Grindhouse (2007)
Runtime: 191 minutes
Directed by: QT/Robert Rodriguez
Starring: The likes of Rose McGowan, Kurt Russell, Josh Brolin, Jeff Fahey, Zoe Bell and Jordan Ladd
From: Miramax
I am catching up on posting reviews here. Tomorrow I'll post two and then everything will be back on schedule here. I did watch this last Thursday so I could talk about it on Letterboxd on the 11th anniversary of its debut.
As Letterboxd as this has a separate entry from the two films individually and I saw this all at once, onto this page the review goes. I did see this twice before theatrically back in '07; more on that at the very end. I did watch this last night as it was released on April 6 back 11 years ago. To think how different things are now for Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, the brothers Weinstein, and Rose McGowan. I was able to put that out of my mind as I saw the whole presentation last night. I am not surprised this disappointed at the box office; the premise was just too weird and esoteric for most of America and I know people personally who were all “WTF?” at seeing a woman with a giant gun for a leg in the advertisements.
The fake trailers, they were all amusing in their own ways. Only one of which was turned into a real movie... I wouldn't have minded all of them being actual things by those actual directors. Nicolas Cage as Fu Manchu would have been incredible, judging by the 10 seconds we got to see in the Werewolf Women of the SS trailer. Planet Terror, while it's not really a grindhouse movie of old (even if it was obviously inspired by Italian horror, especially Nightmare City) it was a lot of fun as it is SO over the top with its situations and graphic gore. A talented cast definitely helps there.
Death Proof is more controversial, at least when it comes to opinions on its quality. There has always been plenty of debate on whether it is good or not; the biggest argument is which group of girls is the most tolerable, if either even are. I can understand why some would be aggravated by both of them or wishing that they'd shut the F up. I imagine some feel that way for misogynistic reasons but many others aren't sexist and they also feel that way. Me, I prefer the second group but it's up for debate. I admit, QT slavishly making one of those films of old where it's a lot of figurative twiddling of thumbs until the electric moments happen... that definitely would not work for plenty of people in modern times.
Thankfully for Death Proof, Kurt Russell was tremendous as Stuntman Mike; he manages to pull off the drastically different way Mike acts in the film. There are some sweet musical cuts heard, and also, the final act is great between the old school muscle cars, the legit stunts, and the final minute. When I saw the movie at the drive-in, a group of guys were watching it outside their vehicle; when the final minute happens, all of them were loudly cheering and celebrating, which I'll never forget as it's awesome. The first screening for me (late Monday night) I'll never forget either... as some jackasses brought their infant kid! They left after Planet Terror, to further cement their dumbassness.
I wish this could have been more successful at the box office, but that's alright; at least I can still enjoy the movie and how the whole package makes it a very good three hours and helps mask the flaws that both flicks have.
Runtime: 191 minutes
Directed by: QT/Robert Rodriguez
Starring: The likes of Rose McGowan, Kurt Russell, Josh Brolin, Jeff Fahey, Zoe Bell and Jordan Ladd
From: Miramax
I am catching up on posting reviews here. Tomorrow I'll post two and then everything will be back on schedule here. I did watch this last Thursday so I could talk about it on Letterboxd on the 11th anniversary of its debut.
As Letterboxd as this has a separate entry from the two films individually and I saw this all at once, onto this page the review goes. I did see this twice before theatrically back in '07; more on that at the very end. I did watch this last night as it was released on April 6 back 11 years ago. To think how different things are now for Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, the brothers Weinstein, and Rose McGowan. I was able to put that out of my mind as I saw the whole presentation last night. I am not surprised this disappointed at the box office; the premise was just too weird and esoteric for most of America and I know people personally who were all “WTF?” at seeing a woman with a giant gun for a leg in the advertisements.
The fake trailers, they were all amusing in their own ways. Only one of which was turned into a real movie... I wouldn't have minded all of them being actual things by those actual directors. Nicolas Cage as Fu Manchu would have been incredible, judging by the 10 seconds we got to see in the Werewolf Women of the SS trailer. Planet Terror, while it's not really a grindhouse movie of old (even if it was obviously inspired by Italian horror, especially Nightmare City) it was a lot of fun as it is SO over the top with its situations and graphic gore. A talented cast definitely helps there.
Death Proof is more controversial, at least when it comes to opinions on its quality. There has always been plenty of debate on whether it is good or not; the biggest argument is which group of girls is the most tolerable, if either even are. I can understand why some would be aggravated by both of them or wishing that they'd shut the F up. I imagine some feel that way for misogynistic reasons but many others aren't sexist and they also feel that way. Me, I prefer the second group but it's up for debate. I admit, QT slavishly making one of those films of old where it's a lot of figurative twiddling of thumbs until the electric moments happen... that definitely would not work for plenty of people in modern times.
Thankfully for Death Proof, Kurt Russell was tremendous as Stuntman Mike; he manages to pull off the drastically different way Mike acts in the film. There are some sweet musical cuts heard, and also, the final act is great between the old school muscle cars, the legit stunts, and the final minute. When I saw the movie at the drive-in, a group of guys were watching it outside their vehicle; when the final minute happens, all of them were loudly cheering and celebrating, which I'll never forget as it's awesome. The first screening for me (late Monday night) I'll never forget either... as some jackasses brought their infant kid! They left after Planet Terror, to further cement their dumbassness.
I wish this could have been more successful at the box office, but that's alright; at least I can still enjoy the movie and how the whole package makes it a very good three hours and helps mask the flaws that both flicks have.
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