Peter Jackson practically became a household name with the release of his adaptation of “The Lord of the Rings” in December of 2001, and rightfully so. Not only had Jackson adapted what was wildly considered inadaptable, he created a sweeping epic not seen since the days of directors David Lean and Akira Kurosawa.

Unfortunately, most people are not familiar with Jackson’s earlier works, which is why I am recommending the following two films for your next weekend rent. If any of his films foreshadowed his greatness, they would be “Dead Alive” and “Heavenly Creatures.”

Released in 1992, “Dead Alive” is one of those rare horror films that are brilliant because they are so cheesy.

“Dead Alive” begins on an island where a New Zealand Zoo official is securing the capture of the rare and cursed rat monkey. When the monkey bites him, his native companions hack him to pieces because of a curse called “The Bite.”

Shift to Wellington, where we meet Lionel (Timothy Balme) and Paquita (Diana Peñalver), who are on a date at the zoo. Lionel’s over-protective mother (Elizabeth Moody) follows them on the date, and is bit by the rat monkey. Soon, she becomes a rotting zombie, out to attack anyone she sees.

Like most zombie movies, a bite from a zombie will turn you into one. And, for the most part, this movie follows the standards set by “Night of the Living Dead,” but is also injected with Peter Jackson’s twisted sense of humor. Lionel doesn’t try to kill the zombies right away; he just hides them in his basement. He feeds them and takes care of them in what becomes a very twisted family unit.

This movie has everything from a kung-fu priest that could give Bruce Campbell’s one-liners a run for his money to homicidal zombie entrails. Not to mention the largest amount of fake blood ever seen on film.

You will also see a lot of the same sweeping camera work that Jackson uses in “Rings,” as well as Weta Workshop’s excellent make-up. Though clearly low budget, one can see the beginning of the special-effects company that would evolve to produce “Rings.”

Jackson’s 1994 film “Heavenly Creatures” shows his ability to direct actors and achieves it with flying colors. It displays the dramatic depth needed to direct great scenes like the departure of Boromir in “Rings.”

Based on a true story, “Heavenly Creatures” takes place in New Zealand during the early ’50s. The story deals with the relationship between Pauline Parker (Melanie Lynskey) and Juliet Hulme (Kate Winslet). These two young girls developed a rather close friendship ? complete with a complex fantasy world, which they write about.

Their parents begin to think the relationship is unhealthy and try to split them up. This leads to their planning and executing the murder of Pauline’s mother.

The main point of this movie is not the murder, but the building of the relationship that leads to it. This movie is brilliant in the way that Jackson tells the story from the girls’ point of view. The narration by Pauline is taken directly out of her actual diary, giving realism to the story.

Jackson shows how elaborate their created world is through intricate fantasy sequences. As the girls were into sculpting in clay, Jackson created life-size clay characters in the fantasies. Even in drama, Jackson doesn’t hesitate to use his effects teams to enhance the story.

The film also has a great message about nurturing the creative mind. When the parents try to separate them, severing the creative bond they share, the two girls decide to take drastic steps.

The loyalty and devotion the girls show for each other exemplifies Jackson’s ability to direct actors and create solid, believable relationships, similar to Frodo and Sam’s in “Rings.” The cast performs exceptionally; there seems to be a genuine bond between the two girls.

I highly recommend both of these films. “Dead Alive” is one of best works in the horror genre and “Heavenly Creatures” will entertain anyone interested in art house films or bizarre real-life stories. They’re both a welcome change of pace from the Hollywood schlock we put up with everyday.

To invoke Will Ferrell as James Lipton, “Rent it. Watch it. Lock it away for a year, and then watch it again.”