Originally posted by SpaceMonkey
I loved the movie, overall. I could have done without all the useless conversation in Death Proof. I think if Quentin would have cut done about half of the chicks talking about useless boring stuff the movie would have been an instant classic.
Tarantino has made his career out of chicks talking about useless boring stuff. What did you expect from him? Something original?
Originally posted by SpaceMonkey
I loved the movie, overall. I could have done without all the useless conversation in Death Proof. I think if Quentin would have cut done about half of the chicks talking about useless boring stuff the movie would have been an instant classic.
QT loves his dialogue, but I think it adds depth to the movie.
I am usually a HUGE fan of the QT dialog. In this particular case though it wasn't as effective as it has been in the past. Why do we care, or need to know about the guy Jungle Julia is texting? Why are we bothered with Abby and Zoe's falling in a ditch story for as long as it went on? I just think alot of the dialog was used as filler in this case as opposed to his other movies where the information is pertinent or at least entertaining. Don't get me wrong, I loved the movie. Just those little things I had a problem with.
Originally posted by SpaceMonkey
I am usually a HUGE fan of the QT dialog. In this particular case though it wasn't as effective as it has been in the past. Why do we care, or need to know about the guy Jungle Julia is texting? Why are we bothered with Abby and Zoe's falling in a ditch story for as long as it went on? I just think alot of the dialog was used as filler in this case as opposed to his other movies where the information is pertinent or at least entertaining. Don't get me wrong, I loved the movie. Just those little things I had a problem with.
True, but I think QT was trying to give us some insight on the characters considering they would only be on screen for an hour and half, compared to his usual time of two and half hours.
I just got back from seeing it myself.
"Planet Terror" - I haven't been excited after having seen a movie since "Sin City". I loved every single minute of it, and it seemed almost TOO "grindhouse-esque" to have been done by a professional filmmaker. I guess that's a compliment, because it felt so genuine. Freddie Rodriguez and Josh Brolin (holy shit does he look like his dad in "Amityville"😉 totally stole the show. Surprising performances, lots of action, gritty dialogue, and just fun fun fun.
"Death Proof" - It was a very uneven movie, IMO. The opening diatribe had me thinking of the opening of "Reservoir Dogs" in the coffee shop. Then it happened again. And again. It seemed like every 20 minutes there was some instance of epic dialogue going down..and it totally ruined the flow, because they eventually just strayed from what the movie was about, almost ditching Kurt Russell for the sake of gabbing. I was bored to tears with it..hardly engaging, really BAD dialogue, too..especially all the ghetto slang..just uncomfortable, coupled with literally WATCHING Zoe Bell try to interact..and act, for that matter.
I'd pay to see "Planet Terror", the awesome trailers..the nostalgic bumpers..but Q.T. didn't impress me on his installment. At all. Especially the hokey ending.
Man..at first I was going to say "Machete", but Eli Roth's had me rollin'! His choice for the voice over was awesome. I doubt anyone else caught that he used the same font for "Thanksgiving" that was used for the movie "Basket Case". "Don't" was kind of schlocky, as was Rob Zombie's. I was expecting to see "Hobo w/ a Gun" though.
Yeah, Death Proof lagged. But I think a reviewer (I forget who) put it very well when he said that grindhouse movies also had a profound sense of boredom in them.
I agree with Cory and BF that Planet Terror was definitely superior, however. Very authentic. I think that despite QT supposed love for these movies, he seemed reluctant to embrace it. With Planet Terror, RR scratched the print, overexposed it, burned it, whatever. And that made it great. QT however, didn't seem to want to do that. The print was pristine, and there was a 'missing reel' without any sort of indication. It just wasn't authentic.
Originally posted by Strangelove
I think that despite QT supposed love for these movies, he seemed reluctant to embrace it. With Planet Terror, RR scratched the print, overexposed it, burned it, whatever. And that made it great. QT however, didn't seem to want to do that. The print was pristine, and there was a 'missing reel' without any sort of indication. It just wasn't authentic.
There was a lot of missing frames and bad cut-to's. Especially during the beginning of the film.
I preferred Death Proof. PT was still wonderful, though.
Originally posted by Vinny Valentine
Tarantino is in all his movies.
You sure about that?
Originally posted by DustyYeah, but after the missing reel, there was nothing wrong with it.
There was a lot of missing frames and bad cut-to's. Especially during the beginning of the film.I preferred Death Proof. PT was still wonderful, though.
Originally posted by Vinny ValentineYeah, he's not in Kill Bill
Tarantino is in all his movies.
Originally posted by Vinny Valentine
Best Movie of the Year IMO.What a good movie... 'Planet Terror' had the killing, blood and grotesqueness, when 'Death Proof' had the Thriller and suspense. I was disappointed slightly at the end of 'Planet Terror'.
Vinny hit the nail right there! Except I'm going to be more generous with my score...stay tuned for that.
My reaction to the film (i.e. review)
First and foremost a little something I have to share with you all. The minute I heard this film was a homeage to the Grindhouse movie experience I had to enhance my own experience. For this I did the following. Instead of watching the movie on Friday, I opted to go on Monday...why? simple! If you ever visited a real Grindhouse theater you'll notice is basically pretty much empty. Well, on Monday evenings you can get that on almost any movie theater. As for location I chose the oldest and most smallest movie theater near my home.
So for me I got a more enhance grindhouse movie experience....old movie theater and nearly empty seat capacity. Perfect!
Onto the film.
I hate to split a review on a single piece of work...and honestly I think is not fair. Because if you do it, then you're really missing the whole point of Grindhouse film. Anywhoo...
Trailer for Machete: Neat! Messing with the wrong Mexican....awesome! that alone is a big 5 out of 5. 😄
Planet Terror
The film opens with a beautiful and exotic scene of the main protagonist doing a go-go dance. The film jumps from a few chit chat dialogues to the main plot....the chemical toxic stuff that transforms people into infected zombies.
(Okay, stop! here is a homeage to the 1985 film Return of the living dead. Gas escapes into the atmosphere...people get infected. So far so good.)
Pointless gore and serious overtop action sequences....
....that's it. That's Planet Terror.
Why bother to review it any further? Oh, wait! Tom Savini gets a kick ass scene in this movie! Woot! (no not been sarcastic)
Oh, no wait! Stop again! Here is something that Rodriguez did which totally made me jubilee with excitement....
A HOMEAGE TO LUCIO FULCI'S ZOMBIE!!!!!! Oh yeah! I love the piece of wood splinter in the eye! THANK YOU! I'm glad that Rodriguez and Eli Roth have done these homages in their films.
Planet Terror would have been a superior film except that it fails in the following categories:
-It fails miserable and terrible in the same sense as George Romero's Land of the Dead. It gives us a bunch of badass characters with NO indepth to them and absolutely no interesting development.
-It fails in telling us how exactly the gas kills people. When the gas is first release people melt but then later we see people get boils and swelling....it's just not clicking right there....a little more specification in how the gas really affects people would help the storytelling a little better.
-It fails in suspence and dramatization (sp?) I couldn't careless who was going to die next...because I didn't connect with a single character...all of them were over top action figures.
-It fails in the TOO many characters to follow category. Whoah! A whole posse and we don't know much about them. All thanks to lack of character development.
Certainly Planet Terror delivers in the following:
*Giving my eyes eye candy action sequences.
*Beautiful shots of Rose dancing.
*Gore and blood.
*Shootings zombies.
*Bruce Willis performance.
Alone this film get a 3 out of 5.
But hold on! Guess who rescues the film? That's right! the wonderful style of directing and quirky writting of QT practically saves Grindhouse.
Part II of my Grindhouse review coming soon. 🙂
Part II of Grindhouse Review by ME! 😛
We left off were Planet Terror ends with a cheesy post apocalyptic ending. Neat! (I love those kind of films as well.)
Not to spoil it for you guys...when you see Udo Kier dress up as a Nazi and you see sadistic hot blondes dancing with a machine gun Werewolf....you know this shit is friggin 2 Cool!
Plus
Spoiler:as Fu Machu?!!! OMGz! this is awesome!
Nicolas Cage
Don't! and I mean don't get me wrong...but the guy who made Shaun of Dead made a weird trailer....but weird in that entertaining sense of the word. Good stuff!!
Thanksgiving....HAHAHAHahaha!!!!!! A psycho Pilgrim with an axe in his hands....can't say enough..superb Eli Roth! Quote me on this folks...but Roth will be an iconic horror director!
Death Proof
As quoted earlier, Vinny summorized DP right on spot. The film begins with some girlfriends doing a little road trip and talking about themselves and their relationships.
(See folks! This is good! This is exactly what every good film must have! In depth to the characters. Telling us who they are and what are they doing)
This becomes an essential factor for the film. Here are some girls who mind their own business and are trying to have a good time. This is what I can relate to! This is factor keeps interested. To sweet them even more QT delightens us the (male viewers) with some very sexy shots of the girls. Very beautiful gals who just want to have some fun. Despite what people might find boring in their conversations, we get at least a more depth to them.
Eventually these fun seeking gals end up in a bar. This where we're introduce to the main protagonist of the film. Folks! it was nearly an honor to see Mr. Kurt Russel back on the screen playing one of his typical badass characters. He gets acquainted with the party girls as well as with a complete change of character from Rose McGowan.
What everything seem as a good time in some bar in texas would eventually change as the characters leave the bar. First thing that really made respect Kurt's acting...his psychotic and disturbing transformation from a real cool looking dude into a sinister looking speed freak manic.
Wow! Just the look on Kurt's face says it all.....the party is over. I really, really felt horrible for what happens to the character of Rose in DP. It was just a disturbing and horrendous moment watching Kurt putting the metal to the pedal in that cool Chevy Nova.
After we see the first victim of the film die you pretty much think....well? what happens to the party girls? As you can prolly know by now...something good is NOT going to happen. I'll do my best not spoil it here so don't get upset.
The death sequences in Death Proof were much, much more realistic...graphic...distubing...morbid...and macabre than Planet Terror. This is where Rodriguez and QT separate. Rodriguez gives you a more extreme type of violence...whereas QT captures a more realistice and sentimental death scenes. I say sentimental because in the film you've gotten to know this people. You've gotten a more indepth characterization of them. You feel rather guilty for enjoying their deaths. QT makes a more humane type of violence (not trying to an oxymoron of course) than Rodriguez.
The car crash in DP left a bigger scar in me than any single violent scene in PT. This could happen to anyone.....it leaves you with a sense of insecurity for when you leave the movie theather....this is a real horror film.
Leaving that behind. We moved onto the next set of girls looking for some fun. Now, just like first set of girls we get a nice introduction to them. Except this time things will be different. By that I mean the tables are turned.
In a sadistic sense the justice of the finale in Death Proof seems fair. However, you cannot help feel sympathy for Kurt. Still, you feel that one good slap deserves another.
Death Proof have everything and anything over Planet Terror.
The music was terrific! The death Scenes far more realistic and distubring! The acting equally the same! But Death Proof had an ace under their sleeve with Kurt Russel.
I cannot but disagree heavily with anyone saying PT was better than DP. Simply because is NOT true! Honestly. It isn't...you're lying to yourself. Death Proof may not have the adreline action figure of Planet Terror. Because it doesn't need it!
Death Proof stands alone! QT once again have done it! He delivers a story of violance, cruelty, sadistic justice, and revenge just like the classic cult movies and B-movies of the 70's. Death Proof is truly a homage to the Grindhouse factor.
QT remains unbeaten in my book (hehe, remenber that line in the movie?)
No contest! PT saves Grindhouse. A top chart score for Death Proof.
5 out of 5!
There might be a Part III review for movie as a whole. You might want to stick around. 😉
Originally posted by WrathfulDwarf
[B]-It fails miserable and terrible in the same sense as George Romero's Land of the Dead. It gives us a bunch of badass characters with NO indepth to them and absolutely no interesting development.
Totally disagree.
Doctor Block (Brolin) was ****ing awesome. Just a happy go lucky doctor that was supposed to be more loosy goosy than serious. Not only that, but he was a lover scorned.
Doctor Dakota Block, and her 3 friends? She was the strong female figure in pretty much every exploitation movie of that variety. She got tossed around like a rag doll, only to define female empowerment in the grindhouse era.
Cherry and her useless talents. Down and out go go dancer hardly making a living who sucks it up and becomes a heroine, taking Wray's dream and making it a reality.
Wray himself. Kind of the "lone wolf" of the crew. Obviously having been through hell and back, to lead a strike and save the town, and the woman he still loved.
-It fails in telling us how exactly the gas kills people. When the gas is first release people melt but then later we see people get boils and swelling....it's just not clicking right there....a little more specification in how the gas really affects people would help the storytelling a little better.
So did "Night of the Living Dead". It's fairly obvious it's toxic waste. The gas was green, so you can draw your own conclusion, especially if you've seen "ROTLD". Trioxin..same damn thing. It's science fiction, styled after shitty 70's movies. You're looking for Oscar worthy storytelling?
-It fails in suspence and dramatization (sp?) I couldn't careless who was going to die next...because I didn't connect with a single character...all of them were over top action figures.
Again, panning for gold in a sewage runoff. It's intentionally over the top.
-It fails in the TOO many characters to follow category. Whoah! A whole posse and we don't know much about them. All thanks to lack of character development.
There are disposable characters that come and go that are intended to do nothing but push the story along. Mr. Block, Ms. Block, Wray, and Cherry are the only ones that lend anything to the story, which is the way it was intended. You can toss in Naveen Andrews for fun, since he's a mild supporting character who started the whole thing.