Grindhouse (2007)

Directors:

Robert Rodriguez
Eli Roth

Writers:

Robert Rodriguez (written by) (fake trailer segment "Machete")
Robert Rodriguez (written by) (segment)

Release Date:

6 April 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The sleaze-filled saga of an exploitation double feature.

Plot:

Two full length feature horror movies written by Quentin Tarantino & Robert Rodriguez put together as a two film feature. Including fake movie trailers in between both movies.

Plot Keywords:

Exploitation | Death | Zombie | Homage | Sheriff

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Danny Trejo	...	Machete (segment "Machete")
Cheech Marin	...	Padre Benicio Del Toro (segment "Machete")
Rose McGowan	...	Cherry Darling (segment "Planet Terror") / Pam (segment "Death Proof")
Freddy Rodríguez	...	El Wray (segment "Planet Terror")
Josh Brolin	...	Dr. William Block (segment "Planet Terror")
Marley Shelton	...	Dr. Dakota Block (segments "Planet Terror" / "Death Proof")
Jeff Fahey	...	J.T. (segment "Planet Terror") / The Well-Dressed Man (segment "Thanksgiving") / The Boss (segment "Machete")
Michael Biehn	...	Sheriff Hague (segment "Planet Terror") / The Sheriff (segment "Thanksgiving")
Rebel Rodriguez	...	Tony Block (segment "Planet Terror")
Naveen Andrews	...	Abby (segment "Planet Terror")
Bruce Willis	...	Lt. Muldoon (segment "Planet Terror")
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Romey (segment "Planet Terror")
Stacy Ferguson	...	Tammy (segment "Planet Terror")
Nicky Katt	...	Joe (segment "Planet Terror") / Store clerk (segment "Death Proof")
Hung Nguyen	...	Dr. Crane (segment "Planet Terror")

Also Known As:

Grind House (USA) (alternative spelling)
Grindhouse: Double Feature (USA) (trailer title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong graphic bloody violence and gore, pervasive language, some sexuality, nudity and drug use.

Runtime:

191 min | Canada:189 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Ireland:18 ('Death Proof') | Singapore:R21 | UK:18 | Italy:VM14 | Australia:MA | South Korea:18 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Austin Studios - 1901 E. 51st Street, Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

Both directors "aged" the films, adding scratches, dirt, and dust, to simulate the feel of the real Grindhouse films. (Check the credits for "Film Damage Compositor".)

Goofs:

Continuity: When Cherry Darling is riding in El Wray's wrecker before the crash, she is wearing a sleeveless red top. In the hospital when she wakes up and realizes she has lost her leg, she is wearing a gray t-shirt. When El Wray comes into her hospital room to save her, she is wearing the red top again. She tells El Wray she can't stand, and has been laying in bed with the sheet over her head, so she didn't get up and change her own shirt, and with the chaos in the hospital, it is unlikely a nurse stopped by to change her shirt either. (This goof may be intentional by the film-makers in keeping with the 'grindhouse' feel.)

Quotes:

Dr. Dakota Block: And after this one... you'll never see me again.

Movie Connections:

References El límite del amor (1976)

Soundtrack:

Staggolee

The first classic of the new century

Grindhouse is all about excess. Excess blood, gore, puss, explosions, near non-stop laughter and violence. The only thing you will find little of in it is nudity. It's typical Tarantino-paranoid-about-nudity and what we get are two distinct halves to one great film.

If you loved Tarantino's "Jackie Brown", then you'll love "Death Proof". D.P. is basically Jackie Brown on wheels. He rambles on and on and on about completely un-funny and pointless things for nearly 50 minutes with little else happening. I am quite disappointed with QT, as he is my favourite director/writer but I think he is stretching his limit a bit too far. He has fallen into a self-indulgent groove of non-stop banter or over-the-top violence. The end is capped off with probably one THE BEST car chases in history that lasts for about 20 amazing minutes that will undoubtedly give you a heart attack it's so well made. Also, Kurt Russell is NOT the main star of it as many people believe and I'll leave it at that.

Rodriguez's "Planet Terror" on the other hand is a completely off the wall, no holds barred shmorgassboard of absolute cinematic enjoyment. People blow up when shot with revolvers, gore is splattered at least every couple minutes once it gets past the first two minutes and it will have you laughing harder than any Tarantino film ever has. It is so freakin' good that I think my eyes fell out and had an orga*m due to the cinematic bliss that is "Planet Terror".

Rose McGowan will undoubtedly become the new pin-up girl and sex symbol due to her role of Cherry Darling; a Go-Go dancer (unfortunately not a stripper) that eventually gets an assault rifle for a leg. Who knew that an assault rifle for a leg could ever be THAT hot?

There are no words in the history of mankind that can help me explain to anyone the awesomeness that is displayed in "Grindhouse". "Death Proof" may drag it down a bit, but is nonetheless essential for the film as a whole. This is exactly the movie that Hollywood needed to have kicked up it's butt. Hopefully this will pave the way for more "extreme" films or higher rated films in general; although I'm still unsure if it would be a good idea to go to the extremes that French cinema is experiencing at the moment, but would nonetheless be welcome.

IMO, "Grindhouse" is THE BEST FILM since "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" in 1966 for pure filmic enjoyment. Sit back, relax, and prepare to have your head explode! Go see it now or you'll regret it!