Grind House: A theater playing back-to-back films exploiting sex, violence, and other extreme subject matter.
Grindhouse: A film showcasing a double-feature of films by famed directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, celebrating the 1970’s grind house films in all their graphic glory.
The story of how this film came to be goes something like this:
Thus, Grindhouse was born, featuring two films: Planet Terror, a zombie film written and directed by Robert Rodgriguez, and Death Proof, a film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.
Let me start by saying, gee willickers, that was fun!
What does a film made as an homage to bad 70’s drive-in/trash theater exploitation films have in it that makes it so much fun?:
– outrageously comical/gross fake movie trailers
– platter scratches (thank you, Jeff)
– nostalgic 70’s pre-film graphics
– film burn
– missing reels complete with apologies from the management
– and a double helping of good old-fashioned b-movie film making at its best!
I know this is a niche film, and it certainly will not appeal to everyone, but if you’re the kind of person who loves bad humor, over-the-top storylines, cheesy gross-out zombie mayhem, corny heroic one-liners, great American muscle cars, wild car chases, and women’s empowerment, then I think you’ll enjoy the heck out of Grindhouse.
And what’s not to like? Both films have laugh-out-loud funny moments, groan-inducing comic violence, suspense, action…they are great! I have heard a few people talking about the film and how they like either one movie or the other better. I have to say that I liked both equally well. The amazing thing about this double feature is that Rodriguez and Tarantino made films that were so different from one another that there is never a dull moment. At roughly 3 hours and 15 minutes, this film flies by. It did not seem like I was in the theatre very long at all.
The cast is large, and phenomenal. I cannot imagine but that everyone had a ball making these films. Favorites?:
Rose McGowan, fun in both films. And how can you not like a girl with a machine gun for a leg?
Vanessa Ferlito, Death Proof: makes me want to watch CSI:NY!
Freddy Rodriguez, Planet Terror: he was so much fun. Loved him in this role.
Marley Shelton, both films: great to see her in a role like this. Psychotically mesmerizing!
The three car chicks (Tracie Thoms, Zoe Bell, Rosario Dawson): Damn, they got fun parts in Death Proof!
Sidney Poitier’s daughter, Sydney Poitier, was an interesting choice who was both beautiful and played a really good role.
and of course, Kurt Russell: he was just so freaking enjoyable. There were many other entertaining roles, including cameos by some of the Rollergirls, including my favorite, Punky Bruiser:
Another thing that Grindhouse has going for it, especially for film buffs, is its amazing look. From the graphics to the way it was shot, from the editing to the the post production additions that made the films look like grind house movies, the way this film looks is as much a part of the enjoyment factor as the cast, stories, etc. This film was just great to look at. Even the poster art and website are eye-catching and graphically interesting. This will be a film that will be fun to watch again on DVD just to pause to see all the fun details that were missed the first time through.
For a film meant to honor exploitation films, I was suprised at how there was hardly any nudity, no sex, and the violence was sophomorically gross and laughable. I was also surprised at the very strong female roles in both films, which was refreshing considering the way I think females were portrayed in ‘true’ grind house films. Any woman who sat through Death Proof had to feel empowered at the end. Wow!
Grindhouse exceeded my expectations by being wildly entertaining, outrageously funny, surprisingly quick (given the actual movie time), and extremely well done. It is a concept film, and for me the concept was executed well from start to finish. Kudos to Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino for succeeded where failure could have easily been the order of the day. See it!
I’d never heard of this film before today, but your site is the second to recommend it. Looks like a lot of fun.
I was wondering how this would turn out. Looks like I definitely need to see it!
Still don’t know…
One of the first things we all said last night after it was over, Tom, is that you would’ve loved this on the big screen. Don’t know how it will translate to the small screen, but you would really have liked it. You would LOVE Death Proof, the Kurt Russell film. Don’t know how you feel about zombie films, but I think you would’ve really liked the humor in this one, and it was gory, but not that much more than your average modern zombie/horror movie and it was not realistic at all!
This wasn’t really even a ‘guilty pleasure’ movie. It was simply a very fun film…er, films….
I couldn’t agree more. I loved this film.
okay, I hate to even ask. . .but what is a platter scratch?
That’s one of the things I love about Tarantino, he can make dog poo look interesting! Not only are his stories great, but the films are always a luxury just in themselves. The way they’re shot, the music, the little extras he puts into them…all that stuff. Can’t wait to see this one. Glad you enjoyed it.
Karen, A platter scratch is the long thin green lines you would see on a film usually running down the the right or left sides of the screens. They will pop in and out through out a movie. They are usually on films that have been run a lot of times or through bad projectors. As the film goes through the projector it doesn’t always stay taunt and it tilts some and essentailly scratches on the platter the film is resting on and scrtaches off some of the actual film in the form of a line. The more times a film is run through the projector the more and more times this happens and it adds up to more and more scratches over time. It’s just a sign of an overused/poor quality print which fit the Grindhouse theme perfectly. Since these films made the rounds in the old run down theatres in towns and were run through many old projectors they would cause these scratches. You still see them now days at the $ 2 houses sometimes because those prints have been through many viewing most likely. I hope that makes sense Karen. We missed your hubby last night!
I’ll speak for James since he doesn’t blog. He came home talking about how fun this movie going experience was. I don’t think he’s had that much fun at the theatre. . . well, for a long time. I am glad he went.
Hey, Carl, thanks for dinner. With two back to back birthdays and Easter inbetween, I was glad to not see a dinner debit!!!!! Hehe!
You are welcome Jules, James said you’d be happy about that! 🙂
He did have fun, I’m glad he stayed for both shows.
So I’m paying $9.00 plus beverages for run down video and cheap gore? Do I look that stupid? Come on…
I also enjoyed both films quite a lot and even though it was over 3 hours it didn’t feel that way at all. I also think films like Saw actually are grosser in some ways than Planet Terror is. PT gore is done in such an over the top way it didn’t seem nearly as nasty as the SAW films except for maybe the scene with Tarantino falling apart. 🙂 As fun and over the top PT is Deathproof is just as fun for the leading ladies dialogue and the car chase. Kurt Russell is also perfectly cast as Stuntman Mike.
This film isn’t for everyone but for the people it is for they will love it. It was also fun watching it in the theater and hearing everyone’s reactions. You just can’t beat the theater experience for some films and this one of them.
Actually, we only paid $6…and James and I stole popcorn off of Jeff! 😉
And you’re right Jeff, it is what it is, but man is it fun!!!
For a guy’s night out movie it was perfect. Tom, you would have loved it. Planet Terror did have a lot of gore but the main reason it seemed less gory than the SAW movies was because it was cheesy and full of cheesy one liners. It doesn’t have the edge that a SAW movie has because it’s a tribute to all the B movies that scared us when we were kids but is laughable now.
I found Death Proof to be much more intense because it did take itself more seriously. I would compare it to a B film from the 70’s that 30 years later was still pretty damn good.
Grindhouse as a sit down rental with Karen would be quite the disappointment. Grindhouse as a sit down rental on a guys night would be a success!
Hey Carl! Sorry I haven’t visited lately. Been a bit under the weather. That, however, did NOT keep me from the theater on Saturday to see this!! I LOVED it!! And I’m a woman. (Then again, I play poker, like pizza and beer, and watch football on Sundays. So sue me). Tarantino is a genius!! I think I liked Death Proof the best…..or wait. Maybe it was the previews!! Rob Zombie’s was the BOMB!
It was fun, fast-paced, gory. It was worth every penny I paid!!
Stephanie, you are every man’s dream girl. 😉
“the kind of person who loves bad humor, over-the-top storylines, cheesy gross-out zombie mayhem, corny heroic one-liners, great American muscle cars, wild car chases, and women’s empowerment”
yep fits me to a T 😛
I’ve really, really missed you Mysfit. So good to hear from you! Very, very good.
yeah – sorry i’ve been away so long…
Must see movie, I have seen it 5 time…