Creative forces: Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino
Stars: Freddie Rodriguez, Rose McGowan, Kurt Russel (Plus lots of cameos!)
Haven't we all seen a Saturday double-bill of movies so awful they made you laugh? Been there. Done that. Guilty as charged. Plus I'd seen SIN CITY (also a collaboration of these two director/writers) and wasn't terribly impressed.
That being the case, I had no great desire to see Rodriguez and Tarantino's homage to the exploitation movies of the 70's. At least until I saw an interview with the two directors. Clips of PLANET TERROR suckered me in. The film looked like great fun. Campy enough that it shouldn't give me zombie nightmares, and peopled with characters who already had me rooting for them in just brief seconds of film clips.
Plus the "package" is just wildly creative. The whole experience comes complete with hysterically funny (but seriously executed) preview trailers for non-existent movies. I lost count of the fake movies being hyped but the first one, MACHETE, is brilliant. Every trailer is perfectly cast with working actors you at least recognize even if you can't name them. That's part of what makes the trailers so believable.
The film has defects and scratches just like the 'old days' when the quality of picture relied on the condition of the actual reels being screened. You really do feel as if you've stepped into a time warp.
If any of you read novella anthologies, then you're already probably guessing what I'm about to say next...all stories, visions,
voices are not created equally. GRINDHOUSE as a "package" is brilliant but for my money, only one of the movies is brilliant--the first one, PLANET TERROR. This deftly told story works simultaneously as dandy little zombie movie and a campy recreation. Yes, the gore is over the top but the violence is telegraphed well enough and the movie shot dark enough that you can get your eyes closed in time if you don't want to see someone shredded.Rose McGowan (a "Charmed" one) is appealing as a Go-Go Dancer ("There IS a difference.") who's unexpected reunited with an old flame, who happens to be the one man that might get her butt out of zombie-harm's way. Some plot points are improbable but this wouldn't be an exploitation film if you didn't occasionally have to take a logic leap. After having one leg ripped off by zombies fairly soon into the movie, our gal Rose manages to make it through the movie with improvised prosthestics, including a machine gun. And when the relationship between McGowen's character and Freddie Rodriquez begins to get steamy? Just like the old days...the film melts and you get a message from management saying they're sorry for the missing reel. (Which you know now lives with Projection-man Willie at his house.)
This is SO not my kind of movie but I thoroughly enjoyed all the parts in which I wasn't closing my eyes. I did at one point channel Dorothy from the WIZARD OF OZ when I thought, "Lions and tigers and pustules, oh my!" Despite my complete dislike of that sort of cinema, I felt like this was "old home" week with familiar characters and dialogue you knew was coming but *wanted* to hear anyway.
By the time GRINDHOUSE ground down to the Tarantino portion of the evening, I was ready to enjoy another rollicking poke-of-fun at the bad movies of yesteryear. Unfortunately Tarantino wasn't ready to provide that. His DEATH PROOF plods along. I couldn't find a character to truly root for in the film but he does give you someone to root against...eventually. I predict next year's DragonCon will see its share of Stuntman Mike costumes.
Just as the older production houses used their "stable" of actors again and again, DEATH PROOF retreads a few of the actors from the first film. Female characters abound and Tarantino seems to have a penchant for writing really bad, smart-ass girl-talk. Didn't make me like 'em. Bored me in fact. The resolution does make a strong statement about the power of women. I'm not sure it's a flattering statement, but Tarantino does resolve his movie in a way that leaves the viewer feeling that the justice or revenge was done. (You'd have to see the movie to decide which it is, but I recommend skipping DEATH PROOF altogether. Watch the trailers after PLANET TERROR and then leave. Your butt will thank you.)
Has anyone else seen GRINDHOUSE? Do you agree that one of the films is clearly better than the other? Do you like remakes or "homage" because these aren't true remakes. Just throw backs to action/zombie/prison-babe movies of yesteryear.
