I also saw this movie in theaters. It was a midnight screening actually lol. I ended up staying the night at a friend's house because we had school that morning. Guess how much sleep we got given how long the double feature was. Even so, I LOVE this Grindhouse project. I'm still waiting on Grindhouse 2. Those fake trailers for thanks Thanksgiving, Don't, and Werewolf Women have stuck with me for years. Considering I own the Blu-Ray full film disc and the extended editions, it's safe to say I'm a fan lol.
@@rdp16rulez I watched this on opening night in theaters. I loved Planet Terror and it is still one of my favorite niche movies. I wasn't a big fan of Death Proof on first watch but I have come to really enjoy it since then.
100%!!! Honestly, folks have been petitioning the Academy about this since at least the mid-90s (the dam jump at the start of "Goldeneye" was viewed at the time as the most dangerous and impressive practical stunt ever performed in a blockbuster at the time) and it's utterly ridiculous that stunt workers aren't recognised in that way
Seeing Grindhouse on opening weekend is still one of the single best theatrical experiences I have ever had. But I knew it was doomed when me and a buddy walked into the theater and were the only 2 there. Still, I loved every second of the experience and have hoped for a Grindhouse 2 ever since. Even though I know that will NEVER happen.
The fake trailers were awesome and Planet Terror was a fast paced, fun movie. Then Death Proof ended that 3 hour ordeal with a thud. In retro, Death Proof either shouldn't have been made or it should have been separate, because I think without that movie (but WITH the trailers) Planet Terror could have been a hit.
It technically did if you pair machete and hobo with a shotgun together. Plus I heard talk of zombie Wright and Roth all saying they plan on making features of their works
By far my favorite part of Grindhouse is Edgar Wright's DON'T trailer. It's funny from the perspective of "shocking British horror badly localized to America," in that the trailer shows all of the scares, nobody talks (because British accents would scare off American viewers), an American narrator wonderfully voiced by Will Arnett (ILLUSIONS, MICHAEL!), and the least specific title of all time, and it's also just hilarious seeing the cavalcade of awesome British actors, including Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Matthew MacFadyen, Tom Wambsgans himself!
I saw this as the double feature version,the way it was meant to be seen. I absolutely love both movies, the fake, trailers,the whole overall look of the package. Death Proof is honestly one of my favorite Tatentino movies, I find the dialogue between the women in the second act i genuinely find it fun and interesting.
I loved Death Proof, especially the stand-alone version. Kurt Russel is funny but keeps his dark side well hidden. Zoe Bell is fun to watch and has good comedic timing for a first-time actor. Vanessa Ferlito's lap dance is exquisite (and better than anything she ever did on NCIS:NO). The vehicular stunts are incredible! The gory crash is fun to watch frame by frame (something you could never do in a cinema). Lastly, the soundtrack is a lot of fun, like any QT film. I actually come back to this film more than Planet Terror, which was the film I liked best initially.
I love Death Proof, one of my favourite movies. I can see why people wouldn't like it, but I like the conversations with the girls because they remind me of conversations with my friends. Putting the movie on is kinda relaxing in the way a podcast is lol. The only bit i'm bothered by is when the cheerleader actress is abandoned by her mates with that creepy car guy, because that's not how any group of women would treat a friend- it actually take me out of the movie a bit. But otherwise i love it! And I think the amazing car chase at the end is so so thrilling and satisfying to watch.
It’s so real which is why the violence is so shocking. It’s like we’re watching real people chat and have witty convos then BAM! LEGS FLYING BULLETS FLYING CARS SMASHING AND SWERVING. Ahh, Perfection.
I always wondered what happened to her. did she get raped? did she almost get raped? did she try to get away? obviously that guy was doing something to her
I thought the child getting shot was one of the funniest scenes in Planet Terror cause of how off the cuff and brutal it was, it even had a great punch line when the father answers the door 😂😂
@inframeout I'd love to see Grindhouse continue, maybe remake the fake trailers of the original, then get filmmakers to make new fake trailers that will eventually become feature films, obviously it will never happen unfortunately but still would be a great little gimmick while it lasts.
I honestly think you could do one of these a year (with different directors and pairings of exploitation movies), keep the budgets low to mitigate the risk, and release them around Halloween.
" I believe audiences would kill for something like this today." Audiences never get it. They didn't back when Planet Terror/Death Proof was released and they don't get it today. The overwhelming majority of the movie going audience knows eff all about movie making, genres, the appeal of different kinds of storytelling, editing, controversial topics etc etc. They see it this way: 1. Is there a famous/hot actor/actress in it? 2. Does it have "epic battles" and the heroes winning in the end? 3. Do my coworkers, neighbors, third cousins, your random "influencer" like it? Then I *must* see it. Sheep. The lot of them. "I believe audiences..." Audiences are creatures of habit who eat at the same fast food franchise and do the same menial tasks at their jobs. Never claim to speak for them and if you don't ever expect much from them.
@@inframeoutIt was stupid to spend $75 million on a "grindhouse double feature" to begin with. Tarantino and Rodriguez were high on their own bullshit and completely missed the point of what low budget exploitation films are supposed to be about. The phony trailers captured the idea MUCH better than their full length films did.
“At the end of the day, if you make a movie that’s bloated and boring on purpose, it’s still bloated and boring.” A definite summation of Death Proof I agree with. In concept it’s terrific. In final execution, it’s as innane, insipid, and everything that was pointed out in this video.
Loved Planet Terror when I was a young teen. I was really into zombie movies back then, and Rodriguez made a great zombie film, that wouldn't feel out of place next to Dawn of the Dead and 28 Days later (rage infected zombies are still zombies, for all intents and purposes). Death Proof always did feel like a slog to get through, even with Kurt Russel behind the wheel, and a cast of phenomenal actresses to oppose him. It's still on the bottom of my list of ranked Tarantino movies.
You probably know this, but the boy who shoots himself was played by Robert Rodriguez's kid. He said if he was gonna kill a kid in his movie, it might as well be his.
About 16 years later, Eli Roth is finally making thanksgiving, a movie that that was passion project than just a trailer concept. Edgar wright made his attemptable, but unfortunate last night in soho (ps I kinda like it even with the flaws). The only one who didn’t is rob zombie, who after making his love for the Munster look like made for video rentals, it’s about time he make his move of getting Nicolas cage to play fu Manchu one last time.
I wish Last Night in SoHo was made to be more of a Grindhouse style B movie. It's obviously an homage to Giallo, but the film was maybe a little too slick for it's own good. But what else would you expect from Edgar Wright?
Hobo With A Shotgun deserved honorable mention. It only played during select showings of the double feature, but it was at least spun into a feature. Rutger Hauer is the best in it too.
Caught this one at free a sneak preview in theaters. No one paid to get in so it was loud with people yelling and laughing at the screen. It was the perfect environment for Grindhouse and was one of the most fun times I ever had in theaters. Being 18 at the time and a huge fan of schlocky garbage horror flicks growing up, I was super keyed in to what Grindhouse was all about. It felt like it was made for me. I loved both movies. I loved the trailers. I will never forget how loud we laughed at the gun going off in the car, Stuntman Mike bawling or the missing reels. This was the 1st Blu ray I ever got because it was the 1st time you could buy the whole experience together since they had released the DVD's individually (I would assume to try and get some of the money they blew on it back lol). I think I'm always going to love Grindhouse. I get why it didn't appeal to folks and bombed but I'll always be grateful for that theater memory and just the fact that this was one in-joke that I was 100% in on. I think what makes Grindhouse special is that it wasn't pandering at all. These movies were made by movie dorks who love trash for movie dorks who love trash. That kind of genuine energy mixed with this much talent is a rare combo in any medium and I hope everyone gets to experience it focused exactly on the shit they're into like I got to on that day back in 2007. It's the kind of feeling that makes you fall in love with movies.
I agree!! I think the bantery/rambling dialogue in death proof is a big part of its charm and it really endeared me to the girls. Plus all the build up in the first two acts makes the final chase way more exciting! :)
@@emmyk2190As the second feature in a supposed "grindhouse double feature" it's a complete failure. No exploitation film would have ever started so slow, and there were huge walkouts in many theaters. Watched on its own as a "Tarantino film", it plays better.
I watched the full feature version of Deathproof with a couple friends. We were also like Milhouse wanting the fireworks factory scene to finally arrive. We took to over-the-top mocking dramatically saying "DEATHPROOOOOF" any time the stunt car (sometimes the driver) came onto screen, that helped the viewing experience.
@@inframeout I can see that, Was unfortunate that the characters weren't likable, (to my friends and I at least, been a while so I don't remember it well). It was interesting to learn in your video about grindhouse theatres and some of the schlock and exploit films they'd show, the idea of Deathproof being a bit of an inside joke about the types that filled most the run-time with boring filler is interesting, but not great for a viewing experience. Maybe Quentin had a "if I suffered boring filler grindhouse, so shall you" moment with it, lol.
Literally two of my favorite movies! I’ve tracked down the original merchandise for the double feature and I’ve seen both dozens of times. These two films stuck with me because of they’re campy spirit and fun cinematic styles. From the stunts to the acting. BUT, my love resides with Death Proof. The dialogue, the plot, the soundtracks and most memorably, the deaths! THESE MOVIES ARE MODERN MARVELS WHICH IS WHY THEY ARE CULT CLASSICS! (Also i quote Death Proof to living hell man. It’s truly subjective)
For years I've been defending Death Proof as "the good one" based on how I remembered feeling in the theater - probably time to revisit these and see if I still feel that way after all.
Had the pleasure of seeing this opening night and again the next weekend….this was the absolute best experience I’ve ever had in a theatre in my 49 years of life . I loooooove this film.
Failure? As someone who grew up going to drive-ins to watch exploitation movies, this was the best movie-going experience I have EVER had. Saw it with a couple of friends at a drive-in. We opened up the back of her car, sat on the tailgate, cracked open a 6, fired up a J and had the best time. I wish these movies got more love!!
@@inframeoutMassive failure. I saw it twice in theaters, and both times there were huge walkouts during the first 15 minutes of DEATH PROOF. That's why foreign distributors demanded the films be split up into separate releases, and why the original double feature format wasn't even released to DVD until Blu-ray came around.
I remember going during a high school night to local midnight screening 🎥 of “GrindHouse” we thought “Planet Terror” was it played first and Theatre management came in said another round of fake trailers then another movie 🍿
Grew up with this style of filmmaking. It was the drive-in movies that appealed to the teenager who were experiencing their independence and freedom. These movies are so underrated.
@@wmstewart1179 Well until it does come out you can gather the family around to watch Thankskilling or it's awesome sequel Thankskilling 3. "Nice tits bitch.. In Space!"
@@inframeout Fantastic from the grindhouse genre perspective perhaps but not-nearly-as-fantastic as far as realism goes. Let's just say that anybody who has seen battles in war won't run away from a mere housefire and panic, anybody who has seen people bleed to death in an emergency room with horror in their eyes won't loose their composure in a terror attack and anybody who is brave enough to crash in a head-on collision with another car sure as hell isn't going to turn into a sniveling, apologetic coward when being shot at. People who have experienced with all kinds of people will tell you that even the most loathsome thug with sh*t for brains will always yell "F U" to whatever other thug when he places a barrel of gun to their heads. They may be stupid, they may be utterly lost and beyond redemption but they sure as h*ll know the name of the game. But for a grindhouse flick - spot on in stupidity. The final shot and frame-freeze is grindhouse gold.
Great insight. I went to late showing on opening night and after Planet Terror, people started to get up and leave. I had to shout out “There’s another movie!” And several sat back down, whispering “Oh yeah!”.
@@inframeoutI saw GRINDHOUSE twice during it's theatrical run and while most of the audience sat back down as the phony intermission trailers started, they quickly got bored with DEATH PROOF and started leaving in droves. DP is fine as a standalone Tarantino film, but as a "grindhouse 2nd feature" it was a complete failure, because no genuine "70's car chase thriller" would have started off with 30 minutes of women talking. He just did his usual thing instead of paying tribute to the form like he was supposed to.
I thought i was taking crazy pills seeing how much love there was for death proof in the comments. I was in the middle of typing everything i thought was wrong with it just as you started talking about its flaws, and i felt an immense sense of relief. I still like death proof, but id prefer an edit that cuts out all the bloat, because the scenes with the actual stuff we went to see this movie for is so damn good.
I felt the exact same way. Thank you. I've so many cinephiles talk with such loving admiration and appreciation for Death Proof that I honestly felt like I was being gaslit.
Was there opening night. I bought all the merch released for the films - shirts, posters and all! Love both films and have the posters framed up in our home. Gave my daughter my shirts!
It's funny, but I enjoyed Grindhouse not necessarily for the two films, but for the premise and feel it evoked. I was born in NYC in '77, and I still remember the cesspool the city was well into the '80s. And the movie theaters!!! Down the street from our building was the Essex theater, a cheap grindhouse that would show a Disney movie for the kids on a Saturday afternoon, a first-run action movie like Terminator or Raiders of the Lost Ark that night, then some insane ninja movie, z-level horror, or some depraved Chinese hard core porn at all other hours. God I miss that era.
Back in the day- the BEST part of the NYC theatres was that , they would show OLDER movies from the 1970s -- IN the 1980s !! I went to school in NYC in 1980-1982 and saw movies like 'Lisa & The Devil" (1974!!) playing with Hell Night. One of my scary trips inside one of those theatres was to see a movie called "Blood Drinkers". It was a cheap (maybe?) Dawn of the Dead knock-offs.
@@LannieLord OH YEAH! After the first run stuff, they'd show sexploitation/schlock horror from the 70s, or imported Ninja/Kung Fu movies with subtitles. THE BEST!
I know they didn't play the films in the order they're supposed to but it was still awesome in theaters, me and brothers went to see it back in 2007 and it was a blast
As a 70's kid I watched plenty of VHS "questionable" movies at a too young age. When Grindhouse came out I enjoyed it, wasn't meant to be good but enjoyable.
Nice! I was lucky enough to see this in the theater upon release. Was very sad when they did the home release separately without the mock trailers. I wish they made more all in, hodgepodge flicks like this
Agreed - in the UK we didn't get to experience it as intended until the much later Blu-ray release. I think the Grindhouse cut of "Death Proof" is significantly better than the standalone, extended cut...if only because it trims down on Tarentino's weird fetish stuff
@@inframeout admittedly I should revisit Death Proof; being a much younger and hence less knowledgeable movie goer back then, I had a very hard time with it even in the theater. I can't imagine how much a slog it is without the delectable first course of Planet Terror AND additional scenes
I was so pumped for this back in 2007, I bought armfuls of merch--shirts, lobby bills, posters, magazines, buttons, whatever was available--and got to see it day one. I still have the handout that explained the scratches, missing reels, etc, was all intentional to simulate the Grindhouse experience. The trailers were by FAR my favorite aspect, especially Zombies WWoSS and Machete. Planet Terror was a Grindhouse masterpiece. And while Tarantino is my favorite writer/director by far, he seems to have whiffed on the homework assignment. While Death Proof has a high octane third act that doesnt disappoint, overall its the weakest entry in an otherwise legendary catalogue. I really wish Tarantino had leaned more heavily into the horror angle, rather than spin out a Vanishing Point homage. Wouldve loved to see a sequel with Rob Zombie and James Gunn maybe.
I think QT's writing does a lot to elevate the 'filler' of Death Proof. It is not exactly the quippy, memorable prose of something like Pulp Fiction-- it reminds me a lot of the careful pacing of Jackie Brown. The characters are simple but endearing and feel like a group of friends you can see yourself as a part of. By the time the horror kicks off, you're helplessly stuck (like the hippie who needs a ride) with the realization that all you can do is watch as they're brutalized. Maybe I'm just defensive because DP was one of the first 'horror' movies to get me into the genre, but I found that the mellow parts increased the tension in a grounded, believable way.
Hey, I can absolutely appreciate everything you've said. After all, my thoughts on DP are just my opinion and I would never claim to speak for anyone else or take away their enjoyment
I watched it twice in theaters, with two different groups of people, they were among the best theatrical experiences I've had in my life. I wish I could do it again
I was there with bells on in the theater. Loved every moment. Even the "slow" girl bonding scenes. I had already been hosting a "bad movie night" at home for friends and had grown to appreciate pointless 'slice of life' cinema when it has a 'tone' or 'vibe' and in fairness to Death Proof, I think its worst moments succeed in that capacity. I was the weirdo neckbeard this was made for, and there just aren't enough of me to make money doing this. I'm glad they got to try.
I saw this on opening weekend and we had a great time. I was working at a movie theatre and we watched it the night before it was released (as we did with most movies). This was best experienced among peers whom were also movie fanatics. This proudly sits on my Tarantino/Rodriguez shelf, joined by Hobo With a Shotgun.
I saw Disneys "The Rescuers" back to back with the classic "Grizzly" at the drive-in as a kid. I assume they thought the kiddies would be taken home before the start of the second movie. It was awesome! Of course knowing Disney would never allow that now, I would like to see "Flash and the Firecat" with "Switchblade Sisters".
you missed it. Tarantino's contribution to the double feature is far and away the headliner. It's fantastic. Even the "bloated and boring" scenes as you describe them. It's excellent buildup to the action. Love it.
It's important to get to know the characters so that we're invested in their fate when everything goes down. These slow burning candid scenes contribute to that and make the action scenes more jarring by contrast
I liked all of it! The movies, the trailers, the trailers that became movies, and even this UA-cam video. We actually need more of this, instead of most of the cautious vanilla stuff that is coming out nowadays.
I was one of the few people that saw Grindhouse in the theaters, and your assessment is spot on. Of course, even by that point I was of the opinion Tarantino was a hack fraud and a real life creep, but Death Proof sealed the deal for me. That being said, taking in the whole experience altogether made it a lot more entertaining. The presentation, with the interstitials and fake trailers, combined with actually watching it in a theater, helped gloss over the fact both movies were mediocre by having the appropriate ambiance. In hindsight, I can only assume Tarantino talked Rodriguez into splitting the thing up for no discernably good reason except greed, like he did with Kill Bill. Edit: Upon diving into the comments, I can see that most people seem to agree with me. If you didn't see this in the cinema, you really just never got to view it properly. Truly a case of "You had to be there."
I went to see this 3 times in the theater! I was shocked when I found out that it bombed. I was 1 of only a few people in the theater, but I go to the first showing of the day. So it didn't seem odd that the place was mostly empty.
It really is sad, as while I think this is hit and miss in many areas, I would absolutely love for "Grindhouse" to become a regular staple where established directors slum it for three hours of wonderful trash
They released it as originally intended in Canada when I saw it. The best 3hrs I ever had in theaters. And I love Death Proof. You're not supposed to take it as seriously as the other Tarantino joints. It's a love letter to bad schlocky movies, and it's an absolute blast.
I saw the Grindhouse double feature in the theater, I had no idea there were going to be the previews… it was one of the best Saturdays at the movies ever! And I have to go with the classic grind house double feature: the original Texas Chainsaw and Dawn of the Dead, though I would love to go to a theater and see Kentucky Fried Movie and the Groove Tube too! -can’t make those today!!
I actually really love Death Proof. It's definitely not perfect, but I love how sincere it is. I prefer watching Planet Terror with people (especially people who have never seen it), but when I'm by myself I prefer the dialogue heavy Death Proof
I’d always heard the theaters didn’t get called “grind houses” for “grinding out a living.” The “grind” part was because many of the decrepit downtown theaters used to be porn theaters or strip clubs. There were also stories of some theaters, particularly on New York’s 42nd Street, being places where homeless would go to nap, junkies would shoot up, and johns would take hookers instead of a motel, so the “grind house” name wasn’t going anywhere.
The strange thing about Death Proof is, I think the extended version actually improves on the film even though it mostly adds more filler. Also, I think I'd rather watch either version of Death Proof than Quentin Tarantino's section of Four Rooms.
I LOVED the "fake previews" between the two features and my favorite was without a doubt Eli Roth's "Thanksgiving" which almost had me popping out of my seat with the popcorn shouting, "THEY CAN'T DO THAT!" So awesome! Eli Roth is otherwise unfortunately not my genre but that preview made the game! Death Proof often makes the bottom of Tarantino lists.
I saw Grindhouse in theaters and I loved it. Initially, I liked Planet Terror more than Death Proof, but subsequent viewings of the latter has made me appreciate it much more. I don’t think it’s boring at all, and it has a lot more depth than I think you’re giving it credit for. It was definitely an interesting experiment. A shame it failed. I am, however, looking forward to the feature-length Thanksgiving. 😁
I saw this in the theater with my then girlfriend when it came out. There was one other couple in the movie theater with us who walked out during Planet Terror after the woman got noticably disgusted, then we finished the viewing completely alone. It was a great a experience.
If it wasn't for the excellent casting of Death Proof, I don't think it'd be able to compete with Planet Terror as well as it did. Kurt Russel is a guilty pleasure for me, and like you said it was so good to see Zoe Bell get a leading role, showing off her insane stunt chops. The first time I wanted Death Proof, I hated it. Hated the narrative structure, felt sad for the first girl group, just disliked the entire thing. I've seen it a couple times since then and I think it works far better on a few rewatches, once you know the first group is doomed and the second group can act as their vindicators. On the other hand, I adored Planet Terror the first time I watched it. It's an interesting pairing for sure, doesn't work as well together as it could have but I'm also glad it exists.
I liked the "double feature" version, where each film has a "missing reel" to keep the time from getting too long, but I also enjoy the separate versions with the supposed missing reels restored.
I really liked Death Proof because, unlike Planet Terror, it honestly did feel like a cheap B-movie that had been shut down mid production, picked up by a different crew later on, and slapped together to grind out a quick profit. Or, it really did feel like a genuine grindhouse movie. Of course it probably helps that I saw these movies in standalone versions first.
Same here. Desth Proof was made by a director who really understood the assignment. From the dialogue to the cinematography, it's just oozing with that late night movie atmosphere. Even watching the lingering shots and scenes with (what the video creator deems) insignificant talking was a joy to watch. It was a good call to end grindhouse on Death Proof.
I love planet terror but I liked the texture and the build up of death proof more. Not to mention, it's something that can actually happen. It was new to see Bruce Willis as the bad guy in death proof though lol
@@dustylee9234Nah, DEATH PROOF is the complete opposite of exploitation. Tarantino did what he always does and used the idea to make his own kind of movie. He didn't follow the "form" of exploitation like PLANET TERROR and the trailers did, and the mass walkouts at theaters prove that. He completely lost the audience's interest in the first 15 minutes, which for a exploitation film is complete failure. Now, as a standalone Tarantino film, it works fine. But it's not a exploitation film.
It’s funny, in one of my film classes at college we watched Death Proof on its own, but watching this I think it would’ve been much more interesting and a better discussion to watch Grindhouse as a whole!
I was in San Francisco, I went to an actual low-rent art house theater to watch it. Whats was cool they played 2 hours of American International Movie trailers before the actual movie started. So what was hilarious was, the fake movie trailers they made seamlously matched the old movie trailers that I just watch before. However once Planet Terror ended, half the audience got up and left, not realising that it was a double feature movie. I remember winning the theater poster and free movie tickets when they ask name "ALL" the directors that worked on the movie.
Not much of a fan of planet terror. But Death Proof is a bloody pleasure. Saw Death Proof in theaters when I was 14, OMG I adore that movie to this day. Amazing music, badass cars & fantastic cast. #stuntmanmike
I LOVE GRINDHOUSE! I saw it in theatres and it was truly an experience! The dirty film, the movies itself, the fake trailers and having 2 full movies for the price of one was wild! I personally liked "Death Proof" and while this video wasn't too keen on it, I understood it's monotonous tone and message. It shows 2 different sets of women - both strong and independent in their own right but different to drive the story. The first batch of women were shown as easily manipulated and wanted to be romanced and pursued by the sleazy boys and in the end falling to their fates. The second batch is much more in tune with the sleaziness of men, they're more aware of their surroundings and eventually not afraid to fight back. It's a simple concept but it's not filled with scenes just to "fill a running time". Zoe Bell's story in the diner is a setup for her explaining that she is an amazing stunt woman without even showing it yet! Plus, if you see in the background Kurt Russell is also in the diner (meaning he's already "watching them"). People don't give "Death Proof" the love it deserves but if you look between the lines Tarantino gave us some of his most subtle work. It's Flawless IMO.
I saw the “Grindhouse” films in the theaters, and LOVED both of them! All the people saying that they were bad for whatever reason totally missed the damn boat. They were SUPPOSED to be “bad” movies-That is what Grindhous was all about. When I was a kid in the 70s I have actually seen “grindhouse “ movies. We didn’t call them that, they were double feature Saturday movies. I liked Death Proof better but they both really exemplified the nature of “Grindhouse” films. And when I watch “Death Proof” I usually skip the first part and start with Zoe Bell. That saves a little time. I mean you don’t go to a Grindhouse movie expecting Citizen Kane. I wanted the films to be “bad.”
I watched these movies in theaters with a bunch of friends when I was in high school. We all loved it. I still can’t believe it bombed zombies weren’t even played out yet lol
There's two kinds of people in the world, Quentin Tarantino people and Robert Rodriguez people. now Quentin Tarantino people can like the films of Robert Rodriguez and and Robert Rodriguez people can like the films of Quentin Tarantino but nobody likes them both equally. somewhere you got to make a choice.
You’re a true wordsmith! Early Peter Jackson? You’ve seen Bad Taste! One of my favourite “bad” movies. Just the pure effort Jackson put into that movie was magnificent and a story of its own
Glossed over how Rose MacGowan was cast as a fuck you to Harvey- she was blacklisted until this. Worth the price of admission right there, but Death Proof is a stone-cold classic- feet and all. It's the directors having fun and not caring about the money. They are both still working so this had zero impact on their careers. Thanks for the vid and keep up the good work!
I know Tarantino and a lot of people think Death Proof is the worst of his films but I just don’t think that. Maybe I’m crazy and need to revisit all of his films again but I honestly think it’s one of his best films. I can at least say without irony that Stuntman Mike is the best villain he’s ever created simply because he’s so much like Tarantino in many ways, a man outside of time unable to fit inside the modern world. Maybe I’m overthinking it but Kurt Russell gives an outstanding performance though.
Don't ever let anyone yuck your yum or tell you what not to like (especially not me). I'm genuinely so glad it caught on with you and you liked it so much 🤠
The first time and only time i ever snuck out of my house was to watch the double feature when i was in high school. Planet Terror is still one of my favorite movies of all time.
Death Proof would be such a great short film. On a related note, I was stunned that Marcel the Shell with Shoes on, which began as a series of internet shorts, somehow managed to be a delightful movie-length production. So the world turns!
This came out on my birthday and it felt like a special gift just to me - until Death Proof started...and went on and on and on. I came very close to walking.
EDITORIAL NOTE: The title of this video is in reference to the critical and commercial underperformance of "Grindhouse". If you watch the video, you'll see I spend about 75% of it saying how fond I am of this film. So, maybe don't send a stranger online abuse because they like a film slightly more or slightly less than you. So what two movies would you place back-to-back for a grindhouse double bill? As always, the best way to support the channel is to like/comment and tell a friend. If you are in a position to do so, you could also check out www.patreon.com/inframeout and sign up to our film club. X
Turkey Shoot (aka Death Camp Thatcher) and Basket Case - both came out the same year, my birth year, so I have a soft spot for both, and they're great.
Honestly, I think Death Proof should've been first with Planet Terror being last. Not only is Death Proof as authentic to a grindhouse film as possible, but it would make Planet Terror feel even more fun as a finale with how ridiculous and over the top it is (though the car chase in the second half of Death Proof is much more exhilarating than Planet Terror). I love Planet Terror and while Death Proof was a bit slow, the car chase made it all worth it (I also appreciate how it tried to be as authentic to an actual grindhouse film as possible).
I absolutely LOVED both of these films....... what you think is bloated and boring are things I really enjoyed. I think the difference is that I understand what was intended in these films and they accomplished it extremely well....and my expectation was not the incredibly fast paced timing of modern films with audiences that have extremely short attention spans. Your viewpoint reminds me of a friend of mine who I convinced to watch 2001:A Space Odyssey and he couldn't handle it because it was slow. He completely missed the entire point of the pacing which was to give the audience the feeling of space travel.... 2001 is more accurate than Star Wars. I think the lack is not in the films but in you.
I kind of love the first-first-final act structure of Death Proof that you mention. I actually just enjoy watching these people live out a pretty basic night out in the first part, and then there's just this terrible feeling I get knowing that this new, second set of girls are going to meet the same fate. And we're just...watching their lives play out, and they're ignorant of how they'll die Of course, then the ending happens and it's an AWESOME subversion. Maybe not so great on a rewatch but man I loved this movie as a teen
I'm a guy from the '80s, so Planet Terror is my favorite. I remember we used to rent a lot of crappy movies like this and had tons of fun. This feature definitely turned me into a child again. The glitches or scratches on the movie were a throwback, even greater than renting VHS tapes. The few theaters we had were so poorly maintained that you could see those scratches and glitches and Oh Boy! For me, that was heaven; that was cinema. My feelings are pretty much the same for Death Proof, but Planet Terror, being what it is, touched me more deeply.
I had really hoped they would keep on with Grindhouse. I love the feel and aesthetic of these films. Zoe Bell should be a headliner in my opinion. She is just good. Granted she plays herself. I believe Machete should have had a Grindhouse label
I could never call Death Proof a guilty pleasure, for me it is a great film that has everything I expect from the type of movies that grindhouse produced. I love the movie and I'm not ashamed to say it.
I was very fortunate to see the original film in the theaters. The experience was amazing. Shame it failed at the box office.
During Death Proof , people were getting up and walking out thru all the talking parts -- a LOTTA talking in that story.
I also saw this movie in theaters. It was a midnight screening actually lol. I ended up staying the night at a friend's house because we had school that morning. Guess how much sleep we got given how long the double feature was. Even so, I LOVE this Grindhouse project. I'm still waiting on Grindhouse 2. Those fake trailers for thanks Thanksgiving, Don't, and Werewolf Women have stuck with me for years. Considering I own the Blu-Ray full film disc and the extended editions, it's safe to say I'm a fan lol.
@@rdp16rulez I watched this on opening night in theaters. I loved Planet Terror and it is still one of my favorite niche movies. I wasn't a big fan of Death Proof on first watch but I have come to really enjoy it since then.
Ditto. It was the best theater experience I ever had.
@@LannieLordthose are low IQ individuals
Zoe Bell in Death Proof is exactly why stunt performers deserve awards.
100%!!!
Honestly, folks have been petitioning the Academy about this since at least the mid-90s (the dam jump at the start of "Goldeneye" was viewed at the time as the most dangerous and impressive practical stunt ever performed in a blockbuster at the time) and it's utterly ridiculous that stunt workers aren't recognised in that way
@@inframeout They really do deserve more recognition.
the scene in deathproof where she waves and says 'i'm ok ' legendary
I had the honor of seeing Grindhouse during its theatrical release at a drive-in theater. To me, that just made the experience even more of a homage.
Rad. I wanted to see it in a Drive-In too but got the next best thing, a seedy run down theatre in a run down part of town at midnight.
I'm not going to lie Death Proof is a guilty pleasure for me. Kurt Russell makes a good villain and a creepy psychotic one in this movie.
I love Death Proof, the SDTK too
gtfo here, no need to feel guilty. Death Proof is friggin fantastic.
Same - it's from perfect but I love the cast, it's funny in parts, and the soundtrack is flawless
Weirdly, I went into the theater expecting to love Planet Terror and just find Death Proof 'ok', but it ended up the opposite.
Kurt Russell being mean to women is funny for some reason
Seeing Grindhouse on opening weekend is still one of the single best theatrical experiences I have ever had. But I knew it was doomed when me and a buddy walked into the theater and were the only 2 there. Still, I loved every second of the experience and have hoped for a Grindhouse 2 ever since. Even though I know that will NEVER happen.
The fake trailers were awesome and Planet Terror was a fast paced, fun movie. Then Death Proof ended that 3 hour ordeal with a thud. In retro, Death Proof either shouldn't have been made or it should have been separate, because I think without that movie (but WITH the trailers) Planet Terror could have been a hit.
It technically did if you pair machete and hobo with a shotgun together. Plus I heard talk of zombie Wright and Roth all saying they plan on making features of their works
@ChristophBartlett Hobo is excellent. Just a solid good time. It's Great to watch with a group of friends and a few beers.
Me too. Friday 1:00 pm. Maybe 50 people. Lots of laughter.
@@ChristophBartlett It's now 2024, and Eli Roth did get Thanksgiving out
By far my favorite part of Grindhouse is Edgar Wright's DON'T trailer. It's funny from the perspective of "shocking British horror badly localized to America," in that the trailer shows all of the scares, nobody talks (because British accents would scare off American viewers), an American narrator wonderfully voiced by Will Arnett (ILLUSIONS, MICHAEL!), and the least specific title of all time, and it's also just hilarious seeing the cavalcade of awesome British actors, including Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, and Matthew MacFadyen, Tom Wambsgans himself!
Nick Frost as "Poo Covered Man Baby" is the nightmare that just won't leave my brain
And Machete 😊
Thought I saw Jason Isaacs in there as well.
DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T. DON'T.
I always saw DON'T more comprable to the Italian giallo horror than anything else
I saw this as the double feature version,the way it was meant to be seen. I absolutely love both movies, the fake, trailers,the whole overall look of the package. Death Proof is honestly one of my favorite Tatentino movies, I find the dialogue between the women in the second act i genuinely find it fun and interesting.
agreed
This is Tarantino's alternative account
"Without one quotable line..." Proceeds to play clip of quotable line
I loved Death Proof, especially the stand-alone version. Kurt Russel is funny but keeps his dark side well hidden. Zoe Bell is fun to watch and has good comedic timing for a first-time actor. Vanessa Ferlito's lap dance is exquisite (and better than anything she ever did on NCIS:NO). The vehicular stunts are incredible! The gory crash is fun to watch frame by frame (something you could never do in a cinema). Lastly, the soundtrack is a lot of fun, like any QT film. I actually come back to this film more than Planet Terror, which was the film I liked best initially.
I love Death Proof, one of my favourite movies. I can see why people wouldn't like it, but I like the conversations with the girls because they remind me of conversations with my friends. Putting the movie on is kinda relaxing in the way a podcast is lol. The only bit i'm bothered by is when the cheerleader actress is abandoned by her mates with that creepy car guy, because that's not how any group of women would treat a friend- it actually take me out of the movie a bit. But otherwise i love it! And I think the amazing car chase at the end is so so thrilling and satisfying to watch.
I can appreciate all of that!
It’s so real which is why the violence is so shocking. It’s like we’re watching real people chat and have witty convos then BAM! LEGS FLYING BULLETS FLYING CARS SMASHING AND SWERVING. Ahh, Perfection.
I’ve seen female friends abandon each other. Women are just people too, and sometimes people suck.
I always wondered what happened to her. did she get raped? did she almost get raped? did she try to get away? obviously that guy was doing something to her
I thought the child getting shot was one of the funniest scenes in Planet Terror cause of how off the cuff and brutal it was, it even had a great punch line when the father answers the door 😂😂
It's absolutely savage
@inframeout I'd love to see Grindhouse continue, maybe remake the fake trailers of the original, then get filmmakers to make new fake trailers that will eventually become feature films, obviously it will never happen unfortunately but still would be a great little gimmick while it lasts.
@@MyMintBerryCrunch there are two machete movies from 2010 and 2013…
Yeah, i was glad it happened. No more 'save the kid' related drama.
It's what you might expect with a kid. But it was a departure from what other directors might had been forced by the studios to film.
Honestly, I maintain to this day that this should've been bigger than what it was. I believe audiences would kill for something like this today.
I honestly think you could do one of these a year (with different directors and pairings of exploitation movies), keep the budgets low to mitigate the risk, and release them around Halloween.
It wasn't very good. Maybe that's why?
" I believe audiences would kill for something like this today."
Audiences never get it. They didn't back when Planet Terror/Death Proof was released and they don't get it today. The overwhelming majority of the movie going audience knows eff all about movie making, genres, the appeal of different kinds of storytelling, editing, controversial topics etc etc.
They see it this way:
1. Is there a famous/hot actor/actress in it?
2. Does it have "epic battles" and the heroes winning in the end?
3. Do my coworkers, neighbors, third cousins, your random "influencer" like it? Then I *must* see it.
Sheep. The lot of them.
"I believe audiences..." Audiences are creatures of habit who eat at the same fast food franchise and do the same menial tasks at their jobs. Never claim to speak for them and if you don't ever expect much from them.
@@inframeoutIt was stupid to spend $75 million on a "grindhouse double feature" to begin with. Tarantino and Rodriguez were high on their own bullshit and completely missed the point of what low budget exploitation films are supposed to be about. The phony trailers captured the idea MUCH better than their full length films did.
It;s a niche market. I love it. It is not for everyone.
I love both of these movies.
Death Proof had great dialog because it was real. I wish these guys would team up again
Loved both, Deathproof especially. I remember having to watch it bootleg in Iraq since I was deployed when it came out. It was a good time.
People in the theatre were getting up and walking out during the talky Death Proof parts.
Feel like streaming services could put it together with minimal risk
@@lexc1560You totally missed the point.
I absolutely LOVED Grindhouse. Saw it twice in theaters. It was such a fun and unique experience.
“At the end of the day, if you make a movie that’s bloated and boring on purpose, it’s still bloated and boring.”
A definite summation of Death Proof I agree with.
In concept it’s terrific. In final execution, it’s as innane, insipid, and everything that was pointed out in this video.
Loved Planet Terror when I was a young teen. I was really into zombie movies back then, and Rodriguez made a great zombie film, that wouldn't feel out of place next to Dawn of the Dead and 28 Days later (rage infected zombies are still zombies, for all intents and purposes). Death Proof always did feel like a slog to get through, even with Kurt Russel behind the wheel, and a cast of phenomenal actresses to oppose him. It's still on the bottom of my list of ranked Tarantino movies.
Agreed on all counts
Agreed and still love Planet Terror
Much better to watch at home
Best "failure" of all time. I LOVE this double feature - a different time for sure. Thanks for the reminder.
I really wish we got some more double feature Grindhouse's...maybe some day
You probably know this, but the boy who shoots himself was played by Robert Rodriguez's kid. He said if he was gonna kill a kid in his movie, it might as well be his.
...and now that kid works behind the scenes on all Rodriquez films!
Hahahah nice
About 16 years later, Eli Roth is finally making thanksgiving, a movie that that was passion project than just a trailer concept. Edgar wright made his attemptable, but unfortunate last night in soho (ps I kinda like it even with the flaws). The only one who didn’t is rob zombie, who after making his love for the Munster look like made for video rentals, it’s about time he make his move of getting Nicolas cage to play fu Manchu one last time.
I wish Last Night in SoHo was made to be more of a Grindhouse style B movie. It's obviously an homage to Giallo, but the film was maybe a little too slick for it's own good. But what else would you expect from Edgar Wright?
Cage did play Dracula hilariously, so Fu Manchu would probably work.
Hobo With A Shotgun deserved honorable mention. It only played during select showings of the double feature, but it was at least spun into a feature.
Rutger Hauer is the best in it too.
Thanksgiving has been in development for a long time and I'm glad that it finally saw the light of day.
Caught this one at free a sneak preview in theaters. No one paid to get in so it was loud with people yelling and laughing at the screen. It was the perfect environment for Grindhouse and was one of the most fun times I ever had in theaters. Being 18 at the time and a huge fan of schlocky garbage horror flicks growing up, I was super keyed in to what Grindhouse was all about. It felt like it was made for me. I loved both movies. I loved the trailers. I will never forget how loud we laughed at the gun going off in the car, Stuntman Mike bawling or the missing reels.
This was the 1st Blu ray I ever got because it was the 1st time you could buy the whole experience together since they had released the DVD's individually (I would assume to try and get some of the money they blew on it back lol). I think I'm always going to love Grindhouse. I get why it didn't appeal to folks and bombed but I'll always be grateful for that theater memory and just the fact that this was one in-joke that I was 100% in on. I think what makes Grindhouse special is that it wasn't pandering at all. These movies were made by movie dorks who love trash for movie dorks who love trash. That kind of genuine energy mixed with this much talent is a rare combo in any medium and I hope everyone gets to experience it focused exactly on the shit they're into like I got to on that day back in 2007. It's the kind of feeling that makes you fall in love with movies.
Here here! Well said
I agree!! I think the bantery/rambling dialogue in death proof is a big part of its charm and it really endeared me to the girls. Plus all the build up in the first two acts makes the final chase way more exciting! :)
@@emmyk2190As the second feature in a supposed "grindhouse double feature" it's a complete failure. No exploitation film would have ever started so slow, and there were huge walkouts in many theaters.
Watched on its own as a "Tarantino film", it plays better.
I watched the full feature version of Deathproof with a couple friends. We were also like Milhouse wanting the fireworks factory scene to finally arrive. We took to over-the-top mocking dramatically saying "DEATHPROOOOOF" any time the stunt car (sometimes the driver) came onto screen, that helped the viewing experience.
I always felt like "Death Proof" was a great idea looking for a great movie.
"Deathproooooooooof"
@@inframeout I can see that, Was unfortunate that the characters weren't likable, (to my friends and I at least, been a while so I don't remember it well). It was interesting to learn in your video about grindhouse theatres and some of the schlock and exploit films they'd show, the idea of Deathproof being a bit of an inside joke about the types that filled most the run-time with boring filler is interesting, but not great for a viewing experience. Maybe Quentin had a "if I suffered boring filler grindhouse, so shall you" moment with it, lol.
Literally two of my favorite movies! I’ve tracked down the original merchandise for the double feature and I’ve seen both dozens of times. These two films stuck with me because of they’re campy spirit and fun cinematic styles. From the stunts to the acting. BUT, my love resides with Death Proof. The dialogue, the plot, the soundtracks and most memorably, the deaths! THESE MOVIES ARE MODERN MARVELS WHICH IS WHY THEY ARE CULT CLASSICS! (Also i quote Death Proof to living hell man. It’s truly subjective)
Absolutely! This is all obviously just my opinion, and I'm glad you vibe with Death Proof
For years I've been defending Death Proof as "the good one" based on how I remembered feeling in the theater - probably time to revisit these and see if I still feel that way after all.
I think if you go into Planet Terror looking for dumb, gory fun with its tongue firmly in cheek, you'll have a blast
Death proof was so underrated masterpiece
you were so right
The general feeling with the crowd I saw it with, and many critics, is that the talky stuff in Death Proof sucked big time.
It holds up. One of his best
Had the pleasure of seeing this opening night and again the next weekend….this was the absolute best experience I’ve ever had in a theatre in my 49 years of life .
I loooooove this film.
Failure? As someone who grew up going to drive-ins to watch exploitation movies, this was the best movie-going experience I have EVER had. Saw it with a couple of friends at a drive-in. We opened up the back of her car, sat on the tailgate, cracked open a 6, fired up a J and had the best time. I wish these movies got more love!!
As I say in the video, I'm refering to the critical and commercial failure
@@inframeoutMassive failure. I saw it twice in theaters, and both times there were huge walkouts during the first 15 minutes of DEATH PROOF. That's why foreign distributors demanded the films be split up into separate releases, and why the original double feature format wasn't even released to DVD until Blu-ray came around.
I remember going during a high school night to local midnight screening 🎥 of “GrindHouse” we thought “Planet Terror” was it played first and Theatre management came in said another round of fake trailers then another movie 🍿
The trailers in the middle were my favorite part of seeing these in the theater. I always wanted Thanksgiving to be a real film.
Well good news! It soon will be (Roth is shooting it now for an expected November release)
Grew up with this style of filmmaking. It was the drive-in movies that appealed to the teenager who were experiencing their independence and freedom.
These movies are so underrated.
Who else is excited over Eli Roth's Thanksgiving finally being made!!!
What? Is this true? Looks like i got some googling to do!
@@1ManNamedDan It's definitely true!!!
@@wmstewart1179 Well until it does come out you can gather the family around to watch Thankskilling or it's awesome sequel Thankskilling 3. "Nice tits bitch.. In Space!"
Trailer is out now.
@@NeoConnor1 I saw it, looks amazing!!!
I saw "Grindhouse" at The Village here in Austin, and I recall it as one of the last "old Austin" moments. It was a total party.
That's sound freakin' great
I’ll say this about Death Proof, Kurt Russell is absolutely incredible in it, and it has one of the best car chases in all of cinema
Damn right. The way he goes from slithering pervert to predator to mewling coward is fantastic
@@inframeout Fantastic from the grindhouse genre perspective perhaps but not-nearly-as-fantastic as far as realism goes. Let's just say that anybody who has seen battles in war won't run away from a mere housefire and panic, anybody who has seen people bleed to death in an emergency room with horror in their eyes won't loose their composure in a terror attack and anybody who is brave enough to crash in a head-on collision with another car sure as hell isn't going to turn into a sniveling, apologetic coward when being shot at.
People who have experienced with all kinds of people will tell you that even the most loathsome thug with sh*t for brains will always yell "F U" to whatever other thug when he places a barrel of gun to their heads. They may be stupid, they may be utterly lost and beyond redemption but they sure as h*ll know the name of the game.
But for a grindhouse flick - spot on in stupidity. The final shot and frame-freeze is grindhouse gold.
Great insight. I went to late showing on opening night and after Planet Terror, people started to get up and leave. I had to shout out “There’s another movie!” And several sat back down, whispering “Oh yeah!”.
Apparently that was an extremely common occurrence!
@@inframeoutI saw GRINDHOUSE twice during it's theatrical run and while most of the audience sat back down as the phony intermission trailers started, they quickly got bored with DEATH PROOF and started leaving in droves. DP is fine as a standalone Tarantino film, but as a "grindhouse 2nd feature" it was a complete failure, because no genuine "70's car chase thriller" would have started off with 30 minutes of women talking. He just did his usual thing instead of paying tribute to the form like he was supposed to.
I thought i was taking crazy pills seeing how much love there was for death proof in the comments. I was in the middle of typing everything i thought was wrong with it just as you started talking about its flaws, and i felt an immense sense of relief. I still like death proof, but id prefer an edit that cuts out all the bloat, because the scenes with the actual stuff we went to see this movie for is so damn good.
I felt the exact same way. Thank you. I've so many cinephiles talk with such loving admiration and appreciation for Death Proof that I honestly felt like I was being gaslit.
Was there opening night. I bought all the merch released for the films - shirts, posters and all!
Love both films and have the posters framed up in our home. Gave my daughter my shirts!
It's funny, but I enjoyed Grindhouse not necessarily for the two films, but for the premise and feel it evoked. I was born in NYC in '77, and I still remember the cesspool the city was well into the '80s. And the movie theaters!!! Down the street from our building was the Essex theater, a cheap grindhouse that would show a Disney movie for the kids on a Saturday afternoon, a first-run action movie like Terminator or Raiders of the Lost Ark that night, then some insane ninja movie, z-level horror, or some depraved Chinese hard core porn at all other hours.
God I miss that era.
Back in the day- the BEST part of the NYC theatres was that , they would show OLDER movies from the 1970s -- IN the 1980s !! I went to school in NYC in 1980-1982 and saw movies like 'Lisa & The Devil" (1974!!) playing with Hell Night. One of my scary trips inside one of those theatres was to see a movie called "Blood Drinkers". It was a cheap (maybe?) Dawn of the Dead knock-offs.
@@LannieLord OH YEAH! After the first run stuff, they'd show sexploitation/schlock horror from the 70s, or imported Ninja/Kung Fu movies with subtitles. THE BEST!
I know they didn't play the films in the order they're supposed to but it was still awesome in theaters, me and brothers went to see it back in 2007 and it was a blast
As a 70's kid I watched plenty of VHS "questionable" movies at a too young age. When Grindhouse came out I enjoyed it, wasn't meant to be good but enjoyable.
Nice! I was lucky enough to see this in the theater upon release. Was very sad when they did the home release separately without the mock trailers. I wish they made more all in, hodgepodge flicks like this
Agreed - in the UK we didn't get to experience it as intended until the much later Blu-ray release. I think the Grindhouse cut of "Death Proof" is significantly better than the standalone, extended cut...if only because it trims down on Tarentino's weird fetish stuff
@@inframeout admittedly I should revisit Death Proof; being a much younger and hence less knowledgeable movie goer back then, I had a very hard time with it even in the theater. I can't imagine how much a slog it is without the delectable first course of Planet Terror AND additional scenes
I was lucky enough to watch this in theaters when it came out, best movie experience ever!
I imagine it was an absolute blast! Even watching on Blu-ray at home with some beers was a hell of a time
I was so pumped for this back in 2007, I bought armfuls of merch--shirts, lobby bills, posters, magazines, buttons, whatever was available--and got to see it day one. I still have the handout that explained the scratches, missing reels, etc, was all intentional to simulate the Grindhouse experience. The trailers were by FAR my favorite aspect, especially Zombies WWoSS and Machete. Planet Terror was a Grindhouse masterpiece. And while Tarantino is my favorite writer/director by far, he seems to have whiffed on the homework assignment. While Death Proof has a high octane third act that doesnt disappoint, overall its the weakest entry in an otherwise legendary catalogue. I really wish Tarantino had leaned more heavily into the horror angle, rather than spin out a Vanishing Point homage. Wouldve loved to see a sequel with Rob Zombie and James Gunn maybe.
I think QT's writing does a lot to elevate the 'filler' of Death Proof. It is not exactly the quippy, memorable prose of something like Pulp Fiction-- it reminds me a lot of the careful pacing of Jackie Brown. The characters are simple but endearing and feel like a group of friends you can see yourself as a part of. By the time the horror kicks off, you're helplessly stuck (like the hippie who needs a ride) with the realization that all you can do is watch as they're brutalized. Maybe I'm just defensive because DP was one of the first 'horror' movies to get me into the genre, but I found that the mellow parts increased the tension in a grounded, believable way.
Hey, I can absolutely appreciate everything you've said. After all, my thoughts on DP are just my opinion and I would never claim to speak for anyone else or take away their enjoyment
I actually loved DP......Death proof, pervert! Yet, I couldn't stand Jackie Brown!
I watched it twice in theaters, with two different groups of people, they were among the best theatrical experiences I've had in my life. I wish I could do it again
I was there with bells on in the theater. Loved every moment. Even the "slow" girl bonding scenes. I had already been hosting a "bad movie night" at home for friends and had grown to appreciate pointless 'slice of life' cinema when it has a 'tone' or 'vibe' and in fairness to Death Proof, I think its worst moments succeed in that capacity. I was the weirdo neckbeard this was made for, and there just aren't enough of me to make money doing this. I'm glad they got to try.
I saw this on opening weekend and we had a great time. I was working at a movie theatre and we watched it the night before it was released (as we did with most movies). This was best experienced among peers whom were also movie fanatics. This proudly sits on my Tarantino/Rodriguez shelf, joined by Hobo With a Shotgun.
I saw Disneys "The Rescuers" back to back with the classic "Grizzly" at the drive-in as a kid. I assume they thought the kiddies would be taken home before the start of the second movie. It was awesome!
Of course knowing Disney would never allow that now, I would like to see "Flash and the Firecat" with "Switchblade Sisters".
you missed it. Tarantino's contribution to the double feature is far and away the headliner. It's fantastic. Even the "bloated and boring" scenes as you describe them. It's excellent buildup to the action. Love it.
It's important to get to know the characters so that we're invested in their fate when everything goes down. These slow burning candid scenes contribute to that and make the action scenes more jarring by contrast
@@lusciousloxx6112 Absolutely, it made the comeuppance for Stuntman Mike so amazing.
Grindhouse ,blaxploitation and channel 5 kong fu movies. An excellent combination.
I liked all of it! The movies, the trailers, the trailers that became movies, and even this UA-cam video. We actually need more of this, instead of most of the cautious vanilla stuff that is coming out nowadays.
It’s insane how these guys teamed up to fill up my childhood and supply the adult years with some guilty pleasures
I don’t understand what there is to be guilty about. I think both movies serve their purpose and gave what they needed to give.
I was one of the few people that saw Grindhouse in the theaters, and your assessment is spot on. Of course, even by that point I was of the opinion Tarantino was a hack fraud and a real life creep, but Death Proof sealed the deal for me.
That being said, taking in the whole experience altogether made it a lot more entertaining. The presentation, with the interstitials and fake trailers, combined with actually watching it in a theater, helped gloss over the fact both movies were mediocre by having the appropriate ambiance. In hindsight, I can only assume Tarantino talked Rodriguez into splitting the thing up for no discernably good reason except greed, like he did with Kill Bill.
Edit: Upon diving into the comments, I can see that most people seem to agree with me. If you didn't see this in the cinema, you really just never got to view it properly. Truly a case of "You had to be there."
I went to see this 3 times in the theater! I was shocked when I found out that it bombed. I was 1 of only a few people in the theater, but I go to the first showing of the day. So it didn't seem odd that the place was mostly empty.
It really is sad, as while I think this is hit and miss in many areas, I would absolutely love for "Grindhouse" to become a regular staple where established directors slum it for three hours of wonderful trash
Me too bro! Good times. Same with 300, I watched that ho twice opening week
Your version of 'like this video' round about the 6:46 mark is the most stylish UA-cam has seen.
They released it as originally intended in Canada when I saw it. The best 3hrs I ever had in theaters.
And I love Death Proof. You're not supposed to take it as seriously as the other Tarantino joints. It's a love letter to bad schlocky movies, and it's an absolute blast.
I saw the Grindhouse double feature in the theater, I had no idea there were going to be the previews… it was one of the best Saturdays at the movies ever! And I have to go with the classic grind house double feature: the original Texas Chainsaw and Dawn of the Dead, though I would love to go to a theater and see Kentucky Fried Movie and the Groove Tube too! -can’t make those today!!
I actually really love Death Proof. It's definitely not perfect, but I love how sincere it is. I prefer watching Planet Terror with people (especially people who have never seen it), but when I'm by myself I prefer the dialogue heavy Death Proof
I saw the grindhouse in the theatre it's still one of my most memorable cinematic experiences having not known anything about exploits at the time.
I’d always heard the theaters didn’t get called “grind houses” for “grinding out a living.” The “grind” part was because many of the decrepit downtown theaters used to be porn theaters or strip clubs.
There were also stories of some theaters, particularly on New York’s 42nd Street, being places where homeless would go to nap, junkies would shoot up, and johns would take hookers instead of a motel, so the “grind house” name wasn’t going anywhere.
I also thought it was a reference to strip clubs ("bump & grind").
That's also another reason!
Watching this at a drive-in when it released was AMAZING ‼️
NGL the “fake trailers” are my absolute favorite part tho 😅
Come for the commentary, stay for the alliteration. You are seen.
It's my superpower
I absolutely loved Grindhouse, saw it in theaters three times. Twice during its original run, and a couple of years later as a midnight movie.
The strange thing about Death Proof is, I think the extended version actually improves on the film even though it mostly adds more filler.
Also, I think I'd rather watch either version of Death Proof than Quentin Tarantino's section of Four Rooms.
I LOVED the "fake previews" between the two features and my favorite was without a doubt Eli Roth's "Thanksgiving" which almost had me popping out of my seat with the popcorn shouting, "THEY CAN'T DO THAT!" So awesome! Eli Roth is otherwise unfortunately not my genre but that preview made the game!
Death Proof often makes the bottom of Tarantino lists.
Well, who could resist THAT "Press the Like button" prompt?! Well played, Mr. Frame/Out, well played indeed.
You have successfully reserved a full jar of piss for Weinstein's grave
Me, touch my camera through the fence
I’ll never forget watching this in the theater opening night with my brother ❤
I saw Grindhouse in theaters and I loved it. Initially, I liked Planet Terror more than Death Proof, but subsequent viewings of the latter has made me appreciate it much more. I don’t think it’s boring at all, and it has a lot more depth than I think you’re giving it credit for. It was definitely an interesting experiment. A shame it failed. I am, however, looking forward to the feature-length Thanksgiving. 😁
I saw this in the theater with my then girlfriend when it came out. There was one other couple in the movie theater with us who walked out during Planet Terror after the woman got noticably disgusted, then we finished the viewing completely alone. It was a great a experience.
people were walking out during Death Proof with the endless talking of the girls in it.
If it wasn't for the excellent casting of Death Proof, I don't think it'd be able to compete with Planet Terror as well as it did. Kurt Russel is a guilty pleasure for me, and like you said it was so good to see Zoe Bell get a leading role, showing off her insane stunt chops. The first time I wanted Death Proof, I hated it. Hated the narrative structure, felt sad for the first girl group, just disliked the entire thing. I've seen it a couple times since then and I think it works far better on a few rewatches, once you know the first group is doomed and the second group can act as their vindicators. On the other hand, I adored Planet Terror the first time I watched it. It's an interesting pairing for sure, doesn't work as well together as it could have but I'm also glad it exists.
I liked the "double feature" version, where each film has a "missing reel" to keep the time from getting too long, but I also enjoy the separate versions with the supposed missing reels restored.
I really liked Death Proof because, unlike Planet Terror, it honestly did feel like a cheap B-movie that had been shut down mid production, picked up by a different crew later on, and slapped together to grind out a quick profit.
Or, it really did feel like a genuine grindhouse movie.
Of course it probably helps that I saw these movies in standalone versions first.
Same here. Desth Proof was made by a director who really understood the assignment. From the dialogue to the cinematography, it's just oozing with that late night movie atmosphere. Even watching the lingering shots and scenes with (what the video creator deems) insignificant talking was a joy to watch. It was a good call to end grindhouse on Death Proof.
I love planet terror but I liked the texture and the build up of death proof more. Not to mention, it's something that can actually happen. It was new to see Bruce Willis as the bad guy in death proof though lol
@@wadereed11 do you mean Kurt Russell or are you talking about some other thing?
@@dustylee9234Nah, DEATH PROOF is the complete opposite of exploitation. Tarantino did what he always does and used the idea to make his own kind of movie. He didn't follow the "form" of exploitation like PLANET TERROR and the trailers did, and the mass walkouts at theaters prove that. He completely lost the audience's interest in the first 15 minutes, which for a exploitation film is complete failure.
Now, as a standalone Tarantino film, it works fine. But it's not a exploitation film.
Once again you take me back to my childhood with this video.
It’s funny, in one of my film classes at college we watched Death Proof on its own, but watching this I think it would’ve been much more interesting and a better discussion to watch Grindhouse as a whole!
I was in San Francisco, I went to an actual low-rent art house theater to watch it. Whats was cool they played 2 hours of American International Movie trailers before the actual movie started. So what was hilarious was, the fake movie trailers they made seamlously matched the old movie trailers that I just watch before. However once Planet Terror ended, half the audience got up and left, not realising that it was a double feature movie. I remember winning the theater poster and free movie tickets when they ask name "ALL" the directors that worked on the movie.
Not much of a fan of planet terror. But Death Proof is a bloody pleasure. Saw Death Proof in theaters when I was 14, OMG I adore that movie to this day. Amazing music, badass cars & fantastic cast. #stuntmanmike
Stuntman Mike is a nightmarish dreamboat
I LOVE GRINDHOUSE! I saw it in theatres and it was truly an experience! The dirty film, the movies itself, the fake trailers and having 2 full movies for the price of one was wild! I personally liked "Death Proof" and while this video wasn't too keen on it, I understood it's monotonous tone and message. It shows 2 different sets of women - both strong and independent in their own right but different to drive the story. The first batch of women were shown as easily manipulated and wanted to be romanced and pursued by the sleazy boys and in the end falling to their fates. The second batch is much more in tune with the sleaziness of men, they're more aware of their surroundings and eventually not afraid to fight back. It's a simple concept but it's not filled with scenes just to "fill a running time". Zoe Bell's story in the diner is a setup for her explaining that she is an amazing stunt woman without even showing it yet! Plus, if you see in the background Kurt Russell is also in the diner (meaning he's already "watching them"). People don't give "Death Proof" the love it deserves but if you look between the lines Tarantino gave us some of his most subtle work. It's Flawless IMO.
I saw the “Grindhouse” films in the theaters, and LOVED both of them!
All the people saying that they were bad for whatever reason totally missed the damn boat.
They were SUPPOSED to be “bad” movies-That is what Grindhous was all about. When I was a kid in the 70s I have actually seen “grindhouse “ movies. We didn’t call them that, they were double feature Saturday movies.
I liked Death Proof better but they both really exemplified the nature of “Grindhouse” films.
And when I watch “Death Proof” I usually skip the first part and start with Zoe Bell. That saves a little time.
I mean you don’t go to a Grindhouse movie expecting Citizen Kane. I wanted the films to be “bad.”
I watched these movies in theaters with a bunch of friends when I was in high school. We all loved it. I still can’t believe it bombed zombies weren’t even played out yet lol
There's two kinds of people in the world, Quentin Tarantino people and Robert Rodriguez people. now Quentin Tarantino people can like the films of Robert Rodriguez and and Robert Rodriguez people can like the films of Quentin Tarantino but nobody likes them both equally. somewhere you got to make a choice.
I didnt know this was a failure I love watching both movies whenever i see them on
I meant critically and commercially. I think the movies both do a lot right and I'd love to see more "Grindhouse" films
You’re a true wordsmith!
Early Peter Jackson? You’ve seen Bad Taste! One of my favourite “bad” movies.
Just the pure effort Jackson put into that movie was magnificent and a story of its own
The making of retrospectives on "Bad Taste" are effectively a must-read for any aspiring DIY filmmaker
@@inframeout yeah I think he had his whole community involved. They could make a good movie on the making of Bad Taste
I saw this three times in theaters and its among my most cherished movie memories.
Glossed over how Rose MacGowan was cast as a fuck you to Harvey- she was blacklisted until this. Worth the price of admission right there, but Death Proof is a stone-cold classic- feet and all. It's the directors having fun and not caring about the money. They are both still working so this had zero impact on their careers. Thanks for the vid and keep up the good work!
My grindhouse double bill would be The Burning and Sleepaway Camp.
Absolutely incredible picks
I know Tarantino and a lot of people think Death Proof is the worst of his films but I just don’t think that. Maybe I’m crazy and need to revisit all of his films again but I honestly think it’s one of his best films. I can at least say without irony that Stuntman Mike is the best villain he’s ever created simply because he’s so much like Tarantino in many ways, a man outside of time unable to fit inside the modern world. Maybe I’m overthinking it but Kurt Russell gives an outstanding performance though.
Don't ever let anyone yuck your yum or tell you what not to like (especially not me). I'm genuinely so glad it caught on with you and you liked it so much 🤠
The first time and only time i ever snuck out of my house was to watch the double feature when i was in high school. Planet Terror is still one of my favorite movies of all time.
A genre that Quentin Tarantino apparently likes quite a bit.
The man likes violence, swearing and feet...and more power to him!
@@inframeout 👣👣👣
Death Proof would be such a great short film. On a related note, I was stunned that Marcel the Shell with Shoes on, which began as a series of internet shorts, somehow managed to be a delightful movie-length production. So the world turns!
What failure?😂😂😂
It failed in theaters
This came out on my birthday and it felt like a special gift just to me - until Death Proof started...and went on and on and on. I came very close to walking.
EDITORIAL NOTE: The title of this video is in reference to the critical and commercial underperformance of "Grindhouse". If you watch the video, you'll see I spend about 75% of it saying how fond I am of this film. So, maybe don't send a stranger online abuse because they like a film slightly more or slightly less than you.
So what two movies would you place back-to-back for a grindhouse double bill?
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planet terror/machete
Ginger Snaps / Cube
Turkey Shoot (aka Death Camp Thatcher) and Basket Case - both came out the same year, my birth year, so I have a soft spot for both, and they're great.
Technically Mad Max might be a little too good for grindhouse. But I’m certainly going to check out some of the movies mentioned.
Raising Arizona & Evil Dead 2 pair insanely nicely together
Honestly, I think Death Proof should've been first with Planet Terror being last. Not only is Death Proof as authentic to a grindhouse film as possible, but it would make Planet Terror feel even more fun as a finale with how ridiculous and over the top it is (though the car chase in the second half of Death Proof is much more exhilarating than Planet Terror). I love Planet Terror and while Death Proof was a bit slow, the car chase made it all worth it (I also appreciate how it tried to be as authentic to an actual grindhouse film as possible).
I absolutely LOVED both of these films....... what you think is bloated and boring are things I really enjoyed.
I think the difference is that I understand what was intended in these films and they accomplished it extremely well....and my expectation was not the incredibly fast paced timing of modern films with audiences that have extremely short attention spans.
Your viewpoint reminds me of a friend of mine who I convinced to watch 2001:A Space Odyssey and he couldn't handle it because it was slow. He completely missed the entire point of the pacing which was to give the audience the feeling of space travel.... 2001 is more accurate than Star Wars.
I think the lack is not in the films but in you.
I kind of love the first-first-final act structure of Death Proof that you mention. I actually just enjoy watching these people live out a pretty basic night out in the first part, and then there's just this terrible feeling I get knowing that this new, second set of girls are going to meet the same fate. And we're just...watching their lives play out, and they're ignorant of how they'll die
Of course, then the ending happens and it's an AWESOME subversion. Maybe not so great on a rewatch but man I loved this movie as a teen
Hey, that's totally valid!
I throughly enjoyed this double feature when it was released in theaters back in the day
I'm a guy from the '80s, so Planet Terror is my favorite. I remember we used to rent a lot of crappy movies like this and had tons of fun. This feature definitely turned me into a child again. The glitches or scratches on the movie were a throwback, even greater than renting VHS tapes. The few theaters we had were so poorly maintained that you could see those scratches and glitches and Oh Boy! For me, that was heaven; that was cinema. My feelings are pretty much the same for Death Proof, but Planet Terror, being what it is, touched me more deeply.
Death proof is an amazing movie. Simultaneously a slasher movie and an action car chase movie. Just an amazing combo.
One of the best times I had at the movies! Both were awesome!
I loved Grindhouse. Everything about it was hilarious and exciting
Caught this on the day it came out in theatres..loved it then and still do😎👌👍
Hell yeah
I had really hoped they would keep on with Grindhouse. I love the feel and aesthetic of these films. Zoe Bell should be a headliner in my opinion. She is just good. Granted she plays herself. I believe Machete should have had a Grindhouse label
Give me Werewolf Women Of The SS
I could never call Death Proof a guilty pleasure, for me it is a great film that has everything I expect from the type of movies that grindhouse produced. I love the movie and I'm not ashamed to say it.