Deathproof
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Written by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Kurt Russell, Zoe Bell, Rosario Dawson
Planet Terror
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez
Written by: Robert Rodriguez
Starring: Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Josh Brolin
In 2007, Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez released a homage to 1960s Grindhouse exploitation movies with their own double-billing, Grindhouse. They each wrote and directed their own film in the Grindhouse style of B-grade schlock and put them back-to-back. These two films were released together, I watched them together, so it's only fitting that I review them together.
Both films are absurd schlock, yet very distinct from each other in terms of style. They both contain stylistic choices that try to hammer home that 60s/70s Grindhouse theatre feel; there's intentional film grain and a few cuts where they pretend a film reel is missing, and both films do their absolute best to exploit and overkill their respective experiences.
Rodriguez is right at home with Planet Terror, making the most violent and silly zombie movie he possibly can. The plot is filled with so many points that only make sense exactly because they make no sense. A bad guy has a propensity for keeping his victims' testicles? Of course he does! A main character replaces her lost leg with a gun? Yeah, may as well. It's pure and true in the way it stoops down to imitate the types of films it's paying tribute to. The ultra-violence is bloody and disgusting, with plenty of skin melting, puss popping and flesh chewing to go around. The plot is intentionally overdone, with turns that are as hilariously dramatic and necessarily unnecessary as the rest of the movie. It's so very stupid, and the film's intent in this makes the ride so very enjoyable.
Death Proof is Tarantino unplugged, a film that combines his detailed dialogue and charismatic characters with a paper-thin plot and plenty of violent and sexual exploitation. The film is bizarrely paced, and takes a while to get going, with only dialogue and voluptuous women until one of the characters, Stuntman Mike (Russell) is revealed to be a murderer. Why he murders isn't explained, it's just an excuse to have some awesome car chase and car crash scenes that involve gratuitous violence. The movie is slow until Mike's true intentions are revealed, but once they are the movie gets so much better. In particular I'm a sucker for a good ending, and Death Proof has an ending so cheap and pointless yet so satisfying in the way it captures the style Tarantino is trying to emulate that I cannot help but love it.
The Verdict: Grindhouse is an absolute exploitation schlock-fest, and that's exactly what it aspires to be. Planet Terror is a hilariously over-the-top and nonsensical zombie romp with a literal ton of blood and guts, and Death Proof is a movie of beautiful women, fast cars, great thrills, and little else. If you're intrigued by the films, I recommend you watch them together, though with an intermission that's about 4 hours so make sure to plan ahead. I definitely would recommend against this being shown together, unless my descriptions of the films didn't make that clear enough. While each film is imperfect, the experience of watching them together improves the viewing of both, so I give each film their own rating, but I also rate the experience of watching them together.
Rating (Death Proof): 7/10
Rating (Planet Terror): 7/10
Rating (Grindhouse): 8/10
Published July 15th, 2016
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