DVD Review HTF Review: Death Proof - Extended and Unrated (1 Viewer)

[Corey3rd]

I have pals who have - just get a good video projector and a very large backyard.

 

[Jon Martin]

Well, those are exactly the reasons why you SHOULD have seen it in theatres.

They were trying to create the films that showed at theatres, like those at 42nd street in New York in the 70's and 80's, where junkies would be in the audience sleeping, fights would break out, the projector would break down, reels would be missing.

 

[TravisR]

I don't want to speak for Barry but what struck me as Psycho was when Rosario Dawson turns around and sees Stuntman Mike watching her from his car (after he's already touched her feet and torn out of the parking lot). It seems similar to when the highway cop pulls up and watchs Marion buy another car in Psycho.

Like I said before, I don't know if it was deliberate on Tarantino's part but when I saw it, I immediately thought of Psycho.

 

[Corey3rd]

This is exactly why the film was a failure since they should have only had it playing at these non-Carmike multiplexes for a couple weeks before its wide release. They should have found a couple of these theaters and run it as a "complete experience." It'd be the reverse of when Disney has their exclusive at El Capitan (SP?) in Hollywood. Instead of hiring dancers for a musical number, they can hire people to act as the 42nd St regulars. Tarantino had his monthlong Grindhosue festival in LA - this should have been the big feature for the last two weeks. Live the dream and avoid sitting in the "damp" seats.

What is amazing is how many smaller DVD companies tried to cash in on the Grindhouse tag. It was a sensation that didn't take off. It's almost on par with Kong-mania. Although a lot of us did get excited when the original Kong finally came to DVD.

I will point out that seeing a film with junkies and men who attempt to make their own popcorn flavoring is completely overrated.

 

[John CW]

There's no way that grindhouse was about to "take off". It was only popular because Tarantino and Rodriguez were attached.

 

[Corey3rd]

Well it didn't turn out to be that popular with their names attatched. Tarantino's hideous acting in both films also probably kept those seats empty.

They spent $100 million to pay "tribute" to a genre that $100,000 was considered a major budget. It was bound to fail on so many levels. And now all the DVD nonsense has done even more to piss off all but the diehards who swear by the director's vision. Although after we see the film the first time - it's our memory.

 

[BarryS]

No, no... Stuntman Mike's car across the road as Rosario glimpses it echoes Marion trading in her car at the auto dealership with the cop watching from his parked car across the road. In the case of Psycho Marion is being watched by a cop who's suspicous of her and in Death Proof the girls are being watched by psycho Stuntman Mike.

What TravisR said, basically.

 

[Frank@N]

Is there any rational explanation why the 'power that be' decided to street the various parts of Grindhouse on video at different times?!?

As I understand it, Death Proof was the second feature and there were some in-movie tangents between the features.

Why not make both parts available at the same time?

Or at least street Terror Planet first so we could at least begin to approximate the theatrical experience.

Maybe Death Proof is the stronger film...?

 

[BarryS]

Thanks a ton for posting that, John. That was fascinating. I do hope there is a part three!

 

[TravisR]

I'd guess it's because they'll probably sell more copies by releasing them a month apart. Some people might not want drop $35 or $40 on DVDs at one time but will spend the same amount at two different times.

As for Death Proof coming first, they probably wanted Planet Terror to come out in October for Halloween and didn't want to put Death Proof out in November with all the summer movies hitting DVD.

 

[rich_d]

Alright, but seems pretty threadbare. A guy in a muscle car peeling away from across the street of a woman waiting on others in a convenience store reminds you of a cop leaning against his police car and just watching a woman he's already pulled over buy a used car.

Sounds like black and white films remind you of Psycho.

 

[TravisR]

One of the reasons why I think it may be a Psycho reference is because the story is similar. Both movies follow a character, surprisingly kill her off midway through and then continue on with all new characters (except the killer) for the rest of the movie. That's certainly not proof but it's part of what made me think of Psycho.

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

I dont think the question im about to ask has been asked before !ok , what is the running time of the grindhouse theatrical version of death proof versus the new extended dvd? Same question for the upcoming planet terror.Tried to find this online but no luck, only found the total running time for grindhouse which doesnt help.And to get back on topic , im still waiting for my dvd of death proof to arrive, I have seen the extended death proof theatrically here in Greece.I also thought the scene where the girls are talking in the restauraunt dragged on just a bit too long.I did however enjoy the black and white scene and lapdance missing scene.Planet Terror I havent seen yet , but will probably blind buy the region 1 dvd.

 

[rich_d]

The all new characters except the killer works for me.

 

[TravisR]

If I remember correctly, Grindhouse ran 189 minutes. I don't know the specific running time but ach movie ran very close to 90 minutes and then there was the four trailers and the end credit sequence.

Death Proof is about 20 minutes longer on DVD and I'd guess that Planet Terror will only be a few minutes longer on DVD.

 

[Don Solosan]

According to IMDB, 90 minutes for the Grindhouse version, 114 for the extended.

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

Thanks for the details guys. I guess I can assume, planet terror will have at least 20 minutes more than the grindhouse version.

 

[BrettGallman]

I got a Psycho vibe from Death Proof as well, particularly from Sherriff McGraw's speculation about Stuntman Mike being motivated by some misplaced sexual drive. It's totally reminiscent of the final scene in "Psycho" where the psychologist goes through that whole spiel about Norman's character; of course, Hitchcock goes on to refute that with the quick shot of the superimposed skull to show that Norman's just evil. Tarantino, however, confirms McGraw's speculation with all the sexual overtones of the second half. The extended scene outside of the convenience store helps this, but it was always there--it was just more subtle (I guess). For example, check out how Zoe Bell is spread eagle on the hood of the car (pretty obvious), and then check out the first shot of Stuntman Mike when he sees them through his binoculars before going after them: he's straddling that huge hood ornament. He then goes on to constantly ram the girls in the car, and that hood ornament stays as the focus of many shots. He basically gets off on the whole thing, and that's why he stops to let them go, I think. So, there you go--McGraw was right--Mike's nothing but a perverse maniac who gets his when he runs into the wrong set of girls. Indeed, the sexual roles are reversed (check out Kim's language during that last part), and Mike's pretty much emascualted at this point, which represents QT taking a shot at the whole "guys using their cars as compensation" thing.


I tell you, a Freudian would have a field day with this film.

 

[BarryS]

Black and white films that involve a killer stalking female victims, sure. Psycho is certainly one of my favorite movies. It has been ripped off repeatedly by many of the "pscyho killer" movies of the past 40 years. You don't have to look too hard to see traces of Hitchcock's film in many other movies. But just that one particular shot reminded of the cop watching Marion. It was black and white, shot from a similar camera angle...

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I probably will be in the minority here, in a big way, but I think that releasing these films on their own on dvd makes sense. They are two different films and I don't think there is any reason why they have to be viewed together. They are also very different films and so they can stand alone. The "Grindhouse" idea was meant just for the cinema, as stated many times by many people and I don't think (this should get me plenty of hate mail) they ever should release a "Grindhouse" dvd that presents the two films together. I think that would defeat the concept they came up with and would be selling out. If people scream loud enough to see the cinema version of Grindhouse then perhaps it will be released back into theatres.

I think the way they are releasing these makes perfect sense and continues the theme they began with. Now, I also think Planet Terror is unwatchable and I never want to see it again so I'm only interested in Death Proof on dvd. Just so everybody knows where I'm coming from. I think it is by far the better film and it's worth watching again and I'm glad that it is presented in this complete edition. The only thing I wish they did include on the dvd (and maybe they could have done this with both Planet Terror and Death Proof) is an option to play the trailers from the Grindhouse experience prior to the start of the film. That would have been all I'd be looking for in the way of "recreating" the feel of the cinema version of Grindhouse.

I like Tarantino because he worships at the altar of 70s filmmaking and really this film, like all his films, is just an extension of that. As far as Rodriguez goes other than Sin City, I dislike everything he has made and find his films a complete bore. I would have been happy if they only included the trailer for Thanksgiving which I found so funny I almost passed out laughing.