Films:

Directed by: Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino
Trailers:
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez, Eli Roth, Edgar Wright and Rob Zombie
Starring: Freddy Rodriguez, Rose McGowan, Josh Brolin, Marley Shelton, Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson, Zoe Bell, Vanessa Ferlito, Sydney Portier
Written by: Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino

Grindhouse is the double feature of two full-length exploitation/horror films being presented by Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Sin City) and Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill). Rodriguez’s film is entitled Planet Terror and deals with a zombie-like outbreak. Tarantino’s film is entitled Death Proof and deals with vehicular homicides. Together, the films are labeled Grindhouse in tribute to the types of theaters prevalent in the 1970s. These were film houses that showed exploitation films with low-budgets and high shock values. The films are shot in a manner that mimics these low-budget presentations, yielding a scratchy, grainy style.

Tarantino is my favorite director. I saw Pulp Fiction seven times in the theater. I plan to see Grindhouse at least eight. You should at least go and see it once.
Having seen Grindhouse three times in three days, I believe my suspicions have been confirmed: No other movie or film event will ever top this. I don’t even think if I ever get the chance to release my own film that would be better than Grindhouse.

The action in both films is awesome. The acting by stellar casts is phenomenal. The stories are spectacular. The style and presentation is genius. The entire experience of Grindhouse is totally captivating. Planet Terror’s strengths are shocks and gore. Death Proof’s are beautiful dialogue and intense suspense. The two are tied together with hilarious mock trailers.

Rodriguez’s Machete, featuring Danny Trejo and Cheech Marin, actually precedes Planet Terror. The remaining three come between the two features. Rob Zombie gives us Werewolf Women of S.S., featuring Sheri Moon Zombie, Bill Moseley and a fabulous cameo from Nicolas Cage. Edgar Wright presents Don’t, an absolutely side-splitting entry that mocks horror trailers that warn you what not to do. Eli Roth’s contribution is entitled Thanksgiving, a great send-up of holiday horror films complete with classic one-liner puns and absurd deaths.

Both films feature great characters with names to match. Planet Terror features Cherry Darling, El Wray, Doc Block and The Crazy Babysitter Twins. Death Proof has Jungle Julia, Butterfly and Stuntman Mike. Both films create a magical symmetry of story, character and action. This is best done with the poetic dialogue, superb acting and a perfect blend of cinematography heightened by the addition of the appropriate song or score at just the right moment.

Planet Terror’s highlights include disgusting, cringe-inducing infections, gruesome dismemberments and of course, the machine gun leg. Quentin Tarantino has a great bit-part as The Rapist in one of the most memorable scenes in the entire presentation. The relationship between Cherry Darling and El Wray is sure to be legendary in its being underrated as a great love story. It is to horror fans what Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind is to traditional movie fans.

Death Proof has my new role model for becoming a total badass, Zoe Bell (Uma Thurman’s stunt double from Kill Bill), great details like realistic mannerisms and ways of speaking and the greatest balance of suspense and action. Kurt Russell is brilliant, making you both love and hate him simultaneously. The car stunts are sure to get the adrenalin pumping. I really appreciate that the majority of the soundtrack for the scenes with the cars are just the sound of the muscle car engines. It’s hot.

Both films have really strong female characters. When I say strong, I mean not only in the development of the characters but also in their personalities. It’s good to see strong female characters anywhere, but particularly in horror films. I think more females survived than did males, a very rare occurrence in most horror films.
There are several factors paying homage to the actual grindhouse movies. There are posters from several grindhouse era films. There’s even a scene from one within Planet Terror. Rose McGowan plays two different characters in both films as was frequently the case with the grindhouse double feature. But the ultimate homage tactic is the grainy film style, complete with rough-cut edits and missing reels, another frequent occurrence of the grindhouse.

There are even more homages to specific films, including Tarantino and Rodriguez’s infamous use of actors from their previous films. The film nods include the sheriff’s department of Planet Terror, made up of Michael Biehn (Terminator, Aliens), Carlos Gallardo (El Mariachi, Desperado) and Tom Savini (the premiere horror effects artist whose biggest claim to fame is likely his work on Dawn of the Dead and Friday the 13^th). Famous daughters and favorite stunt women are featured in Death Proof; Sydney Portier and Jordan Ladd (daughters of Sidney Portier and Cheryl Ladd) and Zoe Bell and Monica Staggs (stunt doubles to Uma Thurman and Darryl Hannah in Kill Bill). Michael Parks resumes his role of Earl McGraw from From Dusk Till Dawn and Kill Bill and is accompanied by his real life son, James Parks as his on-screen son, Edgar McGraw. Rodriguez casts his real life son, Rebel, in Planet Terror. Then there’s Bruce Willis (Pulp Fiction, Sin City), Marley Shelton, Nicky Katt and Rosario Dawson (Sin City), crossovers with Eli Roth and Jordan Ladd (both with Cabin Fever connected to Quentin as producer of Eli’s sophomore film Hostel), and in the trailer for Machete, Danny Trejo and Cheech Marin (Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn).
But the ultimate casting homage has to be Kurt Russell in Death Proof, who can boast having starred in five cult classics: Escape from New York, The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China, Stargate and Escape from L.A. He also received special thanks on Kill Bill Vol. 2. Interesting side note: he did the voice of Elvis in Forrest Gump and played Elvis in a 1979 TV movie. He showcases an excellent John Wayne impression in Death Proof. And a show his character Stuntman Mike claims to have worked on, he has (The Virginian).

Grindhouse is certainly a film for a very specific audience. The audience that will most appreciate Grindhouse will include horror fans and film geeks. I happen to be both, hence my extreme affinity for this movie. If you are neither, you may not enjoy Grindhouse. Grindhouse is a film for people that won’t question the reality of the events in the film. If you tend to preoccupy yourself with asking, “How could that be?” or with saying things like, “That wouldn’t happen.” Then Grindhouse is not for you. If you cringe too easily at shocks and gore and prefer pleasant images and peaceful storylines, then Grindhouse is not for you. If you prefer Casablanca and Chinatown over Night of the Living Dead and Halloween, then Grindhouse is not for you. But if you love absurd gore and over the top action mixed with crazy characters and a fantastic story, then go see Grindhouse. And please call me when you do so I can join you.

Grade: A+++++