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Story: Feature film

The frighteners, 1996

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For comedy-horror film The frighteners, Jackson returned to his B-movie roots, but with Hollywood stars and funding. He extended his use of digital effects, once again provided by Weta, the New Zealand company which had grown alongside his directing career.

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NZ On Screen

Reference: The frighteners. Producer, Jamie Selkirk; producer, director and writer, Peter Jackson; writer, Fran Walsh. WingNut Films and Universal Pictures, 1996.

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How to cite this page

Helen Martin, Feature film – The 1990s: deregulation, accolades and a maturing industry, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/42490/the-frighteners-1996 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Helen Martin, published 9 September 2013, reviewed and revised 21 May 2024 with assistance from Emma-Jean Kelly.