It’s a shame that the majority of movie goers missed the whole point of this movie.
Grindhouse (2007)
Directed By: Robert Rodriguez & Quentin Tarantino
The Prologue
In 2007 two legends in film making, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino set out to make a film that was a throwback to the old school grindhouse style of movies. That movie would obviously be titled, Grindhouse, and it would come in the form of a double feature with Rodriguez’s part called “Planet Terror” and QT’s called “Death Proof”. To add to the overall effect, this film would have over the top violence, scratches and grain on the film, and to top it off, the film would insert fake movie trailers made from the likes of Rob Zombie, Eli Roth, and Edgar Wright into the film as well. Overall, what you had here was a movie buff’s wet dream. And while the quality of the film was superb, the whole concept seemed lost on the majority of movie goers as a whole.
The Movie
A double-bill of thrillers that recall both filmmakers’ favorite exploitation films. “Grindhouse” (a downtown movie theater in disrepair since its glory days as a movie palace known for “grinding out” non-stop double-bill programs of B-movies) is presented as one full-length feature comprised of two individual films helmed separately by each director. “Death Proof,” is a rip-roaring slasher flick where the killer pursues his victims with a car rather than a knife, while “Planet Terror” shows us a view of the world in the midst of a zombie outbreak. The films are joined together by clever faux trailers that recall the ’50s exploitation drive-in classics.
While both movie inside this one did get their own full length releases that I could review on their own, I’m just going to cover this whole thing as one here. And taking that into account things kick off really well with Planet Terror. The action is at it’s peek during this part of the movie and the gore is flying all over the screen by the buckets. I think the grainy look of the movie actually helps this and it’s overall effect on the viewer. Which sadly if you don’t like those types of movies you won’t like this, and proof of this is the fact that many people who watched this movie in theaters complained that the film had scratches in it, unaware that those were part of the gimmick. But trust me, it works very well here, especially with Planet Terror. It’s campy, it’s silly, but it’s action packed and was a great way to start a long film like this out. There’s that “missing reel” that leaves you asking a whole lot of questions about how things go to where they were when movie finally picks back up, but when inserted into the complete Grindhouse package, it’s easier to look over, funny, and hurts nothing at all. And as much as I hate to admit it, Robert actually tops QT in his portion of this film.
By the time we get to Quentin Tarantino’s part of this film, Death Proof, things stay entertaining, but they do slow down a bit. And while QT is my favorite director and I love his work, even Death Proof, You have to admit perhaps things slow down just a bit too much at times. There’s a lot of a dialogue (naturally) in this part of the film, and where as Tarantino is known for this sorta thing and it’s witty overall nature, here it’s mostly just girl talk and it does, at a few points, seem to make things drag a little too much. But don’t take this wrong, it’s still VERY entertaining and very good (to spite the “Missing scene” that cuts out the lap dance scene). I also want to point out that while some actors in this part of the film are iffy, Kurt Russell knocks it out the park as Stuntman Mike. Also, take comfort in knowing that any scenes involving the car are fast paced and overflowing with cool and exciting elements.
I’ll be honest, this film won’t be for everyone. It’s long, it looks dirty, and it’s just not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. But I LOVE it and a lot of movie nerds who appreciate the whole point of this film will love it as well. By the time this things wraps up you just get the feeling you have witnessed something that is just epic. And really that is just what Grindhouse is, epic. It’s loaded with stars, it’s loaded with blood, and it’s loaded with a great idea and creativeness from two of the very best directors you will find. I think the whole presentation of this film was pure genius, it’s just a shame that many people who didn’t “get it” won’t ever realize it’s genius based solely on just box-office numbers.
The Conclusion
If you are reading this site and you’ve never seen Grindhouse as a whole, what on earth are you waiting for?? It’s only available as a whole movie in blu-ray form here in the states (Canada has it on DVD), but it’s really better to see it as it was meant to be seen rather than two separate movies. Yeah, Death Proof still has a little too much talking even when cut, but the as a whole is almost as perfect as you can get. Also be sure to check out Machete and Hobo with a Shotgun that both spun off from this and became separate movies…Now if only Eli Roth would hurry the hell up with Thanksgiving.
The Rating (9.5/10)
