Kahlen Burgwin writes: It would be easy to write off Peter Jackson’s earlier works as mere stepping stone to his cinematic holy grail, the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Low-budget splatter films about alien invasions or zombie infestations rarely gain fame as they age, and most directors or stars would often prefer that films such as those simply disappear from their resumés once they hit the big time. Not Jackson, though. He has repeatedly stated how fond he is of his earlier works. Listed below are Jackson’s essential early works, in order of essential viewing. [More]