet shows with a decidedly adult slant. Peter Jackson injects the child-like world of puppets with every vice and debauchery that can be thought of, ranging from SM sex to drugs to shooting sprees.The basic concept of the film revolves around a new television show "The Feebles Variety Hour" and the struggle to mount a successful production. Jackson weaves numerous plot lines ranging from the sweet to the repulsive to achieve a decidedly grotesque brand of hilarity.Most of the film falls more into the realm of the surreal than the laugh out loud funny. However, the last fifteen minutes or so compensate by being truly hilarious.

A variety show starring a large group of puppet animals called "The Feebles" sets the stage for backstage mayhem involving bad drug deals, drug addiction, STDs, murder, and desperation. A hippo named Heidi is the star of the show, and her husband Bletch, who's a walrus, is cheating on her. Heidi grows depressed when she discovers him with a cat named Samantha. Meanwhile, a sexually active rabbit named Harry discovers that he has a deadly sexually transmitted disease, let's just say that it's AIDS, and only has a matter of hours before he dies. He doesn't want to disappoint his fans, however, and doesn't tell anybody, but a fly reporter knows his secret and is going to tell the press and destroy poor Harry. Meanwhile, a new cast member hedgehog named Robert has joined the Feebles and has fallen in love with a beautiful poodle singer. He is joined with a worm who helps him impress her and fall in love with him, but Trevor the Rat wants a new actress for his porno films and has set his sights on Robert's new lover. Meanwhile, a gay fox named Sebastien is nerve racked by the fact that he wants the show to go perfect and is determined to entertain people, even if that means making a stoned Vietnam war veteran throw knives on stage, and do a musical number that he created himself that apparently is not "family friendly" enough according to Bletch, the Head Master of the show. Out of all of Peter Jackson's pre-Lord of the Rings films,(This, BAD TASTE, BRAINDEAD, HEAVENLY CREATURES, FORGOTTEN SILVER, and THE FRIGHTENERS) This would have to be my favorite of his. Not that I don't love the rest of them, but this film has something very special. It has scenes of true human anguish and frustration. It is honest in it's plot lines. It is very funny, witty, and intelligent. And it has characters that you love and care about, despite all the nastiness. If I were to compare this film to another, I'd probably compare it to Paul Thomas Anderson brilliant film, MAGNOLIA, for it's intersecting story lines and stressed out characters. And yet this film offers so much else. This film shows us characters that, to their audience are fun and talented, but backstage are deeply flawed and very disturbed characters. All of the characters turmoils build up to a gore fest finale in which a character goes on a killing spree. The mass murder is an event that shook the puppet world, and yet the viewer won't be surprised by it since one of the characters had to lose it at some point. This film also gives us character development and key plot points that go past being comic events and somehow become all part of a payoff. The film, in actuality, is an emotional roller coaster ride, much like a lot of serious films. There are some Vietnam war flashbacks of the drug addicted frog character that are actually quite terrifying and intense when it stops being funny. The scenes with Heidi growing depressed are quite sad and moving. The scenes of the rabbit dying of AIDS are difficult to watch and give a more honest representation of that reality than most, if not all, movies would feel comfortable giving. It's a vile film is some respects, but I adored it and am proud to own it, even if the DVD has no special features on it whatsoever(unless you count a chapter menu, which I don't). I highly recommend it. It's a great film.