Average Alone, Incredible Together

Rating: 9/10 (21 June 2013)

For anyone who knows nothing about the Grindhouse films, they were packaged for theater as 2 movies, similar to a double feature you would see at a drive-in in the 1970's. These two movies were directed by Quentin Tarantino & Robert Rodriguez. The 2 have previously teamed in collaborations like Desperado & From Dusk Til' Dawn. While I like Tarantino films regardless, I think Rodriguez is much better when he's working with Tarantino.
Death Proof (Tarantino's film) started off slow. Like many of his films. The movie was thick in classic Tarantino dialogue and the movie quickly became tiresome. Then in true Tarantino fashion the film reaches an action point. It was fairly early on but because the movie was so slow and uneventful in the beginning, when it does reach this first action series it has so much more impact. Then the movie kind of resets itself, almost beginning again. This time the movie is slow, filled full of dialogue and absolutely no intriguing events. The difference is that this time, as a fan, I know that it's all going to culminate in an exciting ending.
The movie seemed to have went for nearly an hour with nothing happening. Just when I was beginning to lose hope in Tarantino again, he delivers the big ending I wanted. I've heard arguments that the ending wasn't as big as people wanted. Watching it in theaters, having gotten truly enthralled into what was going on, I was completely into the ending. It gave me exactly what I wanted. It was simple but effective. Let me tell you the people in the half full theater that day popped for the ending. They, like me had gotten enthralled into what was going on and they were clapping and cheering. A few stood up and a couple shouted out. It was a hell of a movie experience that I haven't ever had before or since while at a public screening.
I suppose if you're half watching Death Proof at home you probably wouldn't get the same effect as if your entire attention had been grasped by the movie. Once again the hour of slow uneventful-ness paid off with an exciting ending that meant more simply because it was so slow for so long. That is how you build to a moment to get the most out of a little bit of action at it's best. If the movie had been full of action with an ending like that, it wouldn't have meant anything. Instead the movie spends the time investing you into the characters. Even if you at times began to hate them because so little was happening you were still unknowingly being invested into them. Then in the end it pays off.
The Fake Trailers in-between the two movies were hilarious and just plain awesome.
Planet Terror (Robert Rodriguez) was the biggest reason I was wary of Grindhouse. Some of Rodriguez's solo projects weren't very good at all. Planet Terror was heavily advertised with his girlfriend Rose McGowen having a machine gun for a leg. That made me the most wary. It was probably the most over the top, unrealistic and needless part of the movie. However I enjoyed both movies so much, it wasn't an issues like I thought it might be.
Planet Terror was complete action. While it was over the top, it didn't pass many boundaries that I didn't find acceptable. It probably helped the movie that it had a zombie movie feel about it. Since I discovered the original Romero trilogy of zombie films, I've been a fanatic like most. For me it's not just the zombie that I enjoy. I also enjoy the the survival aspect that the zombies force people into. Planet Terror gave me that. There's a lot that happens in this movie. Plenty of cameo's. Lot's of scenes that are just slightly over the top but awesome scenes none the less. For instant the scene with the penis falling off while Tarantino's about to rape someone. Again, the testicles scenes with Naveen Andrews was over the top but still enjoyable. The Pulp Fiction briefcase style scene when they open up the trunk and it turns out to be a mini-bike was absolutely hilarious. I hate people who tell me to go into a movie expecting certain things and accept it for what it is. Usually when they say that it's because it's a movie that I hate or one that just exceeds the level of over the top I'll accept. Yet you gotta go into this movie with that mindset. If you're like me, you'll enjoy this. You'll probably enjoy it more if you watch the two movies together.
Even after it was over, Death Proof was looked at like a slow paced, almost boring movie. Planet Terror provided the exact opposite. It was action personified. While either movie alone may only be slightly above average. One is too slow and the other too over the top. Combined the movies compliment each other so well that together they're much better. For anyone who hasn't seen these movies, I recommend not watching Death Proof or Planet Terror. Instead you should watch Grindhouse the way it was intended by watching both movies back to back in order with the trailers in between if possible. I don't know that you can duplicate the theater experience but if you come close you'll have a much more enjoyable movie experience.
8 of 10 - An original movie theater experience that sadly most people didn't get to enjoy.