We’ve already looked at both Planet Terror, and Death Proof, but I don’t think I’m done with this Grindhouse project yet. There were numerous other parts of the whole film, as fake trailers were put into the original US theatrical release, as well as later home versions of Grindhouse.
I’ve already written a review for Robert Rodriguez’s Grindhouse Feature called ‘Planet Terror’. While he was interested in creating a schlock horror zombie film, his Grindhouse partner Quintin Tarantino opted for an underground thriller involving a required knowledge of 70s music. Death Proof has a killer idea, as well as a distinctive director behind it, but can it follow through on it’s promise of a crazy stuntman chasing his next victim?
Remember way back when Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez tried to create an all new franchise, which would introduce all new Grindhouse schlock-fests to the world? That didn’t happen, because people weren’t interested in watching 3 hour long films dedicated to blood and gore. The film double-bill ‘Grindhouse’ wasn’t exactly bad, but it was the first big flop for both directors. It was so bad, that when the film was released in the UK, it was turned into two extended, separate films. I’ll have a look at them both, although I’ll be referencing both the original ‘Grindhouse’ versions and the extended ‘theatrical’ versions.
Let’s start with Planet Terror, which is Robert Rodriguez’s contribution to Grindhouse. I’ve always admired Rodriguez as a director, and remember watching both Spy Kids as a kid and the Mariachi trilogy later on. He’s a director that has a distinct style and tone, and they both apply to his family films or his more adult fare. Of course, by adult, I mean films like Sin City and From Dusk Till Dawn, which were designed for fourteen year old kids who want to prove how grown up they are by watching films with tits and gore. Grindhouse was designed as a tribute to all the old 70s schlock exploitation films possible, with Planet Terror being a bloody zombie extravaganza. Let’s hope this film can get us off to a good start in this special instalment of Spooky Scary Cinema!
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