DVD Review Death Proof Extended DVD Review (1 Viewer)

[TravisR]

The Weinstein Company has an exclusive deal with Blockbuster where they are the only company to rent their movies out. I don't know if there's a way around that though (maybe if Netflix purchases the DVDs from a different distributor they can rent them out since they own the discs).

 

[Dave_P.]

From what I remember Weinstein DVD's are rental exclusive to Blockbuster.

 

[Jon Martin]

Netflix does carry the Weinstein titles, even though they do have that exclusive deal with Blockbuster. But, since they don't have any discounts, they don't get as many copies of each title as they do for other films. So, that is why it is they are harder to get.

I also had it at the top of my queue, and didn't get it today.

 

[Southpaw]

So what you are saying is that NF is renting it out but due to limited supply, it may take weeks or months to get it?

 

[TonyD]

any one other the BB has to purchase their copies retail if they want to rent them out.

 

[Jon Martin]

Yes.

Depending on the title.

THE EX, which they have a big banner in the window at my local Blockbuster stating it as a Blockbuster exclusive, I was able to get from Netflix the week it came out. Many others, that are more popular, may take longer.

Sort of like the early days of video stores, where you had to call the store right as it opened to be on the wait list for a new release that day. It sometimes took weeks or months to get it.

 

[Shane D]

any site with the word blog gets blocked here, could you tell us that section for the curious?

 

[Justin W]

i'm patiently awaiting part 2 of your Q&A write up. i'm interested to see the answers to the questions you raised in your little cliffhanger there.

 

[John CW]

You mean at your work or something? Sure, I can surmise it I think. Basically Rodriguez and Tarantino feel that Grindhouse is a thing in itself, separate from Death Proof and Planet Terror. They're very proud of Grindhouse and they don't want to see it sold off wholesale.

They want Grindhouse to continue having a life, even though it flopped, and they don't just want to sell of its parts. If they did that then basically Grindhouse would no longer hold any unique value and there would be no reason to watch it or for any cinemas to show it.

You have to remember that elsewhere in the world Grindhouse was pulled from cinema listings before it was even shown because of how badly it did in the US. For it to have *any* sort of a life it has to offer something unique to the audience otherwise distributors wouldn't want to sell it (in the cinema or, I imagine, on DVD). Plus I think that T & R would feel like they were just selling off their baby just because it did badly.

As Tarantino put it in a Q&A session I saw him at here in London: They received a letter from the distributors asking them to include the trailers in the cinema showings of Death Proof and Planet Terror (outside of the US, obviously). It was apparently a very polite letter that went something like this:

"We'd really like to to include the Grindhouse trailers for our audiences. We fully understand and support the "grindhouse" aesthetic of these films and we believe that putting two trailers on each of the films would enhance this "grindhouse" feeling for the audience. Also, we know that a lot of people want to see the trailers, so we feel it would be giving the audience what they want..." etc etc

Apparently Rodriguez's reply was very simple:

"If you're so keen to give the audience the grindhouse experience, and understand and fully support the grindhouse experience, and want to give them what they want... THEN FUCKING RELEASE GRINDHOUSE!"

Believe me, outside of the US, that's all Tarantino and Rodriguez fans have been chanting. I think that we'll get it now, thankfully, thanks to the fact that it's something unique. But we won't get it until both films have been released separately. Ah well.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Just finished watching the extended edition of Grindhouse.

I have a love/hate relationship with this film that doesn't get much
better with the scenes that were added.

On the one hand, we have the lapdance scene restored with
all its ass-shaking glory. It is well worth the price of this DVD.

On the other hand, the restored scenes are more dialogue-laden
material that just slows down this film even more.

Don't get me wrong --- I love Grindhouse for the moments
it really jumps into high gear. I am also a fan of Tarantino's witful
dialogue, particularly the exchanges that take place in the roadside
bar. The scene where Jungle Julia and her actress girlfriend act out
the radio lapdance offer is one of my favorite moments. What I don't
particularly care about this film is the fact that Tarantino overwhelms
us with dialogue to the point that it can be a struggle to watch this film
more than once. A perfect example is the never-ending cafe exchange
between the second set of girls during the final hour.

The first hour of Grindhouse is classic Tarantino. I could
have done without the second half of the film as it just drags for
minutes on end until the film revs up for one final time.

PS: There's an added scene in the second hour that has a "moment"
that I found quite enjoyable. It takes place at a Kwiki Mart and concerns
a cellphone ringtone that harkens back to "Kill Bill."

 

[TravisR]

Also in that scene, there's a TV Guide on the counter that is a nod to Taranitno's CSI episode.

EDIT: And am I the only one who thinks Tarantino's foot fetish is starting to get the better of him?

 

[TonyD]

on it's own isnt this movie called death proof.
together both movies are the grindhouse feature?

and am i the only one who did not think this lap dance was sexy even a little bit.

maybe if she was wearing something that was at least a little bit flattering.

the shorts did nothing for her thighs and the belly shirt was not a good idea for a woman with a belly that hangs right over the shorts and covers the top of her shorts.

the beginning of the movie was neat with the psychodelic feature presentation and the lion opening.
the scratched print missing reel and jumping frames was nostlgic for about a half hour but after the gimic wears off i had enough.

why was the second half of the movie or third act missing the scratch effects and frame jumpi ng effects, etc.

i love the theory of this and the effort QT made here but i just dont think it works as a movie.
as a novelty item it is cool and brings back memories but thats it.

the end was just dumb.

spoilers possible here.
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was i supposed to cheer/pump my fist for these woman, after they kicked the crap outta that guy and literally bashed his face in?
or ....what..
i dont know i just didnt get it.
doesnt work for me.

 

[TravisR]

They wanted to simulate how the reels could be radically different when you'd see movies like this. So one reel would be beat to hell but another would be from a different print and be in much better shape. I've seen a few revival screenings where that would happen.

 

[TonyD]

yeah, but the entire last hour or so was a perfect print.
as if they just decided, ok, thats enough of the fake scratched up print stuff.

 

[AaronMan]

You just didn't get it.

 

[JayDerek]

seconded.

 

[TonyD]

yes i did.

i just didnt like it.

didnt get it isnt a legitmate response when i dont agree with your thoughts on the movie.

i watched movies like these when i was a kid.
at the "dollar" theater.

before there was a dollar theater i saw movies like this on saturdays for 25 cents.

what does "didnt get it" mean anyway.
i saw the movie i know what QT was attempting, i told why i dont think it worked.
whats to get.

 

[Justin W]

John, you said in your review a line of dialogue was excised and another one used a different take. i didn't catch either of these. just out of curiousity what were they?

 

[Paul D G]

The trailer for Thanksgiving is online:
http://media.movies.ign.com/media/74...62/vids_1.html

-paul

 

[Paul D G]

...you said yourself that you "just didn't get it." A couple other simply agreed.

-paul