If Hollywood Could Turn back Time

Rating: 7/10 (10 April 2007)

If you are a fan of films of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez (as I am) then you would know that they have a love for the old exploitation films of the '70's. This shows in a lot of Tarantino's films Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, and big time in Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2. Rodriguez's mariachi trilogy (El Mariachi, Desperado, and Once Upon A Time In Mexico) shows his love for the genre big time.
Tarantiono and Rodriguez are very good friends off camera and they even teamed up to bring us the modern day vampire classic From Dusk Till Dawn, a film which also showed their love for '70's exploitation films. It came to no shock when the two film makers announced they were going to team up to do a film called Grindhouse, which would be a double feature film, 1 film by Rodriguiez, and 1 film by Tarantino, giving a throwback to the Grindhouse era of films that played only in run down theater's in the worst section's of town.
First up was a mock trailer by Rodriguiez called Machete, featuring Rodriguiez film alum Danny Trejo. Machete got a big reaction from the crowd as they were laughing. Machete looked like a Mexican version of Shaft.
Next up was the first feature Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror. Planet Terror is a zombie movie, plain and simple, nothing more, nothing less. It stars Rose McGowen who plays a Go-Go dancer (not a stripper, there's a difference) who helps lead a pack of idiot's from a small town in Texas (along with Freddy Rodriguez) to Mexico to escape the plague that's turning every one into zombie's.
Planet Terror is a zombie film that would make George A. Romero smile. It's over the top violence, blood, and guts is every thing a horror film fan will love. The other thing that's great about Planet Terror is it plays like a movie that came out of the '70's. It looks like it was shot on 8 millimeter film. This is something that hi-def TV's will take away from this film.
after Planet Terror was 3 more mock trailer's. First up was a film called Don't, which gathered a lot of laugh's from the crowd. After that came Heavy Metal's Rob Zombie's mock trailer Werewolf Women Of The SS, which as much as I love Zombie, was forgettable. After that came the best trailer of the night, Eli Roth's Thanksgiving, about a slasher dressed as a pilgrim going on a killing spree, hen came the 2nd feature Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof.
Death Proof is about a maniac retired Hollywood stunt car driver named "Stuntman" Mike, who kills his victim's by vehicular homicide. Kurt Russel plays "Stuntman" Mike, and steals every scene he's in. Russel was perfect in the role, and reminded me why I like him so much.
That being said Taratino's Death Proof is the worse of the 2 films. I know Tarantino made his reputation for writing clever and witty duologue, but in Death Proof it goes over board. There is too many scenes where there is just to much talking and not enough action. At 1 point there was a scene where 3 women are talking in a coffee shop about certain cars and I was almost expecting Mr. Pink to appear and go off about how he doesn't tip.
Tarantino tries to hard in this film to top Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction's witty talk, ad he just comes off looking like a director who is maybe starting to believe his own hype.
Over all Grindhouse is a fun time at the movies, and for all you fans out there that act like going to the local multiplex is a fate worse than death, I suggest you get out and see this on the big screen. DVD and hi-def TV's will seriously take away the "Grindhouse" feel that only the theater will provide. Seeing the film is a double feature with 2 90 minute films, and about 20 minutes worth of fake trailers, Grindhouse runs almost 3 and a half hour's long, so make sure you get you bathroom breaks in early.
While Planet Terror is the better of the 2 films, The car chase scenes (to few and far between) in Death Proof are a blast, and make you realize that it is a good film, just Tarantino's worst compared to his other efforts.