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Grindhouse

WayneLigon

Adventurer
From Wikipedia:

A grindhouse is an American term for a theater that mainly showed exploitation films [Films made with little or no attention to quality or artistic merit but with an eye to a quick profit, usually via high-pressure sales and promotion techniques emphasizing some sensational aspect of the product] . It is also a term used to describe the genre of films that played in such theatres. Grindhouse films are also referred to as "exploitation films." Grindhouses were known for non-stop programs of B movies, usually consisting of a double feature where two films were shown back to back. Beginning in the late 1960s and especially during the 1970s, the subject matter of grindhouse films was domindated by explicit sex, violence, bizarre or perverse plot points, and other taboo content.

By the mid-1990s, they had completely disappeared from the United States.


I remember these kinds of films. Usually you can only find them in the bargain bin, if anyone has even bothered to put them on VHS or DVD. Usually only the ones that attain some sort of cult status even make it that far. Quentin Tarantino & Robert Rodriguez have recreatred that experience with their tongue firmly lodged in their cheek.

Two full length movies are shown: Planet Terror and Death Proof. There are trailers for 'Werewolf Women of the SS', 'Machete', 'Don't!' and 'Thanksgiving' that are just as horrific as the main features :)

It really is a full recreation of the experience. The film is grainy and chobby, editited down by the makers, the studio, the theater, the theater owner's stupider brother, etc. Streaks, blobs and grit flash on the screen and the film even 'melts' at one point in Planet Terror, to be replaced with the dreaded 'missing reel' note. (If you've never seen a film literally combust while it's running, you've missed out). The action is totally over the top. There are no neat blood sprays; they use or recreate old-fashioned cheap-ass blood bags whick burst like water balloons. There is no part of the female anatomy that is overlooked. In fact, it's looked-over long. The plots are stripped bare of any characterization, distilled down to action, suspense, death, or cheesy speeches or cheap humor. And that's not a slam, it's meant to be that way.

I give it an A. And Rob Zombie owes me 'Werewolf Women of the SS'.
 

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horacethegrey

First Post
Damn. I really wanna see this film, but lord knows when it'll show where I live. :\

I really want to see the rest of those faux trailers. The trailer for Thanksgiving by Eli Roth was over the top, gross out, and incredibly disturbing. And it looked like it could have been made in the 70's. Brilliant stuff! :D
 

The_lurkeR

First Post
Saw this last night with the girlfriend and we both enjoyed it.

Planet Terror was a great spoof of all those cheesy zombie horror movies I remember from childhood, dialed to 11.

Death Proof was very Tarantino'ish, which may be good or bad depending on your tastes. I liked it, but the slow build up felt a little long and indulgent.

The "prevues" were some of the best parts, and had the whole audience cracking up, especially "Machete" and "Don't!".

I'd give it a B+, or 8 out of 10. It's not something to put in any top ten lists, but it's a fun homage to those old movies.
 


Ibram

First Post
Just came back from it... and it was awsome.

Planet Terror was the best of the two, very over-the-top. Insane action and zombie slaying

Deathproof was good, but probably wouldn't stand on its own. As was said above, its very much a Q-T movie.

There were also "previews" for other movies, like Machete and Werewolf women of the SS.

Thanksgiving would be awsome.
 



jonathan swift

First Post
Cthulhudrew said:
I want to see a full length (or at least another double feature) with Machete. That looked awesome.


I've already heard some rumours that they will in fact be making Machete at the least. I just need to keep my fingers crossed for the other movies now.
 

WayneLigon

Adventurer
Cthulhudrew said:
I want to see a full length (or at least another double feature) with Machete. That looked awesome.

From an interview with Rodriguez over at AICN:

"MJ: If there was enough fan support would you consider directing or producing some of the trailers into feature films?

RR: Oh absolutely, yeah! Machete! I'm probably gonna do a machete full feature cuz I've been writing that for a while and there's some really great stuff in it and people responded so strongly to the trailer that I thought 'oh, well now we have to.' And Danny Trejo calls us just about everyday wondering if we're gonna do a feature. I started writing Machete in '94 when I first met Danny."


“They messed with the wrong Mexican!”
 

EricNoah

Adventurer
Could someone compare Sin City or Pulp Fiction to Grindhouse for me -- level of violence, fun factor, etc.? I enjoyed Sin City and Pulp Fiction, but am shying away from Grindhouse for some reason.
 

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