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Theatrical Review: Grindhouse

Grindhouse literally refers to a certain type of movie, primarily from the late 50s, 60s, 70s and very early 80s that was usually some sort of low budget exploitation film of some sort like Horror, Car Action, Hot Women (sometimes in prison), Sci-Fi, Spaghetti Western or Martial Arts that was literally “ground” out by production houses usually to fill drive-ins and cheap movie houses for a fast buck. And they never skimped on the excessive violence or nudity. These were the grade B-Z movies that later on you’d catch usually late at night on pay cable or local broadcast stations that most people would call bad movies.

Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino call these things buried treasures, and I do too…

Grindhouse is hopefully the first of a franchise for Rodriguez, Tarantino and friends to sort of bring back those films and put them in the spotlight, and I hope make guilty pleasure movies something that’s not quite as guilty any more.

What you get here are two full length films, Planet Terror from Rodriguez about strippers trying to find their true calling, covert military action, flesh eating zombies, and some damn fine barbecue all reminescent to me of some classic Fred Olen Ray action, and Death Proof from Tarantino about a sadistic killer who stalks women with his special stunt car to get his own fair play dished out in the end, reminescent of movies like Vanishing Point, Dirty Mary and Crazy Larry and any number of Russ Meyer movies and 4 incredibly well made trailers for fake movies from Rodriguez, Rob Zombie, Edgar Wright and Eli Roth- and all together it equals three hours of big-ass fun for film geeks.

The whole package itself both plays out as parody and homage at once, and yet I like to see it as legit as well- really, there’s still a need for these type of movies as far as I’m concerned…

Both movies are really a lot of fun and are both quite different from each other- Rodriguez’s film doesn’t let up for a moment literally being an assault on the senses from the word go. It’s incredibly well cast, starring Rose McGowan, Freddie Rodriguez, Josh Brolin, Jeff Fahey, Michael Biehn, Naveen Andrews, and Bruce Willis all having some real obvious fun. Rodriguez loads it up with all the physical trappings including film discolorations, scratches and warping as well as all the sound ticks that you’d expect listening to this through a bad drive-in speaker. Tarantino plays his a little straighter, not quite using all the same physical tricks, but being more of the sensibility of the guys who he’s saluting. Again extremely well cast featuring Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson, Rose McGowan, and stuntwoman extraordinaire Zoe Bell amongst others. His movie is slower paced, but delivers one hell of a payoff in the end. Rose McGowan, Michael Parks and Quentin Tarantino appear in both films. McGowan is built for these kind of movies, and she really shines as Cherry Darling in Planet Terror looking hotter than I’ve ever seen her in any movie. Michael Parks is a huge surprise, playing the exact same character in both films (and for you true geeks out there, there’s an extra surprise with this character as well). Tarantino is different characters in both movies, mostly for background atmosphere in his own film, but getting a true comeuppance in Planet Terror.

But the fun doesn’t just stop with these two movies, all four of the trailers are excellent as well- you have Machete from Rodriguez featuring Danny Trejo and Cheech Marin in a bloody violent action film. Edgar Wright delivers the goods with a little salute to Hammer Horror films with Don’t. Eli Roth gives us a salute to slasher films with the excessively violent Thanksgiving. And Rob Zombie… oh my God, I nearly wet myself with glee over Zombie’s trailer, Werewolf Women of the S.S. featuring Udo Kier, Sherrie Moon Zombie, Bill Mosely, one of the many queens of the Grindhouse, Sybil Danning (oh yes!!!), and Nicholas Cage. You really don’t know how much I’d love to see this one made out in full… I had no idea that I desired this movie so much, until Rob Zombie laid it out there in front of me… I would pledge eternal fealty to Rob Zombie if he’d make this one for real…

Needless to say, Grindhouse will definitely figure in as one of my Best for 2007, maybe even right there at the very top. I truly love these kind of movies, and just hope this is something that Tarantino and Rodriguez (and friends… please, please, please… have Rob Zombie make Werewolf Women of the S. S. in full…) continue for many years to come. If you’re a fan of these guys or if you love these kinds of movies, don’t hesitate for a moment… run, don’t walk, to your nearest theatre and see Grindhouse right away… without a doubt, highly, highly recommended…