"While this whole concept might get old in the near future, this first attempt does accomplish what it set out to do... Make a crazy, non-stop, adrenaline fueled, blood filled smorgasboard of mindless entertainment."
Okay, it's finally here, the big double feature from Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez. After many months of previews and buzz, the directing duo have finally released their gruesome homage to exploitation... Gallons of blood and gore? Check. Gruesome violence? Check. Gratuitous nudity? Check. Lots of dirty words? Check... Well, it seems as though they almost have all of the necessities for an old-fashioned exploitation flick, but the real question still remains... Just because they have all of the ingredients, can they still blend it all into one tasty, satisfying meal?
Well, yes and no. For one thing if Grindhouse were a true exploitation film, they wouldn't have been able to make it for such a mainstream audience... Even still, it does retain many of the characteristics of exploitation, without going too far over the edge. Possibly the best feature to the entire film is the technical aspect. Everything is recreated in the style of the horror films of yester-year, and at points, really does feel like you're watching something sraight out of the 70's. From the editing and music, to the violence, everything works together to make it all look like an old-budget horror film. Scenes and voices are purposefully cut-short and/or altered, as though someone was just screwing with the projector. Moments using these 'subtelties' are often times rather humorous. One moment in Quentin's "Death Proof" shows a bunch of gals talking, but from how it's done, the audio hasn't quite caught up to the movement of their lips, which almost makes you think, "Are they being dubbed or what?" Then the movie cuts to another scene and everything is back to normal. Moments like this really harken back to the cinematic days of yore, and create a more enjoyable experience.
The other cool feature to the whole shebang are the fake previews that occur before and half-way through the film. Presented just as they were back then, these action and slasher previews define exactly what old horror films and their trailers were all about. Eli Roth (writer/director of Cabin Fever, Hostel and Hostel: Part 2) and Rob Zombie (writer/director of House of 1,000 Corpses and Devil's Rejects) get in on the action as they make previews like the ever-violent "Thanksgiving" (Roth), and "Werewolf Women of the SS" (Zombie). I have to hand it to Roth for the best trailer too, not just funny and gruesome, but it had the only scene out of the entire film that actually made me wince.
Another addition to all of the craziness, are the brief "Missing Reel" segments. When these occur, the film jumps a rather large gap and cuts to another scene. In this way, the film doesn't have to rely on backstory or why things are the way they are now. While it sounds like a cheap way to get out of having to add depth, for this style of filming it works; especially since you really don't care about what was edited out in the first place.
Okay, now the feature presentations...
The first film following the great trailer for "Machete," is Robert Rodriguez's "Planet Terror." Taking a cue from Romero's zombie film, and just about any exploitive action flick, Rodriguez creates a blood bath of bullets, melting mutants and pretty girls. In present-day Texas a virus gets released (go-figure) that turns its victims rather quickly into cannibalistic melting monsters. As the population continues to fall prey to these crazy 'sickos' (as they are deemed), it's up to a rag-tag group of survivors to stave off the infection, find a way out, and kill anything that looks like it got too close to a fire. The biggest accomplishment here is what everyone came to see, the gore. And it does deliver on a rather light-hearted note. Aside from one or two scenes the violence doesn't seem to be mean-spirited. It's done in such a way that you can't help but laugh at how over-done it all is. Blood runs freely as even a pistol shot sends liters spilling to the floor. Heads are blown to pieces, bodies stabbed, limbs pulled apart, even an antagonist's twig amd berries are melted off. As gruesome as it all sounds, once again, it's all done in such a cheesy way that you can't take any of it seriously. Another good point to the film are the characters. While they're aren't any profound or deep personalities, Rodriguez has managed to make each charcter at least interesting to watch. You have an ex-stripper (Rose McGowen) with a machine-gun leg, an adulturous woman with syringes and paralyzed hands (Marley Shelton), El Wray (Freddy Rodriguez) a gun and knife expert, and a host of other characters that play more of a back seat to the main protagonists. Possibly the best characters though are the one's that don't aquire that much screen time. Two characters that spring to mind are the brothers J.T. (Jeff Fahey) and Sheriff Hague (Michael Biehn). Both actors play their supporting roles so well, that, to this reviewer, became the most likeable characters of the film. The main problem with Planet Terror is that, looking back on it, there aren't a whole lot of scenes I can think of and say, "That was amazing!" Just about every scene that had promise was already shown on the previews. Take the ex-stripper, gun-legged Cherry for instance... Everything she does with the mech-leg is shown in the trailers, thus, there really isn't anything left to see other than the damage she inccurs on those at the receiving end of her assault. So too with showing the helicopter flying propeller-first at ground-level in the newest ads... You know what's going to happen as soon as they show that brief clip on televison, so there's no surprise when it happens. Basically, if you've seen any of the trailers for Planet Terror, then you've probably seen some of the most intriguing scenes already. Aside from that complaint, Planet Terror remains wildly entertaining, but in the long run, might not mentally last.
On the other hand, the vehicular damaging "Death Proof," written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, might make more of a lasting impression. In this far slower paced chase film, eight women (four at one scene and four at another)meet a mysterious stuntman named, well... Stuntman Mike. He's stylish and and has a "bad-boy" aura all about him, especially when the girls get a look at his car. But just as the girls begin falling victim to his devilish stare, they also begin falling victim to his psychotic road rage. As Quentin said before, he's replaced a slasher film's knife with a fast car. And honestly, it works. Using a vehicle like that of Stuntman Mike's make things more creative, as the antagonist himself puts his own life on the line to take the lives of others. This also ties in with his character as we discover that not only is he a sadistic adrenaline junky, but a sexual predator who can only gain pleasure through these sick acts of vehicular violence. As the story progresses, we're introduced to a band of women played by Rosario Dawson, Tracie Thomas, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Zoe Bell (who actually doubled for Uma Thurman in Kill Bill, and plays herself in this film). These ladies talk about everything from movies to sex (one scene really feels like the intro to Resevoir Dogs-- Quentin's first film) as they drive about in exploration of a rather fast car.
Yearning to test drive it (as well as do something incredibly dangerous that will likely be copied by some ameteurs soon), Zoe talks her friends into helping her. But just as these daring femme fatales are at the height of enjoyment, in comes Stuntman Mike. Now, it becomes an incredibly intense race for survival, as Stuntman Mike seeks to make his newest prey roadkill. Too bad the girls have something up there sleeve as well... I won't ruin it for you, but unlike Planet Terror, Death Proof is a far more intense film that often-times borders on serious and humurous. The violence especially feels more brutal since the tone is so drastically different that of Planet Terror. Another big difference is the pacing. While Planet Terror is constant action, Death Proof is far slower paced, and adds a good deal more to the characters through the very long discussions they have with one another (even though some characters really do suffer from 'stereotypical-ness'). Overall Death Proof is a far more enjoyable movie, especially due to the well-thought, climactic chase scenes.
In the end, Grindhouse is an enjoyable movie experience that succeeds at recapturing the "glory days" of the exploitation era, while also maintaining a fresh sense of style. While this whole concept might get old in the near future, this first attempt does accomplish what it set out to do... Make a crazy, non-stop, adrenaline fueled, blood filled smorgasboard of mindless entertainment.
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"Grindhouse is a cinephile's orgasm. Rodriguez and Tarantino show us what exactly made them want to be filmmakers and it's a fun ride." ByKaya Savas
""Grindhouse" is an amazing cinematic experience and in no way, shape or form should you miss it in theaters. You'll be missing out on some great laughs, huge action and truly satisfying fun." ByAdam Frazier
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