Grindhouse: Death Proof, Planet Terror, 2007
Grindhouse Presents, Death Proof - Extended and Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition)
I was still in school when these movies came out, and it was a conscious effort not to see them at the time. I had a few friends who would have dropped everything they were doing to go see these movies if I had asked them to go with me. I never asked. The two movies just seemed like something I wouldn't be interested in seeing, and it seemed like a long time to spend in a movie theater. I typically don't like movie theaters because they're too cold, I can't talk, and I typically don't like the seating.
Three years later, and in the comfort of my own home where I have plenty of leg room, can sit with my feet up on the couch, and talk as I please I've decided to give these two movies a shot. I only actually just drew Death Proof out for this week, but because of the nature of a Grindhouse I thought the only real way to watch them is as they were intended to be watched, as back to back features.
A Grindhouse is a lost genera of filmmaking. The best explanation I found on wikipedia, which I think is much clearer than if i were to try and explain what a Grindhouse was. I think it's short and to the point and pretty interesting stuff.
After having watched the movie:
(Possible spoilers below)
I had a pretty lousy day at work, and was so exhausted that I almost wanted to call off watching the movies that night. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to make it through the two movies. But to keep with the true nature of the movies, and how they were intended to been seen, I was going to stick it out and watch both movies back to back.
I really liked both movies, which I didn't really expect to, and absolutely loved the idea of combining Planet Terror and Death Proof to make a Grindhouse feature by modern standards. I just don't think mainstream America really understood and had a firm grasp on the concept of a Grindhouse. A double feature meant spending a long time in the theater, than what you might normally spend in the theater watching a movie. That was one of the main reasons I didn't see it in theaters.
First up was Planet Terror, because that is how it was screened originally in theaters. I had absolutely no idea that this was a zombie movie. I'm just not a zombie movie kind of girl, the genera is kind of gross and incredibly unrealistic to me. I kind of went into this a little when I wrote about Rec in June, and even shared my zombie apocalypse plan. (If you haven't read that entry, I highly suggest you look it up after reading this.) Also, I feel like this is almost another one of those things that I should just come clean about, I lived with my roommates who had posters in our living room from both movies for a little more than a year without realizing Planet Terror was a zombie move. They were right, it does make sense for a girl to have a machine gun leg once you see the movie.
Anyways, I almost felt tricked into watching Planet Terror. I know that if I had known it was a zombie movie I would have really drug my feet about watching it. Zombie movies are kind of like soccer and the World Cup. I understand why everyone gets so excited about it, but it's not really my thing. Despite my own stance on zombie movies, I really liked Planet Terror. I didn't think there was too much gore, and what gore there was it was so over the top that it was funny. There were also plenty of refreshing one-liners throughout, which I really enjoyed. I also found it interesting that "Rob-Rod" as I like to call him, looked to his family, co-director, a makeup legend, the cast of Lost and a Black Eyed Pea to cast film. Well played. Although in all seriousness, casting Maley Shelton as Dr. Dakota Block just so we can see her double jointed wrists in action was equal parts brilliant and creepy.
Between movies, Wil and I took a little break. If there was any way I was going to watch both movies back to back I'd need an intermission where I could kind of get up and move around a bit before starting the second movie. Wil was actually really great about setting up both movies for me. He was able to tell me enough to get my interest without giving away too much. I think this was also a key element to making it a successful night.
OFFICIAL COUNT 27 DOWN 338 TO GO
Death Proof.
Once I realized this was nothing like Planet Terror I was on board. It took a few minutes for me to really switch gears, but I'm actually really glad that the movies were so different. I think it kind of added more to the Grindhouse effect, and Death Proof is very Tarantino.
Because we were watching both movies on DVD we had to watch the extended cut of the film. Meaning it was more than what was seen in theaters. This really wasn't necessary in this instance. By adding the additional footage, it made it feel as though the first part of Death Proof with Jungle Julia and her friends was the first of two separate feature films. The sequel then beginning in the hospital in Tennessee and focusing around the second group of girls. Although I really liked though how the movie was broken up into two parts, and even though the story followed both group of girls the story was really about Kurt Russell's character.
I didn't expect the movie to take a turn with Kurt Russell's character and the second group of girls. I had expected and anticipated him kind of keeping with the same routine. At least that's what I thought serial killers had a tendency to do. I know we don't really know a lot about Kurt Russell's character; I just felt like he had killed more girls in a similar way before. Although after spending more time with the three girls it makes sense that they would want to chase after Kurt Russell and want to show him what's up after he caused them all kinds of trouble.
I also want to go on the record and just say that playing that game is absolutely the stupidest idea I have ever heard of.
Final thoughts: Of the two movies, I don't think it's really a shocker that Death Proof is my favorite even though I think they're both really great. From a technical stand point, I loved how committed to the genera both directors were. I loved the trailers before and between both movies as well as some of the effects they used to make the film look older, dirtier and of a lower budget than what they had to work with. It's true both movies can stand on their own without relying on the other to feel like a completed product, but if you're watching it for the first time you really should do yourself a favor and watch it the way it was intended to been seen: both movies, back to back.
OFFICIAL COUNT 28 DOWN 337 TO GO
Next up: Dr. Zhivago
I had a pretty lousy day at work, and was so exhausted that I almost wanted to call off watching the movies that night. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to make it through the two movies. But to keep with the true nature of the movies, and how they were intended to been seen, I was going to stick it out and watch both movies back to back.
I really liked both movies, which I didn't really expect to, and absolutely loved the idea of combining Planet Terror and Death Proof to make a Grindhouse feature by modern standards. I just don't think mainstream America really understood and had a firm grasp on the concept of a Grindhouse. A double feature meant spending a long time in the theater, than what you might normally spend in the theater watching a movie. That was one of the main reasons I didn't see it in theaters.
First up was Planet Terror, because that is how it was screened originally in theaters. I had absolutely no idea that this was a zombie movie. I'm just not a zombie movie kind of girl, the genera is kind of gross and incredibly unrealistic to me. I kind of went into this a little when I wrote about Rec in June, and even shared my zombie apocalypse plan. (If you haven't read that entry, I highly suggest you look it up after reading this.) Also, I feel like this is almost another one of those things that I should just come clean about, I lived with my roommates who had posters in our living room from both movies for a little more than a year without realizing Planet Terror was a zombie move. They were right, it does make sense for a girl to have a machine gun leg once you see the movie.
Anyways, I almost felt tricked into watching Planet Terror. I know that if I had known it was a zombie movie I would have really drug my feet about watching it. Zombie movies are kind of like soccer and the World Cup. I understand why everyone gets so excited about it, but it's not really my thing. Despite my own stance on zombie movies, I really liked Planet Terror. I didn't think there was too much gore, and what gore there was it was so over the top that it was funny. There were also plenty of refreshing one-liners throughout, which I really enjoyed. I also found it interesting that "Rob-Rod" as I like to call him, looked to his family, co-director, a makeup legend, the cast of Lost and a Black Eyed Pea to cast film. Well played. Although in all seriousness, casting Maley Shelton as Dr. Dakota Block just so we can see her double jointed wrists in action was equal parts brilliant and creepy.
Between movies, Wil and I took a little break. If there was any way I was going to watch both movies back to back I'd need an intermission where I could kind of get up and move around a bit before starting the second movie. Wil was actually really great about setting up both movies for me. He was able to tell me enough to get my interest without giving away too much. I think this was also a key element to making it a successful night.
OFFICIAL COUNT 27 DOWN 338 TO GO
Death Proof.
Once I realized this was nothing like Planet Terror I was on board. It took a few minutes for me to really switch gears, but I'm actually really glad that the movies were so different. I think it kind of added more to the Grindhouse effect, and Death Proof is very Tarantino.
Because we were watching both movies on DVD we had to watch the extended cut of the film. Meaning it was more than what was seen in theaters. This really wasn't necessary in this instance. By adding the additional footage, it made it feel as though the first part of Death Proof with Jungle Julia and her friends was the first of two separate feature films. The sequel then beginning in the hospital in Tennessee and focusing around the second group of girls. Although I really liked though how the movie was broken up into two parts, and even though the story followed both group of girls the story was really about Kurt Russell's character.
I didn't expect the movie to take a turn with Kurt Russell's character and the second group of girls. I had expected and anticipated him kind of keeping with the same routine. At least that's what I thought serial killers had a tendency to do. I know we don't really know a lot about Kurt Russell's character; I just felt like he had killed more girls in a similar way before. Although after spending more time with the three girls it makes sense that they would want to chase after Kurt Russell and want to show him what's up after he caused them all kinds of trouble.
I also want to go on the record and just say that playing that game is absolutely the stupidest idea I have ever heard of.
Final thoughts: Of the two movies, I don't think it's really a shocker that Death Proof is my favorite even though I think they're both really great. From a technical stand point, I loved how committed to the genera both directors were. I loved the trailers before and between both movies as well as some of the effects they used to make the film look older, dirtier and of a lower budget than what they had to work with. It's true both movies can stand on their own without relying on the other to feel like a completed product, but if you're watching it for the first time you really should do yourself a favor and watch it the way it was intended to been seen: both movies, back to back.
OFFICIAL COUNT 28 DOWN 337 TO GO
Next up: Dr. Zhivago
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