So, Lurker and I caught Grindhouse last night. Supposedly, Rodriguez and Tarantino came up with the concept together at Tarantino's house - as in, in the same room at the same time. Having watched the film, I'm not sure; somehow, Rodriguez nailed the B-movie tone completely. Tarantino whiffed it.Planet Terror, Rodriguez's contribution, is a zombie movie with the schlocky works - laughably bad dialog, odd plot twists, melting zombies, exploding heads ... all the stuff that we loved these movies for as teenagers. And because he shot on video, he could add lots of digital scratches and what-not to the "film," adding to the fun.
Now, maybe it's the Pabst Blue Ribbon talking, but Tarantino's movie, instead of being a loving homage to 70's and early 80's grindhouse theater, just comes across as a Tarantino movie. A solid 80% of Death Proof is spent talking about nothing. Remember how cool it was in Reservoir Dogs, when the guys sat around the table in the diner talking about Madonna and tipping and everything in-between? It was cool then. It was cool in Pulp Fiction (Royale with cheese!) and it was even cool in Kill Bill, but here it's just ... tiresome and boring, especially as it follows the movie that got it right. The big car chase at the end helps, I guess, but that's it? Something else that bothered me was how Tarantino again managed to work in the stereotypical black character. Instead of Sam Jackson, it's Tracie Thoms this time.
Between movies, there are some trailers for coming attractions. Two in particular to watch for are Don't and Thanksgiving. Oh, and the trailer that kicks the whole thing off, Machete, is better than Tarantino's whole movie.
5 comments:
The Rodriquez part felt like a full feature distilled. Tarrantino's felt more like a stretched out short film, and stretched with pointless dialogue. I don't think it's overuse by QT that makes it drag here, but it's just not compelling, even interesting, the way similer dialogue was in Dogs and Pulp. Part of what makes it more effective in those films is the subtext of violence simmering somewhere beneath it. If Jules and Vincent are, say, on a camping trip, I don't think the subject of foot massages holds our interest as much. But Rod's part and the previews were well worth the price of admission.
Brilliant summation, by the way Jaime. When I got home last night, I decided to look for some, um, information, if you will, about Rose McGowan. It seems her past is as interesting as some of her other features, at least if this wiki entry can be trusted:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose_mcgowan
Good points! Rose McGowan's points, I mean.
I, on the other hand, went to see a Blades of Glory matinee yesterday and laughed like a monkey. Really stupid; Will Ferrell plays the same guy as usual; Jenna Fishcer is a disappointment in the acting department BUT.... it was still really funny, especially if you like mascots on fire or lots of gay jokes.
Believe it or not, I have somehow managed to miss every movie he's been in. I'm not sure how that happened, because I think he's very funny.
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