So after a few crazy movie trailers for films that will hopefully exist in Grindhouse 2, the next film came up
Grindhouse: Death Proof (2007) starring Kurt Russell, Zoe Bell, Tracie Thoms, and Rosario Dawson. Directed by Quentin Tarantino.
Stuntman Mike (Russell) cruises the off beat roads in search of unsuspecting female travelers. Why? To kill them of course in the best/ worst traffic accident possible. The law cannot touch Stuntman Mike nor can death until he crosses the path of a few stunt girls.
This is a very different film from Planet Terrorö. I was on such a high from the first film that its slower pace started to bore me. Tarantino is a master of dialogue but much like Kevin SmithÆs Star Wars tirades, I think I heard one too many Tarantino restaurant conversations. He would grab you with a quick joke towards the end but as the camera kept spinning around the actresses I started to get bored. After all this is a film about a Maniac with a death proof car. I donÆt care about the characters I want to see people die! A lot.
Tarantino does resurrect the bad ass that is Kurt Russell. His laugh, which recently has been the one of a dad in his films, is back to be the crazy guyÆs laugh ala Big Trouble in Little China (1986) (by the way Tarantino, nice homage to that film, I hope you guys notice it as well). Tarantino does put a great moment in there for Stuntman Mike when things do not go his way and I found myself loving it. That was a small thing but added so much to his character, why didnÆt he do that for the girls (keep it small and get to the action)? I think he was building suspense. If that was the case then Tarantino was doing Hitchcock remaking Duel (1971) and Vanishing Point (1971) and not so much an exploitation film.
The audience seemed as if they werenÆt getting the Grindhouse movie feel for ôDeath Proofö. There were some mixed boos and laughs at the reel missing moment but when there were obvious continuity errors, I laughed out loud yet, the theater was silent. However mention Big Kahuna Burger and everybody laughs out loud.
When he finally get to the big car duel the film becomes totally worth it. Tarantino gave his killer, Stuntman Mike, a great adversary and gave us a great ride. The interesting thing is that Tarantino (on purpose or not) gave these girls a character and wanted us to feel something for them, so obviously when they were in trouble we would feel something. The funny part is I wanted them all to die, horribly. With the all of gossip, the nagging, the boy talk I really wanted them to die, die loud, and die fast. But after the car duel I was rooting for them, cheering them on, and didnÆt even realize it. That was brilliant. To have me turn my emotions around like that shows a true film maker.
I enjoyed ôDeath Proofö, not as much as ôPlanet Terrorö but as double bills go you could do Grindhouse over and over again. And if anything, ôDeath Proofö proves you should always end a movie with a freeze frame.
Check out my review for "Planet Terror".
Grindhouse: quot;Death Proof"
I liked Death Proof alot.
Grindhouse: quot;Death Proof"
I really liked Quentin Tarantinos Death Proof cause it wasnt just about mindless action and we got to know the characters deeply. Like when the girls were talking about there past boyfriends etc, etc, etc!
The car chase sequences were very well done and the camera angles were great. I liked how they were paying homage to classic exploitation movies like Vanishing Point!
Oh yeah the fake trailers in between Death Proof/Planet Terror were great. I really liked Eli roths Thanksgiving, it was very gorie and funny!
TWO THUMBS WAY UP!
Grindhouse: quot;Death Proof"
Death Proof sucked and you know it.
Grindhouse: quot;Death Proof"
You are missing the damn point about "Death Proof". The only thing that "Death Proof" did wrong was come after "Planet Terror". Yes, the timing was off. Planet Terror hit the ground running, it should have kept the momentum that the end of Death Proof had instead of Planet Terror setting the stage with non-stop violence from the get-go and then suddenly stopping for a lot of yappity yap yap that Tarantino loves to do. Terror should've ended the movie, but whatever.
Grindhouse was a masterful movie period. Planet Terror was Robert Rodriquez being Robert Rodriquez, and Death Proof was Quentin Tarantino being Quentin Tarantino, and dialogue with breif bouts of violence is what Tarantino excels at, look Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, even Kill Bill. The majority of his movies is a lot yak yak which makes the violent scenes all the more intense and treasured. That's what Tarantino is good at.
Death Proof did not suck, despite Zombie's ardent claims, it was just "So Tarantino" as a friend of mine said after we watched the film.
Grindhouse: quot;Death Proof"
dude i didnt c it yet but it looks so fuckin sweet man besides i fuckin love marry elizabeth winstead shes sexyu in her own way and she doesnt show it off and shes a great actor in my mind realy. dis movie looks like it got alot of surprizes man im fuckin all 4 it and i didnt even c it yet
Grindhouse: quot;Death Proof"
Death Proof was awesome. Kurt Russell was excellent as Stuntman Mike. There was alot of great dialouge in it. The car chases at the end were the best I've ever seen in a movie (not counting Casino Royale).
Grindhouse: quot;Death Proof"
DEATH PROOF WAS OK, IT JUST WAS NOT AS GOOD AS PLANET TERROR.
Grindhouse: quot;Death Proof"
I didn't seen Grindhouse in theatres and Death Proof came out on DVD before Planet Terror so I saw that one first. While I was watching it, I wasn't too impressed but when I started thinking back on it I realized I liked it ALOT and watched it a second time.
Planet Terror I expected to like more just from what people had told me and I was shocked when I didn't like it at all. I HATE Rose McGowen and even though I expected the machine gun leg to be ridiculous - it just made me roll my eyes and want to turn it off.
The only thing I think I even liked about that movie was seeing that annoying bitch Fergie die.
I so totally wished I would have liked it more.
-Kris
Grindhouse: quot;Death Proof"
I was disappointed with Death Proof.
I mean, I appreciated what Quentin Tarantino was trying to do and I loved the small homages to the films that inspired him as well as his own past films (big kahuna burger, red apple cigarettes), but I feel it could have been better.
I think his biggest mistake was how he focused on one set of girls for literally half of the movie. Then they are killed off and he introduces another set of girls. So that time that would normal be spent connecting with the main characters is lost.
If he would have introduced Stuntman Mike as a psychopath much earlier in the film instead of stretching out this unimportant backstory for his first victims, it could have been pretty good.
I loved the car stunts. I loved Kurt Russel's performance. But overall, I was just expecting more from Tarantino. I'm a big fan of his work.
Grindhouse: quot;Death Proof"
I'm inclined to agree with pretty much everything you just said.
-Kris
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