Grindhouse
When you see a movie made by either Robert Rodriguez or Quentin Tarantino you don’t normally expect something standard or contemporary. We have seen revolutionary films like “Pulp Fiction” and “Sin City” from Tarantino and Rodriguez respectively, both of which held back nothing short of near insanity. With two of the most visionary directors of cinema teaming up for their latest project, we get two films for the price of one. With both films showcasing under the title Grindhouse, Rodriguez’s “Planet Terror” and Tarantino’s “Death Proof” combine an almost unknown era of cinema history with new age talents, techniques, and thrills.
A Grindhouse is an American term for a theater that is forced to feature cheap B-grade exploitation films due to lack of box office attendance. With the combination of cheap double features, sticky floors, and an overall run-down atmosphere, the grindhouse cinema began somewhere in the early 60’s and dominated the exploitation market thoughout the 70’s. The films, without fail, contained taboo content like explicit sex, violence, or perverse plots that left little to the imagination.
In the newest rendition of grindhouse cinema, Rodriguez’s attempt to glorify and humorize the the era was right on target. Tarantino’s film, on the other hand, felt more like an obscure stand-out film that was only given reason to be obscure because of the satirical aim. What keeps the most tradition here is the footage of advertisements and rating slides that Tarantino and Rodriguez were able to salvage from actual grindhouse reels. To stem directly off of that, both directors had fellow directors like Eli Roth, Rob Zombie and Edgar Wright film mock previews of fake coming attractions that would also be inserted in between the two features. Unlike the two films, these trailers may have garnered the most laughs. While Grindhouse has its genuine greatness, its selective genre is what also provides a weakness.
Robert Rodriguez’s “Planet Terror” is the definition of a very bad zombie film. The the only difference is the millions of dollars added to the budget that B grade movies never had. This extra cash gave Rodriguez the room to let the blood flow, the heads roll, and the buildings explode with a little extra punch. It also allowed him to cast Hollywood names, Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Josh Brolin and Bruce Willis all showed up to bring enjoyment to the otherwise offensive and disgusting themes. The story centers around a virus that sweeps a small town, turning the local hospital into an insanity ward. Unlike Tarantino’s film, Rodriguez has his audience either being completely grossed out or laughing the entire way through. When you consider the scene where a machine gun is attached to the freshly severed leg of a stripper it’s had to consider “Planet Terror” as anything other than a wild ride.
After the gore fest subsides, Tarantino sets the stage with a slightly more down to earth rendition of an exploitation slasher/thriller. The absolute best thing about this B grade thriller is the fact that it stars the often A grade actor Kurt Russell. In the role of Stuntman Mike, Russell provides a bonafide talent that brings color and flare to even the most standardized form of a character. Stuntman Mike is a slasher in the truest form, only his weapon is his car. We witness Russell as proof that the charm of one actor can breathe life into a film that offers next to nothing.
Sadly, that next to nothing is the countless amount of dialogue that is spent following an annoying group of four 20 something females who bicker about everything. Tarantino’s dialogue skills have obviously gone awry seeing that the annoyance of the girls in the film have hindered its acceptance rather than helped it. At least this does nothing to tarnish one of the most interesting car chases to hit the big screen in recent years. Without the screen eating performance from Russell and a “killer” car chase, this film would have been nothing more than a bust. As the film goes on, it has little to do with the grindhouse cinema art form and more to do with being a shockingly obscure thriller. Why they chose to show it second out of the two films is debatable.
Overall, these two films are equally artistic, stylish, and disturbing. What truly shines here is both of the directors’ abilities to reach back to a nearly unknown era of cinema and rekindle its artistic merit. To truly experience “Grindhouse,” see it in the cheapest, most run-down theater that still makes your shoes stick to the floor. You might get the essence of what a grindhouse was really like. For these reasons and more, “Grindhouse” is like the best two dollar dinner buffet. You might find some food you love, but there’s always going to be that food the looks downright disgusting.
Grindhouse
Rated R for strong graphic bloody violence and gore, pervasive language, some sexuality, nudity and drug use
Runtime: 191 min.
Starring: Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson, Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Josh Brolin, and Bruce Willis
Directed by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino
