Peter Jackson’s 1992 film Braindead was released in the United States under the alternate title Dead Alive.
The change was made because the title Braindead was already associated with another film in the American market. Dead Alive helped distinguish Jackson’s New Zealand splatter comedy from that existing title, while the original name remained widely known internationally.
The film follows Lionel Cosgrove, whose overbearing mother becomes infected after being bitten by a Sumatran rat-monkey. The infection leads to an escalating outbreak of zombies, combining extreme practical gore with broad physical comedy.
International viewers sometimes assume Braindead and Dead Alive are different films, but they are two release titles for the same production. The film is especially noted for its handmade effects, fast-paced climax and the large quantity of fake blood used in its final sequence.