Grindhouse

When I first heard about Grindhouse, I was pretty excited. I have enjoyed practically everything Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez have ever done, so the idea of such a nostalgic homage as Grindhouse really peaked my interest. I was really hyped for the movie, and managed to snag free passes to an advanced screening, and was it ever worth it.

Grindhouse consists of two very different films. The first, Planet Terror, is directed by Rodriguez and is a horror movie about zombies. The second, Death Proof, is directed by Tarantino and is a thriller about a crazed killer who murders women with his car.

Just knowing these two simple plot lines is enough. They are two stand alone films, and they are just as awesome as I thought they would be. This is the closest to a true homage that either director has ever done, and it works amazingly on screen. I was never a big on watching real grindhouse-style films, but these two films are exactly what I would expect them to be like. Just watching the films together was an experience that is simply unmatchable.

I was not expecting anything more than an obscene amount of violence, but the films were a lot more than that. Despite some missing reels, both films have just enough story to actually make them work as conventional films. As said previously, they could easily stand alone away from each other, and still be just as good (but probably not as awesome as they are back-to-back). Having part of the films missing really does not even matter, they work that well without them, and have all the trademark carvings of a Rodriguez or Tarantino film. Planet Terror drags on a bit near the finale, but that seems only because Rodriguez tried to pack in a lot more story to offset the action than the premise really set out for it too. Death Proof is loaded with dialogue, but it comes off brisk and so much faster paced. But all the same, both stay very much in tone with their particular genre.

The missing reels are only a complement to the fact that both of the film's actual picture quality is intentionally absolutely terrible. The films (more so Planet Terror) are scratched up and tarnished to the point where some scenes are practically unwatchable. You just stop seeing the action on screen, and only notice how beat up the print is. It looks old and worn out. And it works wonderfully, and makes the experience all the more authentic. The DVDs will not look anywhere near as stylistically worn as the films do here. Watching these films in perfect quality would just ruin the true homage-style the pair were going for.

The violence in both is another key element to the true impact of both films. Both are quite obscenely violent, and just become downright disgusting in a lot of sequences. They set out to push the limits of conventional 2007 era violence, and they more than do that. People are decapitated, ripped limb from limb, and just shot left, right and center. These people are destroyed beyond all comprehension, and just when you think they have done enough, it just keeps coming. Gorehounds will be in heaven, and those who have trouble looking at more than the slightest hint of blood may need to sit this one out. It gets to the point of being sick and twisted, but it works beautifully in the films, and they just would not be the same without it. The makeup artists put in a lot of work here, and it shows in how graphically violent the films are.

But by pushing it to the limits, the films also become darkly hilarious. It is not just the dialogue that will give you a chuckle, it is the effects and the action happening on screen. In some places, it just becomes so downright ridiculous that you cannot do anything but laugh. A lot of what happens is downright vile and inhumane, but it is done with such style and wit, that it just cannot be anything but hilarious. Every obscene and violent action done in previous Rodriguez and Tarantino movies is more than topped here, and fans will be hard set on not wanting some more by the time Death Proof concludes.

The faux trailers are also a nice touch, and in a way, push the boundaries of violence and hilarity even more so. I do not want to ruin any of them, but I just could not stop laughing. They are absolutely perfect, and they connect the films even more than they are already (not to mention the old-school ratings and preview reels). Rodriguez's Machete trailer that opens Grindhouse is amazing, and sets the tone for everything that follows. They only further how dedicated the filmmakers were to their original visions, and make the film all the more authentic.

The acting is campy, cheesy and right on the mark. Everyone is at their best, no matter how small their role, and no one feels like they are wrong for their part. Rose McGowan is a particular stand-out in both films, delivering every line and action to the highest degree possible. Kurt Russell is another stand-out, playing a character that is so evil that he exhales cool with every breath. And Freddy Rodriguez more than proves that he has what it takes to be a leading man. I did not like one particular character's sudden change half way through their film, but it works for the most part anyway.

There is nothing more I can say but that you need to see this film. It may be imperfect and a bit longish, but it is the closest thing to a brilliant homage that any filmmaker or audience has ever seen. It is everything that anyone could have hoped for and more.

9.5/10.

Grindhouse (2007)

**** (out of 4)

Sure, these movies are far from a real grindhouse but you're not going to have a better time inside a theater. With the fake trailers, messed up prints and bloody action, this movie is unlike any other ever made and that can only mean fun.

Planet Terror Robert Rodriguez's horror film about a chemical outbreak, which turns the citizens of a small Texas town into zombies. The only thing standing in the way of the zombies going worldwide is a one-legged stripper (Rose McGowan) and her sharpshooting boyfriend (Freddy Rodriquez). This throwback to the low budget shockers of the 1970's hits all the right marks and also turns out to be the goriest film I've ever seen. How in the world this got away with an R-rating is a mystery to me because this thing is non-stop gore from start to finish and we're not talking about little spots of the red stuff here and there. Each single death (out of hundreds) has tons of the red stuff through heads being ripped off to zombies munching on some flesh. McGowan is the perfect "B" actress to make her role very memorable and goddamn was it nice seeing Jeff Fahey once again. Tom Savini, Bruce Willis, Josh Brolin and various others fill out the cast. The "grindhouse" effect of a cut up print with scratches and missing reels are used perfectly here. There's some humor throughout but the politically incorrect joke of a kid playing with a gun was a real hoot. Rodriquez fills the film with countless "bad" moments in great homage to the films this is trying to be like. If you're a fan of this type of thing then you'll love it. Others beware.

Death Proof Quentin Tarantino's homage to those car chase movies features Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike, a psychopath who loves to stalk women in his death proof car. The girls, including Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Jordan Ladd, Tracie Thomas, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, stunt woman Zoe Bell and Rose McGowan (again) are all perfectly cast and really nail Tarantino's dialogue but the real star here is the terrific return to form of Russell. Russell wasn't the first choice by the director but damn was he a great one. Russell just has that perfect smile and twisted laugh to make this psychopath so charming that you'd like to have a beer with him even though you know he'd probably kill you afterwards. Russell nails all the right marks making Stuntman Mike live right up there with Snake Plissken. This film is certainly a lot different than the first. This film takes its time in getting to know the female characters and I think this pays off in the end. Tarantino does a great job referencing other pictures so this will add some charm to die hard fans of the genre. Then there's the incredible chase at the end, which has to go down as one of the greatest ever. The chase is incredibly thrilling but it's also just a lot of fun. Seeing the girls being tortured by the "always having fun" Stuntman Mike was just a terrific time at the movies. I won't spoil anything but when the girl's seek revenge it's something that will make you want to cheer in laughter. Once again, if you're a fan then you'll love it but others beware.

I went into this film with expectations for an extreme amount of campy senseless gore and violence - and it was delivered as promised! A WARNING: Know what to expect when you go see this movie, or you might be surprised/disappointed. There is no moral, no good sense or life lesson to be taken from the story lines or characters. Sometimes things don't make sense and this is all done on purpose in homage to original exploitation films Warnings aside, Grindhouse is a lot of fun, there were as many "ooh" and "ahh" moments as there were "oh my god why did they show that?" moments. All of the actors' performances were right on and the action directing was excellent. My only negative comment is that Tarintino's film dragged a bit in the middle, but he more than made up for it. I couldn't help but raise my fist in the air and shout out "yeah!" at the end of his flick.

You will be surprise, you will be disgusted and you'll enjoy the hell out of it.

A unique cinema experience indeed.

I'm commenting on the double feature version of this rather than the separate films. I do have quite separate impressions of these but I do believe that the original intent was that they be seen together, and with all the interstitial matter.

When you approach films from certain filmmakers, you do it on a basis of trust. Its a matter of how willing you are to allow yourself to be.

Rodriguez has never betrayed my trust, so each time I encounter him, I am willing to play the game by his rules. That allows me to take more chances about the balances he chooses to make. Its a matter of yielding in the collaboration, so when he makes a cinematic joke or comment, I don't fight it. Trust.

In this case, its sharpened by this phenomenon I notice a lot: he's directing a lover. It is obvious of course, but even if it weren't, it drives him to make ever stronger chances, on the edge of his emotional horizon.

I think these two factors would make me like what he has done here regardless of all other factors. I do see the interior nature of the cinematic world. I do settle into the thick web of narrative threads. I do cheer when his love kicks ass.

But the opposite is the case with Quentin. I cannot trust him. It isn't just because he's made some bad films. Its because he sets himself aside. He doesn't include the viewer: he preaches. All of the cinematic effects are delivered as monologues not as a collaboration. So we are never in on the joke, never in on extending the nature of the world.

So I truly disliked his film. Sure, there's an empowerment story, and a sort of male's view of female bonding. But its all from the outside: the current of fate, the access to the group, the folding of all the principle characters being in the movie business. The actual camera-work of the stunts is from a discrete viewer, where Rodriguez puts the camera jumping around in the midst of the action and the emotional space.

Both films play with the joke of what constitutes good and evil. But they themselves represent this as well.

I will give Rodriguez a 3 and Tarantino a 1, but having Tarantino to have to go through increases the value of Rodriguez' effort. Bless him. I hope he does well with this woman.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

Grindhouse is all about excess. Excess blood, gore, puss, explosions, near non-stop laughter and violence. The only thing you will find little of in it is nudity. It's typical Tarantino-paranoid-about-nudity and what we get are two distinct halves to one great film.

If you loved Tarantino's "Jackie Brown", then you'll love "Death Proof". D.P. is basically Jackie Brown on wheels. He rambles on and on and on about completely un-funny and pointless things for nearly 50 minutes with little else happening. I am quite disappointed with QT, as he is my favourite director/writer but I think he is stretching his limit a bit too far. He has fallen into a self-indulgent groove of non-stop banter or over-the-top violence. The end is capped off with probably one THE BEST car chases in history that lasts for about 20 amazing minutes that will undoubtedly give you a heart attack it's so well made. Also, Kurt Russell is NOT the main star of it as many people believe and I'll leave it at that.

Rodriguez's "Planet Terror" on the other hand is a completely off the wall, no holds barred shmorgassboard of absolute cinematic enjoyment. People blow up when shot with revolvers, gore is splattered at least every couple minutes once it gets past the first two minutes and it will have you laughing harder than any Tarantino film ever has. It is so freakin' good that I think my eyes fell out and had an orga*m due to the cinematic bliss that is "Planet Terror".

Rose McGowan will undoubtedly become the new pin-up girl and sex symbol due to her role of Cherry Darling; a Go-Go dancer (unfortunately not a stripper) that eventually gets an assault rifle for a leg. Who knew that an assault rifle for a leg could ever be THAT hot?

There are no words in the history of mankind that can help me explain to anyone the awesomeness that is displayed in "Grindhouse". "Death Proof" may drag it down a bit, but is nonetheless essential for the film as a whole. This is exactly the movie that Hollywood needed to have kicked up it's butt. Hopefully this will pave the way for more "extreme" films or higher rated films in general; although I'm still unsure if it would be a good idea to go to the extremes that French cinema is experiencing at the moment, but would nonetheless be welcome.

IMO, "Grindhouse" is THE BEST FILM since "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" in 1966 for pure filmic enjoyment. Sit back, relax, and prepare to have your head explode! Go see it now or you'll regret it!