Grindhouse

[Ravenbomb 0]

I guess the deal with Stuntman Mike isn't so bad if one considers that he typically picks on women and seems to take them out pretty easily for the most part. That being the case, he would be unprepared for some ladies going after him and trying to kill him, and especially them shooting at him (he says he's a teetotaller at the beginning, but later after getting shot he flips out and goes for a bottle of booze he had stashed). Mental instability + unprepared for the girls going back after him + getting shot could feasibly = panicking and crying and whatnot

 

I mean, I could've done without it, but it didn't bother me to any significant degree.

[Downhome 0]

Yeah, I thought all of that was pretty obvious. When I got online tonight and saw so many people bitching about it, I really didn't understand what all the fuss was about. It also helps to have some sort of knowledge of grindhouse films. Most of them were technically very bad, they didn't strive for being anything more than just hardcore fun. The same thing applies here, so in my opinion you need to be a tad bit more forgiving of certain things, even if they don't totally make sense once you start to think about it.

 

It's all about camp, and cheese, and hardcore fun. If you ask me, Grindhouse really summed all of that up, and most critics understand that, thus all of the glowing positive reviews.

[Ravenbomb 0]

This is one of the few times I've come out of a movie and couldn't wait to see it again. They messed up with the theater labeling and sent a lot of people to the wrong screen, and we ended up getting in just in time for the previews, and ended up getting vouchers for free tickets out of it (despite the fact that we saw the thing in its entirety. Plus, I got the tickets for free in the first place), and I'd totally consider using the vouchers to see Grindhouse again.

[Downhome 0]

If any of you can make it happen, try to see it with as many people as possible as well. I don't mean take a bunch of people, although that wouldn't hurt either. Just try to watch it with a big crowd if you can. I wish that I could've found a screening of it around here like I did with Hot Fuzz. Watching Grindhouse with 400+ rabid fans would be insane.

[Ravenbomb 0]

I hope they do with Grindhouse what they did with Sin City and have an audience track. They should've done that with Snakes on a Plane, too, but in this case it's at least still the people who did Sin City so it's more likely.

[dubq 0]

Fuck man this was an awesome flick/double feature!

 

The fake trailers were great too -

HOBO WITH A SHOTGUN!!

<--- Needs to be an actual movie!

[Special K 0]

Awesome, awesome movie overall.

 

Planet Terror was definitely better, but Death Proof was much more faithful to 70's exploitation movies.

 

To those complaining about Stuntman Mike 'going out like a bitch:'

A. It totally makes sense. The whole things a power play, how he gets his rocks off. When he loses control he totally freaks out.

B. The 'female revenge movie' was a huge subgenre in 70's filmmaking.

C. It was fucking hilarious! Kurt Russell is a GOD.

 

Overall, the 3+ hours flew by. I'm really glad I went to an opening night showing, and made sure to go to the theater closest to the U Dub. The crowd was the perfect crowd. Laughing and clapping uproariously, but not thinking they were doing MST3K.

 

This movie could totally make a star out of a few people, or greatly boost their careers. Having only seen Freddie Rodriguez in 6' Under, it was fun to see him as a huge badass. Also, I found Zoe really engaging, cute, and she obviously has some fucking skills as a stuntwoman. Rose McGowan will be tied inicstricably to this movie like Uma Thurman was to Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill.

 

Overall, it was just great to see the joy the two filmmakers had.

Robert Rodriguez: I'm going to make Desperado look like Spy Kids!

Tarantino: I'm going to show 50 long shots of women's feet and direct a truly great 70's-style car chase.

(seriously, that's the best car chase I've seen outside of Bullitt and the French Connection.)

[2GOLD 0]

The only things I thought were bad was the first 10 minutes of Death Proof, mainly because it's a traditional Quentin opening and the female actors just were incredible bad. With better actors it might have worked but without them, it felt like the only time to go take a piss. And Rob Zombie's trailer just felt out of place with his stupid name and all of that up there.

 

Everything else? Campy gory action filled fun. Exactly what I was expecting. I loved it but I know it's just not going to work on DVD. It feels like one of those "see it in a theater or don't even bother" films.

[Special K 0]

The only things I thought were bad was the first 10 minutes of Death Proof, mainly because it's a traditional Quentin opening and the female actors just were incredible bad.

 

Definitely QFT.

 

The dialogue tried way to freakin' hard, and the actresses were straight up BAD. The whole getting to the point of the radio announcement was like 5 minutes long, and just pure shit. I don't know if Tarantino was trying to be ironically clumsily erotic, but it sucked ass. Oh great, vapid characters drinking and getting stoned. Terrific.

 

Of course, that's maybe a 15th of the movie's running time? I do pretty much agree that Death Proof should've run first. After Planet Terror and all those insane fucking trailers, you could hear the audience's restlessness. Still, I'd rate Death Proof at three stars in a second, with Planet Terror at 3.5.

 

I also found the roundtable discussion with the second group was trying a little bit too hard, but the actresses were really engaging, actually having characters to speak of. The 'sailmast' conversation was a far more engaging, funny and intriguing Tarantino dialogue. I don't know how people could dislike Zoe, Abby and Kim. The entire last chase scene, the theater was fucking way into them.

 

Oh, and lastly? How the holy hell did this movie get an R? This had moments far worse than unrated Dead/Alive.

[Angle-plex 0]

Seems to me like the directors have a free pass to make things bad because "it's a gridnhouse omg". Did Grindhouse films have QT dialoge and car chase scenes like THAT. This seemed more like Duel with a twist ending that didn't work as well.

 

Zoe Bell needs to be shot for her acting; not "Grindhouse" unintentionally hilarious bad, just ANNOYING bad. Stuntman Mike crying is NOT a bad thing, but he looked like a bitch and was emasculated way to quickly by not killing off any of the female characters. Also I'm sick of the "Girls kick ass" thing as it's been happening WAY too much lately.

 

On the other hand, Michael Biehn and Marley Shelton were both impressive in the first movie. Played there characters perfectly.

[Special K 0]

This seemed more like Duel with a twist ending that didn't work as well.

I was going to bring that up. There's a movie with absolutely no plot, (Duel)and it fucking rules.

 

And again, I thought,especially with Rosario Dawson, the second group was pretty awesome. Zoe Bell was the shit. Even before the car chase(s). she was hot, perky, and fuckin' Sassay....! I thought she was better than anyone outside of Dawson or McGowan.

 

EDIT: to clarify, that was out of the Death Proof girls. Kurt Russell and Freddie Rodriguez were fucking boss. The butterfly knife scene? The audience fucking exploded.

 

Also I'm sick of the "Girls kick ass" thing as it's been happening WAY too much lately.

Honestly, Anglr-Plex, have you ever seen a 70's-era exploitation flick? Have you ever seen a Pam Grier movie?

 

Not. Really. A. New. Thing.

 

Also, Angle-Plex? put some spoiler tags on that shit.

[Epic Reine 0]

Saw it last night and loved it. Planet Terror was everything you expeted it to be and while Tarantino's movie was a little too dialouge heavy, when it picked up, it REALLY picked up. Satisfied overall.

 

Btw, the Thanksgiving trailer was awesome as well as the trailer for "Don't".

[2GOLD 0]

Not to mention

Stuntman Mike killed FIVE girls before those three took him down without his supercar. Plus they had a gun and were stunt drivers themselves, it's like his worse nightmare

 

I thought Zoe Bell was outstanding. And I agree K, the second roundtable worked so much better because the girls had a ounce of acting talent and the conversation worked so well.

[cabbageboy 0]

Okay having seen Grindhouse I agree with most of what has been said here. Planet Terror was definitely the better half, with more action and general craziness going on. It really should have gone on 2nd, since Death Proof seems like the lower budget, lower half of a double bill to prime you for the main feature. After Planet Terror I was all but exhausted, then the trailers were hilarious....and then we get Death Proof with a really boring, uninvolving opening 15 minutes.

 

Death Proof reminded me of the first half hour of a bad Friday the 13th type movie, with these chicks all drunk or high and just waiting to be killed. The 2nd group of girls were better because they were the actual main characters, whereas the first bunch were mere victims that got entirely too much screen time for what they were.

 

I just know in a few months we'll hear a story on the news that some dumbass attempted the stunt that Zoe Bell did on the hood of the car, and of course got killed doing it.

[EricMM 0]

I don't understand ANY of the bitching about Stuntman Mike.

 

He was only a badass when he was in control, strapped into his deathproof car, scaring poor helpless women. When the tables were turned, he turned out to be a pussy.

 

And of course he was never a teetotaller, he was obviously not drinking in the bar because he was trying to get a girl to ride home with him.

[Hank Kingsley 0]

Friday estimates show Grindhouse 4th with about 5 mil, behind Blades of Glory, Meet the Robinsons, and Are We Done Yet.

 

Clearly, John C. McGinley > Kurt Russell.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Yeah, there was only like 6 other people in the theatre for the 8pm show..the 3 hour length will hurt it too because it means less shows.

 

First of all, all the fake trailers were great, even the DONT DONT DONT DONT DONT one. The Werewolf one was kinda lame until Nick Cage cameo..and the thanksgiving one was awesome with the cheerleader split part and all the girls guys having their heads chopped off. Machete is the only one that should legit get made into a movie though..

 

The picture "effects" were overly detracting from Planet Terror..and then not used hardly at all on Deathproof, or at least they were more subtle. Im guessing no HD-DVD (I think) release...haha.

 

I liked Deathproof more even though the last 15 minutes totally saved it from being the worst movie I ever saw. And I can only imagine what happened to

the cheerleader girl that left back as collateral on the car...shes gonna get it if she already didnt..lol

 

Planet Terror was ok..mindless action and violence..yay. Neither movie would be able to stand on its own either..

[dubq 0]

Just a thought - I think they could've easily gotten away with chopping both features down to 60 min each.

[Gary Floyd 0]

I loved it. The only problem I had was the

ending with Stuntman Mike getting punched repeatedly, followed by the music in the credits. Felt a bit too campy.

Other than that, I loved it.

 

Favorite trailer though was "Werewolf Women of the SS." Nicholas Cage as Fu Manchu=Fuck yes.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Something I overlooked but was pointed out to me..they went to all the trouble to make the picture feel like it was back in the 70s but the sound was still dolby digital surround sound..

 

Thinking about the DVD release, they should do the old school double sided way with one movie on side A and the other on side B.

[Special K 0]

I watched Jackie Brown tonight. Brilliant, funny dialogue in a severely underrated movie.

 

I really hope DeathProof's dialogue was intentionally clunky, but after Kill Bill 2... I think Tarantino has either lost it or become too self-conscious. Even the good parts of the dalogue took me a little out of the movie, because it was like "ok I'm watching a Tarantino movie."

 

Still, the movie kicked ass.

[The Niggardly King 0]

Planet Terror was great... Deathproof had Kurt Russell, and that saves it from being a total waste.

 

I just really don't like Tarantino.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I saw it today, and my thoughts pretty much echo cabbageboy's. McGowan was fucking smoking, and reminded me why I had such a thing for her for so long. Good to see everyone here echo Planet Terror being a much better movie than Death Proof.

 

I think the reason why Tarantino's film was second is because he's a bigger draw and people would be drawn to a movie because of his name alone. But I agree with Special K; Tarantino has definitely lost it, or really phoned it in. There were moments in Death Proof I felt like getting up and leaving the theatre. To me, the movie felt like half lame girl talk and half car chase (which were done really well, by the way). I'm glad I didn't, only because I would've missed this awesome little nugget I saw at the credits:

 

Mr. Tarantino's Chef.... (some chick)

Mr. Rodriguez's Chef... Robert Rodriguez

 

Made me crack up, anyways. The best trailer was definitely DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T.

 

Also, the trailers already made it to Youtube. Viewers, of course, nothing official which means they might not last long.

 

In order of my favorites:

<- "DON'T'"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHRcG8ia_ow <- "Machete" (THEY JUST FUCKED WITH THE WRONG MEXICAN!)

<- "Werewolf Women of the SS"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbSKnL4WFJM <- "Thanksgiving" (who is this guy that does the voiceover? He's done a lot of horror films. He sounds like he's belching as he talks.)

[bob_barron 0]

I guess I'm in the minority for liking Death Proof more

[AmericanDragon 0]

I guess I'm in the minority for liking Death Proof more

 

Planet Terror was lightweight and its "thrills" never reached even a tenth of the level of Death Proof's thrills. But everyone's shitting all over Death Proof.

[EricMM 0]

No way, Deathproof killed Planet Terror, if only relatively.

[Brett Favre 0]

Thanksgiving had me crying of laughter.

 

Nicholas Cage as Fu Manchu was also hilarious. The thing about Death Proof, the movie just seemed to drag when the girls were talking. I liked the 2nd group far more than the first group though.

[AmericanDragon 0]

Thanksgiving had me crying of laughter.

 

I liked the 2nd group far more than the first group though.

 

That was the point. Tarantino set up the first group so that people would actually enjoy seeing Russell fuck them up. Then when Russell goes after the stuntwomen in the second act, the situation would be reversed. People in my theater were screaming "fuck yeah go kill that bitch" when the second group decided to go after him even though he was such a likeable villain. But then I read a lot of reviews where they found both groups of women repulsive so I can see how the movie fell apart for them. But if you're on the second group's side, the second act is fucking amazing.

[The Niggardly King 0]

I just couldn't get into Death Proof... Tarantino basically jerked off about how he's seen a bunch of car chase films. Well, why shouldn't we just watch Thunderbolt Run instead of 40 minutes of dialogue about Thunderbolt Run?

[Gary Floyd 0]

I guess I'm in the minority for liking Death Proof more

I liked it. I just think it was the weaker of the two.