Robbed Zombie: Review for Planet Terror DVD

I know, I know, everyone who saw Grindhouse in theaters is in fury. The reason it was so much fun to watch was beacause you got the feeling of actually being in a grind-house theater; what with the fake trailers (which are not included on any of the DVDs), the scratched film reels, the missing reels, etc. And releasing Planet Terror and Death Proof separately (not even in the order they appeared: Death came after Planet) takes away the fun and excitement of a Grindhouse. But nevertheless, the films are sitll great fun. Robert Rodriguez's (Spy Kids, Desperado, Sin City). Planet Terror is the esential grind-house film, what with all the blood and melodrama and corny effects. It's up to El Wray (Freedy Rodriguez), a stripper with a machine gun posthetic leg named Cherry Darling (Rose McGowan), and a anestesiologist named Dakota (Marley Shelton) to save the world from a virus that turns people to zombies. Even from this very brief review, you can tell that it's probably the cheesiest movie you'll ever see in your life, but it's better than it sounds. It really makes you feel that you're in a grind-house theater and the feeling is great. It purposely is trying to be an exploitation film, a genre that contains cult classics like John Carpenter's Escape From New York. This film is part a cinematic histrory, because to great directors are bringing back the films they love: grind-house films. Though it's really cheesy, the film is extremely well (or horribly) made, containing scratched film reels, missing reels, etc. The special features very fun to watch (Marley Shelton can do weird things with her hands) and have great little anecdotes. But it still dioesn't make up for the fake trailers.
Grade: Overall: A-
Stars: 4.5/5
Stars: 8/10
Film: B+
Special Features: A-

Only at the Grindhouse: Review for "Grindhouse"

The title of this review says it all. Only at the Grindhouse can you see two highly acclaimed directors, blood, gore, zombies, cars, machine-guns, stunt drivers, an fake B-list cast (kind of), and Tarentino in both films making cameoes.

The first film to feature is Robert Rodreguez's Planet Terror. Just like a real grindhouse film, the film features melodrama, blood (lots of it), a stripper with a machine gun prosthetic leg, and most of all: zombies. The film plays well on the zombie effect and there is a lot much melting flesh and a truly horrific scene that has Quentin Tarentino playing a rapist who wants to do Rose McGowan. There is a funny scene, which does greatly with the "Grindhouse" effect, where Bruce Willis' head blows up, who plays a scientist in the army, which is very cheesy, just like the Grindhouse films.

Then the fake trailers appear with such titles as Rob Zombie's Werewolf Women of the S.S., Ed Wright's (Shaun of the Dead) Don't, and Eli Roth's (Hostel, Cabin Fever) Thanksgiving (honestly, who would think of a holiday horror movie like this?). Each are very funny and give the film a realness to it. In real grind-house theaters, they would show trailers for other exploitation films, so to add that to a movie pretending to be a grind-house film is really a smart move.

The last fim is Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof, the fatser paced, women's revenge themed, and more psychologically powerful film of the two. The film ia a homage to films like Vanishing Point and has an A-list cast including Rosario Dawson and Tracie Thoms, who both were in Rent. Kurt Russel stars as Stuntman Mike, a forgotten TV stuntman, who decides to go on a rampage. He first picks up Rose McGowan, who already had a role in Planet Terror (In grind-house films, the budget was often so low, they had to hire the same actor for different roles in the same doubvle-feature). She ends up being thrown around in the passenger's seat of Russel's skull and crossbone laden car. She hits her head too hard and dies. Then he goes after a threesome of pot smoking girls and purposely craches into them, leaving them dead. After a few months, he targets Zoe Bell, Dawson and Thoms, who play a game of shipmast (you haang onto the front of the car by hanging on to a belt...while the car is in drive). He tries to kill them, which pushes their buttons. Now it's time for revenge. In a heart pounding car chase, the best car chase in years, the women fight back and go after Mike. Both films are great and Tarentino and Rodreguez have made a masterpiece. Both films have sctaches on the film and "missing reels". A truly great peice of film from great directors, this film is one of their best. You get a sense of realness to it, and after the film is over, you may be left breathless.

Grindhouse: A

Planet Terror: B+

Death Proof: A

Faux Trailers: A