Grindhouse: Death Proof + Planet Terror (2007/Genius/Weinstein/Dimension Blu-rays)

 

Picture: B-/C+*     Sound: C+**     Extras: B-     Films: B-/C+

 

 

For The Weinstein Company, they had very high hopes for an extended film that pretended to be a double feature entitled Grindhouse, meant to recreate the experience of going to a mom and pop movie house (think single screen, especially in the 1970s) with faux wear and scratches on the prints.  They would have reels missing as a joke and actual shorts promoting the snack bar among other things.  There were also newly made trailers for more exploitation films that did not yet exist, but might if this project went well.  Shockingly, it bombed and the studio pulled it.

 

This fared somewhat better in Europe, then the films were released at full length on DVD a while back, where they began to gain the audience they deserved.  It was sad and awful audiences did not get it, trust the filmmakers, stars or promotion, missing a very good time.  Now, those features have arrived on Blu-ray and you can enjoy them better than ever.  One is Quentin Tarantino’s underrated serial killer exploitation thriller Death Proof, the other, Robert Rodriguez’s Sci-Fi/Horror fest Planet Terror.  They are meant to be bad movies, but so bad that they are good and both work very well in that way.

 

Death Proof stars Kurt Russell as a somewhat charming professional stuntman who likes to show off and shoot off his mouth.  This includes a bar early on where he likes to hit on young women and see how lucky he gets.  Unfortunately, he likes to brutally kill them and the first victim is in the wrong seat of his one-seater sports stunt car, where he literally drives her to death by bouncing her all over the place.  Then as he continues to be on the prowl, he meets a trio of more young ladies that seem like the next easy victims, but something just might change to make this next deadly encounter a bit different.  Mickey Rourke turned down the killer role, likely not wanting to be typecast, but Russell shows what an underrated actor he is.  Adding to the fun are the great cars Tarantino secured for the film and the great supporting cast, including Rosario Dawson, Nicky Katt Vanessa Ferlito, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Rose McGowan, Jordan Ladd, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Michael Parks.

 

Planet Terror also offers Rose McGowan, Michael Parks and Nicky Katt again as if they were big B-movie stars at the time and that works, in this graphic flesh eating mutant flick suggesting alien invasion on some level and going into the post Night Of The Living Dead direction of the likes of the ever-interesting and under seen The Incredible Melting Man (1978) in what is a fun and more freeform narrative.  However, no matter how retro it is, we have seen hundreds of imitators of the original Romero film since, often done as if they were more important then they were.  Rodriguez out-directs the vast majority of those imitators and that is why it has become the favorite it is.  Josh Brolin, Bruce Willis, Freddy Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey, Michael Biehn and Tom Savini also star in this solid genre piece that pulls no punches.

 

 

*The 1080p 2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image on Death Proof and 1080p 1.85 X 1 image on Planet Terror were finished on high definition digital internegatives to look like old film prints that were getting played out.  The directors did their own respective cinematography, with Tarantino shooting in Super 35mm film, while Rodriguez shot in all-High Definition.  The transfers of the material is very vivid and well done, though that includes the intentional flaws, which we have to penalize the image quality for.  However, making them look like this is an artform in itself, with Death Proof looking like an old EastmanColor shoot and Planet Terror like a low-budget 16mm film production of the time.  Both are uncanny and very effective, especially when compared to actual films of the time we have covered on DVD and Blu-ray. 

 

**The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mixes on each are centered towards the screen as if they are faux monophonic sound, yet the kind you might hear bouncing around in an old single-screen movie palace that could not upgrade its sound, so the mixes are correct, just not as dynamic as current multi-channel films on purpose.  Clicks, noise, pops and compression have been added and I can guarantee you this is more well thought out than you might expect.  The music is very effective in both cases as well.

 

Extras on both Blu-rays include BD Live interactive functions, international poster galleries and international trailers.  Death Proof adds Stunts On Wheels: The Legendary Drivers Of Death Proof, Introducing Zoe Bell, Kurt Russell As Stuntman Mike, Finding Quentin’s Gals, the uncut version of “Baby, It’s You” as performed by Mary Elisabeth Winstead, The Guys Of Death Proof, Quentin’s Greatest Collaborator: Editor Sally Menke and Double Dare trailer.  Planet Terror is a double set and adds the extended, unrated cut of the film, feature length commentary by Rodriguez, a fun audience reaction track, Scratch Free version, 10-minute film school, The Badass Babes Of Planet Terror, The Guys Of Planet Terror, Casting Rebel, Planet Terror, Sickos, Bullies & Explosions: The Stunts Of Planet Terror and The Friend, The Doctor & The Real Estate Agent.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo