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I didn't think i'd like this as much as I did but damn, I liked this movie.  Just as campy as a 70's movie can be with gratuitous hot chicks dancing to muscle car chases. But I loved the style of filmmaking from the crackling film and washed out colors even though it took place in modern day to the fantastic stunt scenes. I kept saying "Is that for real"? With today's CGI you never know, but damn, that girl really was hanging on the end of that car going 80 doing her stunts!

Good music, action, a shocking scene or two and you can't figure out what the guys motive is. Except clearly he's a wuss from what we see near the end, image that!  But lots of a$$ kicking and bang em up car chases. I really liked it!

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHL6kcLy6Lc

I highly enjoyed Death Proof.  I liked it quite a bit more than I had expected to.  Here are two posts I made about the film a few weeks back:

Post 1:

I'm one of the people who didn't get to see Grindhouse in the theater due to it not playing in my area, like Anubis mentioned.  That being said, I did obtain a copy of Death Proof and watched a little over the first hour last night.

*Slight Spoilers*

First of all, why does everyone hate Death Proof?!?  I went into it expecting it to be awful considering the buzz around it, and so far I've loved every second of it.  That being said, I should note that one of the things I love most about Tarantino's films is his sense of dialogue.  He's a master of the rapid fire conversation and I love how theatrical every line seems.  That being said, I actually enjoyed all of the talking throughout the first portion of the film.

Kurt Russel IS Stuntman Mike.  I can't image a better person being cast in the role.  The guy is f***ing brutal.  The first car wreck which takes place about an hour into the film is fantastic.  I sat there with my mouth open for what seemed like forever after it occurred.  The chick gets her leg ripped off and then the seriously hot Butterfly gets her face ran over.  Seriously, how could ANYONE hate this flick!?

So far the only thing I have disliked is Tarantino's decision to do away with all of the grain and make a "real" film in the last third.  I have yet to finish this portion of the film and I hope it holds up as well as everything before it.

As for someone saying it just feels like any other Tarantino film....well it does.  But, then again it also works very well as an exploitation film.  When one thinks about exploitation flicks, they always think about the classics that deliver the gore and mayhem.  Most people don't think about the other exploitation flicks that came out at the same time which were meandering and slow and never live up to the advertised hype.  Death Proof is kinda like that.  It takes a long time to get going but once it does, it's amazing.  I can't wait to watch the rest tonight.


Post 2:

o I finished the flick last night.  Absolutely great.  I love the freeze frame at the very end, very very 70s.

As I've stated here before, I'm a huge MOPAR nut and a big fan of Vanishing Point.  When the last portion of the film turned into a love letter to classic MOPAR muscle cars, I was completely hooked.  Even my wife was getting excited with the Challenger, repeating like a mantra: "I Want To Drive That Car!" over and over.

I love Stuntman Mike's transformation once he gets shot.  I was enjoying every scene of him crying and freaking out.  He goes from complete badass to crying victim in a split-second and I didn't expect that from the film.  Really threw me for a loop.  Also, Zoe Bell was fantastic here.  Apparently she is a stunt actress in real life, but she did a great job in the role she was in.  The scene with her riding on the hood of the car made me fall instantly in love with her.  I hope she decides to do more acting roles.

I'm very pleased with Death Proof.  I had all intentions of hating it due to the bad reaction it got at it's release.  It's actually pretty damn awesome.  Hot chicks, fast cars and Kurt Russel.



I can't wait to get around to seeing Planet Terror but I have the feeling that Death Proof will have been the better of the two.

********SPOILER ALERT**********


What I also loved about this film was that it didn't totally victimize "women" in general. Often films tend to make women the victims, they're helpless and scream alot and all they're good for is sex in the movie.

Well, this film starts off that way but then we realize that some girls can kick ass. And kick it well. That some girls love cars, and some girls can be the bad guy. . The film does a complete 180, it starts off with the pretty seductive girls being victm to the bad guy in the stunt car.  Because in the end the girls who were at a complete disadvantage chased him down, only to find him snivvling and crying like a little girl. Mike was only safe in his death proof car, and I think that he only had the balls to be true bad guy in that car.  Some people are only bad when they are hiding behind something for safety, and other people (like the girls) are out in a limb and just badass.

I loved the way it ended. Because honestly in the back of my mind i thought it would go for the obvious joke ending of having them returning the banged up car to the owner..lol  :cheers:

Hi everyone. It's been a long time. Anyway, I'm back.

As for me, this movie was unfortunately exhibition of (very) average Tarantino's director/writer skills. I don't mean that it's crap, but I was prepared for something more. As usuall, dialogues are prefect - almost each sentence contains lots of Tarantino's weird sense of humor mixed with vulgarity. As I remember I've laughed along with the rest of audience during whole movie. As usuall Taranti no took care of gore scenes (a few, but I must admit, that ripped off leg was impressive). And as usuall Taranti no created outstanding plot. Everything was perfect, but comparing it to "Pulp Fiction" or "Kill Bill v1" this movie stroke me as a bit square one. I remember that when I saw "Pulp Fiction" for the first time I was totally knocked out, even some quotes from this movie still exists in my 'dictionary'. The same was after "Reservoir Dogs". All mentioned movies from above has this 'something' that makes them my personal cult ones. 

So as I said: Everything was perfect: gore, dialogues, characters, lap dance, feet shots ( ;) ), but after watching it I feel lack of something. I'm going to see it alone (you know licking couples, kids eating popcorn can spoil everypleasure in cinema) so maybe I'll change my mind. Also I'm looking forward seeing "Planet Terror", maybe then I'll set my point of view for the last time :)

i really wouldn't compare it to Pulp Fiction or his other films. This film was clearly meant to break away from the modern genre of filmmaking style and go retro - 70's muscle car movies, b-movies with badass girls and the funky tunes. Tarantino loves movies of this era/genre and i thought this film was a great throwback, it was really like something you might have seen at a drive-in back then that by no means would have ever been a top grossing film but nevertheless a fun one.

Yeah, I know. But I don't compare "Death Proof" to "Pulp Fiction" as genres. It's obvious that Tarantino and Rodriguez wanted to do something like this, because they mentioned it in some interviews. And this attempt to make a grindhouse movie was well done. But even thou it was meant to be grindhouse stuff it was made in a very Tarantino style - even if nothing happens it's compelling, violence is shown in goddamn funny way (I don't mean act of violence itself but characters' comments about it) and typical movie patterns are turned out into opposite ones (as you mentioned the fact that woman is always the victim, and here's other way round). I don't think that Tarantino is perfect. His "4 rooms" weren't something to excite about, but I think that he could do this [I mean Death proof] flick much more better than it is. 

As I've argued several times before, Death Proof was a mondo mucho dissipointment. The ONLY reedeeming qualitly that this part of Grindhouse had was the awxsome car scenes, but those are, like I've said, few and far between.

Why did Tarentino put so much time into the first group of giRls when all of them end up dying?

What the hell was up with the one girl getting those text messages? they never gave a reason for that! What did they mean? And what the hell is a cell phone doing in a 70s throwback anyway?

Why did the girls conversations have to be so damn long and commpletely useless?

Why did it seem no different that any other of Tarentino's movies? They might as well have put Kill Bill in there. (Which also sucked, but thats a different story.)

Why did Tarentino have to toatally RUIN Stuntman Mike by making him a crying whimp at the end?

AND why the HELL are the BUTCHERING Grindhouse by releasing the 2 halves of the movie on 2 sepperate DVDs AND putting in the "missing" reels? They're SUPPOSED to be missing! Thats the whole point!


 

I rather liked the idea that the viewer got interested in the first group of girls only to have them be completely annihilated.  It showed what Mike was capable of and the extra characterization of those characters added to the shock of their violent deaths.

The cell phone thing was just a throw away side story.  How many b-movie flicks have you seen from the 70s where there are numerous plotlines that are brought up and quickly forgotten about?  Trust me, there are tons of them.

The cellphone is in the film because the film is not set in the 70s, it's set in modern times.  Tarantino makes no effort to make the viewer think it takes place in the 70s, he actually does the opposite more than once throughout the film.

Yes, it feels like a Tarantino film.  Then again, it feels like an honest to goodness 70s exploitation film.  Tarantino was shooting for the latter, but he can't help but inject his own style.  You also mention not liking Kill Bill...do you like any of Tarantino's work?

As for Mike being a wuss, I thought it was one of the most inspired things about the film.  For the first two thirds of the film, Mike is the ultimate bad ass.  He is in complete control of every situation and he thinks that he is indestructible.  One shot to the shoulder and he's proven wrong.  I didn't expect that change in the character and I thank Tarantino for bringing it into the film.  Some of the most fun I had was watching the girls get their revenge on Mike, while he is crying and screaming.

Why is it being released as two separate DVDs?  Because of viewers like you who liked one of the films and not the other.  Grindhouse seemed to be polarizing in that people either liked Rodriguez's film or Tarantino's film but not both.  Also, the Weinsteins see a way to make more money but making us buy both.  I don't care as I'm sure there will be a single release containing both films in the near future.

I've yet to see it but it's trailers scream an inferior rip on FASTER p***yCAT! KILL! KILL ! to me.

I have to agree on the first set of girls - the movie wants you to like them. The phone texting didn't really matter except that it did show that character had heart even though she came across as a complete superficial b***h to everyone else, she cared for someone. A death scene is more shocking when you actually care for the characters so the film really HAD to focus on character development with them. I think that it really set up the second half of the movie where you didn't really know these girls but you didn't want to because you knew what was in store for them. It just became a matter of edge of your seat anticipation of the inevitable

Which also made the ending a great scene

But the film takes turns to show you that people aren't always what they portray themselves to be. It's not meant to be deep. I think it's meant to be fun edge of your seat but the film had to take you a few places to get you to really "get" the ending, which wouldn't have been as good if we hadn't spent so much time really getting to know the first set of victims

Interesting goof: in this clip the cars switch sides within like two seconds! 

Me, I didn't really care for DP, I mean, the last third was good, but the conversations with the girls were just waaay too long and drawn out, the first four were just damn annoying and I didn't really care that they were killed off.  I THOUGHT this film was supposed to be about a serial killer who uses his car to do in women, but Mike's barely in the movie for the first two thirds of it.

Now, that being said, as for Mike turning into a whiner, that part didn't bother me.  I think they're were trying to establish that Mike's a bully, and, like all bullies, suddenly becomes a coward when the tables are turned on him. 

I was also not highly impressed with Death Proof, but I loved every minute of Planet Terror.

They are, of course, two very different movies.  I may have been more responsive to Tarantino's section, but I had already sat through an hour and a half movie and really had no idea there was another hour and a half ahead.  (I knew it was two movies, I just thought they would be a lot shorter.)

Death Proof is the stronger homage to 70's movies, whereas Planet Terror is glib and flashy and filled with zombie goo.  Yes, the original grindhouse movies were often slow and meandering, but that doesn't mean that's the part you should emulate.  I mean, I like snappy dialogue as next as the much person, but I also enjoy other parts of movies, such as plot or events that occur occasionally.

Basically, I view Death Proof as Quentin Tarantino's paean to the type of girls he thinks are cool.  I "got" the movie, as everybody here describes it, but I didn't particularly enjoy sitting through it.  Yes, the car crash was brutal, the car chase was good, Stuntman Mike whinging in pain was funny and the final shot was hilarious; I just wish there had been more to the movie than cool girls being cool girls and kicking ass. 

Doesn't that sorta define a grindhouse movie tho? There's no real quality or substance to it, just hot chicks, mad car chases, gore and sex.

I'm not sure why people are really expecting more from a film that isn't really supposed to be a pulp fiction level film. The films of thi caliber from that era were all equally bad in that yeah, bad acting or effects, low budget and wasn't released to the masses. It's supposed to be bad..lol I watched it again last nite, still enjoy it for what it is

Ok, That makes sense about the cell phone thingy. And I liked Pulp Fiction, and as for the dvd release, Theyd better come out with the whole untouched movie on one release, or ill never buy it. Another thing that sucks is that, from what i understand, most of the trailers are on the death proof dvd.

Where'd you hear that KY? The fake trailers weren't put on the Death Proof DVD nor are there plans to put them on the Planet Terror DVD. There's apparently a 3 disc Death Proof special edition that was put out for sale only at Best Buy (not sure what's on that third disc...), but it looks like they might be keeping the fake trailers off of the DVDs so Dimension can fleece the folks buying the first run DVDs of both movies by putting out a Grindhouse package in the future that will include both movies and likely be the only place you can get the fake trailers, hence giving people more reason to buy it... which I probably will because my wallet is easily manipulated by strangers with candy... heh heh

Loved the film, what Skaboi said pretty much sums everything I think of the film. To be honest, I was a bit let down when the second group of girls is introduced, but the film quickly regains its feet, so no real problem with that. Same goes with the dialogue, sure it is far worse than in earlier Tarantino films, but I think at least part of it is deliberate, B-movies often have empty chatter. And it gets the job done too, you get to know every girl quite well.

I thought that the extended version of Death Proof worked even better than the theatrical cut that was paired with Planet Terror in Grindhouse.

I would give Death Proof ***1/2 out of ****.

I guess I liked this movie's style over its substance - I did like the grainy 70s
style, even if it took place in modern day, but save for the last 20 minutes, I didn't really care for this one.  I don't know -there's just something that annoys me about main characters who are b!tchy, jerks, smarta$$es or just plain annoying throughout the film.  I guess that's why I feel gratified when they die...which isn't really healthy now that I think about it.  Seems like a lot of movies today seem to act like we the audience are supposed to think b!tchy smarta$$es are uber cool, but I don't care for these types of characters.

Anyway, I loved the last few minutes the best but was amused with the actual car crashes and car chases.  Stuntman was portrayed well, even if he was a rather unsavory character.  I love his beatings at the end lol.  Still, I'm kinda miffed that Rose's character died so early on but oh well.   

I think it could haven been much better, we only see tarantino real's work in two scenes (yes, the cars...) what happened with the dialogues??? italian edition of vogue, my boyfriend, bla bla bla... Iput the first car crash scene in my blog, here is:

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNYHkkCwCYM

I personally thought this was quite the quotable movie! I loved the fact that it was filled with the cheesey one liners!  :thumbup: :thumbup:

I just watched this, I really liked it, but spent the first 95% of the movie wondering where it was going. No real POINT to the movie, but, I'm a firm believer in that you don't need a point if you have a likable idea. The characters kinda grew on my, I didn't care for the two stuntwomen in the second half until they got p**sed off, , then it was like LOOK OUT!

Btw, I think Quentin Tarantino has very soundly made the point that he's really into feet. Vanessa Ferlito Is damn hot.

Quentin has said that Death Proof really at heart is a slasher movie and he thought it would be novel to kill the 1st group of girls off in one fell swoop instead of one by one.  I thought that it worked in that regard.

Spoilers


_______________________


That clip is brutal. Seeing body limbs thrown about like that reminds me of the recent movie adaptation of Vice City where a 50 caliber machine gun rips up a pair of guys in a car. Arm... leg... It's that last death with the wheel in the face that is most brutal. When I saw it in theatres, that shot in particular made me twist in my seat. I loved this movie. I thought it was among Tarantino's very best work. Completely in line with the intended genre and even innovative to the genre. Those long overhead shots of the girl on the hood of the car, dangling by leather straps are amazing examples of stunt work. And the special effects and makeup were perfect. This is one of those movie I wish was playing in theatres all the time.

Count me as one who's shocked by the positive response here on badmovies.org to Death Proof.  Most everyone I talk to about the film panned it.

As far as my comments, I'd like to state up front that Kurt Russell's my favorite actor (largely due to his teaming with JC in The Thing and EFNY), and I thought he was very good as Stuntman Mike.  I'm in the camp that simply can't give Tarantino kudos for the excess heavy dialogue.  To me, a movie with a lot of lip-flappin' = a soap opera.  If I want to see one talking head communicate with another, I'll watch 'one tree hill'.

Sure, the stunts were great and the kills memorable, but was it really necessary to endure countless minutes of chit-chat to get there?

Unexpectedly, I found myself thinking more about Death Proof than Planet Terror after viewing Grindhouse in the theaters (probably 'cos I was attempting to figure out Tarantino's creative angle with the loquacious characters), and ultimately I appreciate both Tarantino and Rodriguez attempting to revive grindhouse cinema in this very lame day and age (I still say the phony trailers were the best thing about the film).  Too bad not enough people got with the program.

I saw this one (as part of grindhouse) at the sleazeball theater in the mall.  A sewer line further down the mall had burst.  I must say, the hint of sh*t and p*ss really added to the overall grind house experience.

Same here.

I'd also like to state that there's a real sense of "wasted premise" in the film. 

You have Kurt Russell.
You have a very cool stunt car. 
He's a madman who wants to kill. 
His weapon is his impenetrable car. 

Man, you can do a lot with that.  Instead, we get a movie that's vastly dialogue-driven.  I mean, sit back and think of what it could have been, given the idea that it's a slasher film - with a '70s attitude - featuring a car instead of a bloody axe.

I think we need a sequel.  Or a remake, only in this case (with Kurt Russell).

you know, there actually is a six-disc grindhouse boxed set available in japan.

http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/switch-language/product/B0011DTTC0/ref=dp_change_lang?ie=UTF8&language=en%5FJP (http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/switch-language/product/B0011DTTC0/ref=dp_change_lang?ie=UTF8&language=en%5FJP)

it containst both planet terror and death proof seperately, and also includes a combined grindhouse presentation, which presumably includes the fake trailers. just guessing, but that would seem to make sense...

Yea, but it aint cheap!

true. if you wanted, you could just download the fake trailers from somewhere, burn them to a cd as a vcd, and keep it between planet terror and death proof in your collection.

A friend of mine actually made a dual layer dvd-r of the extended versions of both films with dvd quality rips of the 3 trailers in the middle. I'll probably just stick with that.