After being a complete moron by not seeing either Kill Bills in the theaters, I told myself never to wait for video on any other Quentin Tarantino picture. And after the awesomeness of Sin City, I'm not going to wait for Robert Rodriguez movies too (unless it's some crap like Spy Kids 5 or Lava Girl 2... I mean his real movies). So here comes Grindhouse. The combination of both in an over the top, gruesome, action packed, babe ridden, campy, and hilarious double feature paying homage to the horribly great exploitation movies that these directors fell in love with at the "grindhouses" of America. Needless to say, I was in the theater for it opening day.-
The first up on the bill is Rodriguez's Planet Terror, a gloriously gory zombie flick with a pace faster than the muscle cars in Tarantino's half. But these aren't your Dawn of the Dead-zombies, these are infected and contagious
puss-filled zombies that boil, bubble, and ooze as they hollow out the skull of our favorite Black Eyed Pea (among countless others). But that's all I'm going to say about the plot because it's so crazy and twisted that I'd be writing forever. The action in this part is incredible and non-stop as the ragtag vigilantes blow away head after head. And then there's Rose McGowan; we've all see the commercials, and I assure you that her machine gun leg is as cool in the movie as it is in the trailer. But Planet Terror is also one of the funniest movies I've seen too. It's hilariously disgusting (zombie testicles!), has multiple stupid yet laugh-out-loud one liners, and "the #1 funniest ending" I have ever seen. When "The End" came on the screen, I would have had my money's worth but I was only half way there.-
Tarantino brings forth Death Proof, his serial killer/car chase flick starring Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike, a washed up and demented stuntman who feels inv
incible in his "death proof" stunt car. With a deliberately slow beginning, we get lulled into the carefree lives of a group of girls, then another group of girls, before all hell breaks loose. (*tip: if a bathroom break is needed during Grindhouse, I suggest sometime in the first 10 minutes of Death Proof... NOT THE INTERMISSION) When the girls are having their fun, the charming stuntman gets to know them then has his fun. However, the second group of girls QT focuses on are a lot tougher than Stuntman Mike had pegged. Led by Zoe Bell playing herself and doing all her own amazing stunts (she was Uma Thurman's stunt woman on the Kill Bills). Death Proof finishes with an unbelievable car chase. Zoe on the hood and Mike on their tail, this may very well be the best car chase I have ever seen. And it's all real (putting it ahead of that epic freeway sequence in Matrix Reloaded). A classic Tarantino with killer suspense, lightning fast and interesting dialogue, great music (T-REX!!!!), and cool characters; Death Proof joins the others as Tarantino is still yet to make a movie that isn't GREAT.-
The four fake trailers are also fantastic. Before it all is "Machete" the bad ass Mexican hit man which will have you hooked before either film ever starts. Then guest directors were brought in to make trailers for the intermission... Do not miss these. While both Rob Zombie and Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) are good, the best by far is brought by Hostel's Eli Roth with"Thanksgiving." This 1980's slasher spoof is absolutely hysterical (in an utterly twisted way) and I'll leave it there.
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Complete with scratches, burns, skips, and missing reels, Grindhouse takes you back in time and is a fun ride. At 3 hours and 10 minutes, this is a beast to encounter, but well worth it. It is a unique cinema experience that definitely, definitely should be seen on the big screen. I don't know how one could have any more fun at the movies this year than this (even considering how awesome 300 was). So if you're prepared for three plus hours of violence and gore get ready to ENJOY and LAUGH (I laughed more in the first minute of this than all of Talledega Nights... and that's a comedy).
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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The average American movie goer sickens me again!!
ReplyDeleteWhy? I read that because of Grindhouse's modest box office debut, the Weinstein's (producers) are thinking about about spliting up the two movies as seperate re-releases in hopes of making their money back. The masses will flock to formulaic comedies, and most likely unfunny comedies, like Will Farrell & Napoleon Dynamite's "Blades of Glory" or the Ice Cube's sequal "Are We Done Yet?" And they'll ignore something as great as Grindhouse because it's something new? something different? something without Will Farrell rubbing himself? Not that Grindhouse needs good receipts to legitimize its quality, but the fact that it is being labeled as merely a "flop" is maddening.
So if this is true, which I'm hoping that it's not... I urge you, see Grindhouse as it should be seen. As one feature with two movies on the big screen. Who knows where the fake trailers will end up if this is split.... ugh.
Zach you wouldn't be Nick's brother without pessimistic angst. Keep in mind that critical and studio success is two different things. Occasionally the very best movies will have both but if they don't it shouldn't count against them.
ReplyDeleteThat is why god invented the director's cut on DVD. I would like to think I will get off my butt and drop $8 but that is unlikely. Thanks for the heads up on the potential split anyway. People should really get out there and see it in its intended format (after all, do what I say not what I do). I believe Bill Clinton originally said that.
I know that a movie doesn't have to do well to be a good movie, but it just upset me that the artists' visions may be deterred only because the box office wasn't there. It just sucks when something like Grindhouse may get changed due to money then you see something like Wild Hogs at #1 for weeks.
ReplyDeleteThen, again I'm not sure that this re-release is going to happen... it's just something I read on Imdb.com
and that eventual Director's Cut mega-DVD will be awesome... I can't wait for that, only after I see it on the big screen a couple more times first.
Grindhouse has been split up at all, but two, theaters in the Milwaukee area :(.
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