| Film Review | A.C. Hall |
Grindhouse
Grindhouse is a unique film done by directors Robert
Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. It is actually a double
feature, set up to appear like a 1970’s era back to back
showing. The term grindhouse refers to a genre of
exploitation films that were extremely graphic and violent.
This movie is rated a very strong R for strong bloody
graphic violence and gore, pervasive language, some
sexuality, nudity and drug use.
Grindhouse doesn’t just pay tribute to the old world of
exploitation films, it copies them directly. From fake movie
trailers for other exploitation style films to fake
advertisements to grainy film and even missing reels in the
movies, this feels like an experience at a rundown theater
on the bad side of town. The first film is by director
Robert Rodriquez and is called Planet Terror. This is
essentially a zombie film and sees Rose McGowan as a
stripper searching for meaning in her life. She happens
across an old boyfriend named Wray (played quite well by
actor Freddy Rodriguez) at just the right time, as a zombie
like plague begins to sweep across the town. Wray and many
other survivors band together to fight off the zombies and
make their way to safety. The second film is done by Quentin
Tarantino and is called Death Proof. This film tells the
story of four young women out on the town who get followed
by a psycho in a stunt car. The psycho’s name is Stuntman
Mike (Kurt Russell) and his stunt car is set up to be death
proof.
Really I’ve struggled with how to review this movie. Quite
frankly, it’s awful. Or perhaps a more true statement is
that it’s full of awful things. Especially the first film,
Planet Terror. There are some truly terrible things shown on
screen in this movie and I can’t imagine anyone who didn’t
get a bit queasy at least a few times during that movie.
The experience you’ll have watching Grindhouse is truly
unique, there’s no doubt about that. From the grainy,
scratched up look on the film to the silly and hilarious
fake movie trailers, this really is a one of a kind movie.
However, it’s one that was terribly unbalanced. Planet
Terror, setting aside my personal distaste for a lot of the
things shown within, was an all out action romp and had a
lot of fun moments. Death Proof, on the other hand, was
actually quite boring. Tarantino is known for unique
dialogue in his movies but eighty percent of Death Proof
was
spent watching unlikable characters sitting around having
unlikable conversations. While the final ten or fifteen
minutes worth of car action is thrilling it was just too
little too late for me.
Ultimately there only a few people I would imagine this
movie would appeal to. If you’re a huge fan of either of
these directors then chances are you’re accustomed to some
of the edgier type things they do and you’ll probably enjoy
the experience of Grindhouse. Also, if you’re someone who
remembers fondly the bizarre and graphic 70’s exploitation
films then you too will probably enjoy this movie. For
anyone else though, I’m at a loss as to a reason why you’d
want to see it. While entertaining at points, the movie was
filled with some truly awful imagery that I wish I hadn’t
seen. It was modern directors purposely making b movies and
with Death Proof missing the mark as far as it did, I found
my experience at the Grindhouse lacking. And trust me, if
you’re the least bit sensitive to violence, gruesome images
and language then you should definitely not see this movie.
