Grindhouse


release year: 2007
genre: action/horror/comedy/drama
viewing setting: home DVD, 9/6/08 and theater, 4/7/07

synopsis: In the style of old double-feature B-movies, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino each direct a movie, making this two movies in one. Planet Terror pits a group of survivors against an outbreak of flesh-eating zombies, while Death Proof shows us a man who kills women by getting them into his car and then ramming it into things (the driver's seat is protected, but theirs isn't.)

impressions: Outstandingly entertaining mix of all genres. This movie has so much, I can't begin to list it all here, but for starters: zombies, guns, heavy artillery, vehicles hitting people, helicopters chopping people up, stabbings with needles, scorpion and spider in the same tank, head-on collisions, lap dancing, bar-b-que, twin Mexican babysitters, mad scientists, amputations...I bet you get the idea. This is three hours of outrageously over-the-top mayhem and it's great. Don't miss the numerous fake trailers (for movies that won't actually be made but probably should.)

something this movie has that no other movie has: Here's just one: a woman with a machine gun for a leg.

acting: At first, I had no intention of even attempting to break down all the roles, major and minor, in this 3+ hour masterpiece. Then I decided it was worth the time. Following is a breakdown of everyone I can remember, along with a brief comment about each role:

from Planet Terror:
  • Rose McGowan is Cherry, a go-go dancer who wants to become a stand-up comedian, but sees that dream destroyed along with most of her right leg; fortunately, she upgrades from a wooden peg to a machine gun, just in time to fight hordes of flesh-eating zombies
  • Freddy Rodriguez is El Ray, who drives a tow truck but is also quite handy with knives and guns; he re-unites with his ex Cherry during the zombie situation
  • Michael Biehn is the Sheriff, who must guide a ragtag band of various people to safety if they can make it through the zombies
  • Jeff Fahey is J.T., who runs a barbeque place and cracks all kinds of jokes
  • Josh Brolin is Dr. Block, a weird and violent doctor who chews a glass thermometer and wants to kill his wife
  • Marley Shelton is the other Dr. Block, who carries around syringes and wants to leave her husband
  • Stacy Ferguson is Tammy, a hot babe who is headed into town to get the female Dr. Block and leave; she also knows how to fix cars, but not how to avoid zombies
  • Naveen Andrews is Abby, a scientist who is partially at fault for the zombie outbreak; he also collects grisly human trophies from those who betray him
  • Bruce Willis is a renegade military officer who (along with his men) is infected with the zombie virus
  • Quentin Tarantino is a nasty soldier who has the hots for one-legged Cherry before she gets her machine gun leg
  • Tom Savini is a cranky deputy whose ring finger gets bitten off
  • Michael Parks is a retired cop whose daughter happens to be Dr. Block
  • some quiet kid is Dr. Blocks' son, who has a strange fascination with his lethal pets (including a scorpion and a tarantula and possibly an octopus) and is also dumb enough to shoot himself in the head
  • Electra Isabel Avellan (and presumably an uncredited twin sister) is one of a pair of attractive but argumentative babysitters who end up with guns, as part of the group of survivors
  • Emmy Robbin is a nameless female deputy who runs around with a bare midriff for the entire movie

    from Death Proof:
  • Kurt Russell is Stuntman Mike, who makes engaging conversation about old shows and movies that today's generation will never understand, then goes out in his beefed-up muscle car and kills people
  • Rose McGowan is Pam, who becomes Mike's first victim that we see
  • Vanessa Ferlito is Arlene aka Butterfly, who walks around looking good and teasing Stuntman Mike, which probably isn't a good idea
  • Sydney Poitier (daughter of Sidney Poitier) is Jungle Julia, a friend of Arlene's and also one of the first group of Stuntman Mike's chosen victims
  • Jordan Ladd rounds out the first batch of victims
  • Zoe Bell is Zoe, a bad-ass stuntwoman from the second group of Stuntman Mike's chosen victims
  • Tracie Thoms is Kim, another tough stuntwoman from that group
  • Rosario Dawson and Mary Elizabeth Winstead round out the second batch of victims
  • Quentin Tarantino is Warren, who runs a cool bar in Texas where all of these people go to drink and be merry

    from the fake trailers:
  • Danny Trejo is Machete, who you definitely don't want to mess with
  • Nicolas Cage is Fu Manchi, who is somehow behind the evil of Werewolf Women of the SS
  • Sybil Danning and Sherri Moon are werewolf women of the SS
  • Udo Kier is a Nazi who's also involved with those werewolf women

    final word: Outstanding entertainment from guys who've brought it to us before. If you like their previous movies, you'll probably like this one (and vice versa.)

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