We use cookies to help us understand how you use our site, and make your experience better. To find out more read our privacy policy.
Play

00:00

/

00:00

Full screen
Video quality

Low 0 MB

High 0 MB

HD 0 MB

Captions
Volume
Volume
Hero image for Death Warmed Up

Death Warmed Up

Film (Trailer, Excerpts, and Extras) – 1984

R16
Restricted

Pre-dating Peter Jackson's arrival (Bad Taste) by three years, New Zealand's first horror movie sees Michael Hurst making his movie debut as he fights mutants (including Bruno Lawrence) on Waiheke Island. Hurst's character is out to avenge the mad scientist who forced him to kill his parents. A grand prize-winner at a French fantasy festival (with cult director Alejandro Jodorowsky on the jury), David Blyth's splatterfest marked the first of many horrors funded by the NZ Film Commission. It was also the first local showcase of the smoothly-flowing Steadicam camera.

We wanted to make a good genre film that made money - and it did. It's totally over the top...if you see it with some kids they scream with laughter, they know it's all fake.
– Scriptwriter Michael Heath in the Listener, 12 December 1987

Produced by

The Tucker Production Company

Source

The Tucker Production Company

Acknowledgements

Presented with thanks to the New Zealand Film Heritage Trust – Te Puna Ataata

Music

Music composed by Mark Nicholas, with vocals by Annie Crummer and Peter Morgan


Songs 'I Like to Drive' and 'Wise Up' written and arranged by Scott Calhoun


'Stand by your Man' sung by Suzanne


Music produced by Wayne Laird


 

Categories

If you liked this, you might also like...

Collection
Collection image for Horror

Horror

Vampires, zombies, mutant sheep, and the Bride of...

Thumbnail image for Angel Mine

Angel Mine

Another provocative movie from David Blyth

Thumbnail image for Bad Taste

Bad Taste

Another early Kiwi splatter

Thumbnail image for The Call Up

The Call Up

Also directed by David Blyth

Thumbnail image for Desperate Remedies

Desperate Remedies

Another colourful movie featuring Michael Hurst

Thumbnail image for Good Taste Made Bad Taste

Good Taste Made Bad Taste

Features Peter Jackson explaining his home-made Steadicam

Thumbnail image for Next of Kin

Next of Kin

Another horror written by Michael Heath

Thumbnail image for The Scarecrow

The Scarecrow

Another dark classic co-written by Michael Heath

Thumbnail image for Wound

Wound

More horror from David Blyth

Thumbnail image for Moonrise (aka Grampire)

Moonrise (aka Grampire)

More fantasy directed by David Blyth

Thumbnail image for The Devil's Rock

The Devil's Rock

More bloody Kiwi horror

Thumbnail image for Typhon's People

Typhon's People

More science run amok featuring Michael Hurst

Thumbnail image for User Friendly

User Friendly

More mad science

Thumbnail image for An Awful Silence

An Awful Silence

More unconventional surgery

Thumbnail image for Ghost Bride

Ghost Bride

Also directed by David Blyth

Thumbnail image for Jack Be Nimble

Jack Be Nimble

More Kiwi horror

Thumbnail image for Logger Rhythms

Logger Rhythms

The first Kiwi short to use Dolby sound

Thumbnail image for Red Blooded - Lion Red

Red Blooded - Lion Red

Starring Michael Hurst

Thumbnail image for Memories of Service 2 - Maurice Gasson

Memories of Service 2 - Maurice Gasson

More from director David Blyth

Thumbnail image for Memories of Service 3 - Daniel Herlihy

Memories of Service 3 - Daniel Herlihy

More from director David Blyth

Thumbnail image for Compilation - Memories of Service 3

Compilation - Memories of Service 3

More from director David Blyth

Thumbnail image for Shortland Street - Death of Sarah Potts

Shortland Street - Death of Sarah Potts

More dodgy syringes

Thumbnail image for Shmeat

Shmeat

An animated mad scientist

Thumbnail image for Do No Harm

Do No Harm

More dangerous medicine

Thumbnail image for Bloodlines

Bloodlines

Another doctor gone bad

Thumbnail image for Bridge to Nowhere

Bridge to Nowhere

Another horror film from the same era

Thumbnail image for The Beaconsfield Films

The Beaconsfield Films

Writer Michael Heath also worked on these student films

Thumbnail image for Victor 4 Company

Victor 4 Company

Vietnam War documentary by director David Blyth

Thumbnail image for Ghost Shark 2 - Urban Jaws

Ghost Shark 2 - Urban Jaws

More horror so horrifying it becomes funny

Thumbnail image for Back of the Y Masterpiece Television - Series One

Back of the Y Masterpiece Television - Series One

More outrageous mayhem on a low budget

Thumbnail image for Grafted

Grafted

More mad scientists and medical experiments