GRINDHOUSE DVDs (Death Proof & Planet Terror) any decent pics online from Comic-Con? (1 Viewer)

[42nd Street Freak]

GREAT points by JeffMC.

Of course it's not 'the same'. But watching "300" on a DVD is not 'the same'.
Watching any cinema film on DVD (even if you have got a 60" screen) is not 'the same'.
Now we've agreed things are not 'the same' we can look at what is entertaining!

And I am guessing none of you who think this have never watched a double bill set-up DVD. They are in fact GREAT FUN.
And as Jeff said they're are a lot of releases now doing this...Give it a go and then see if you change your mind.

Hell, Just look at the pre-"Grindhouse" DVD releases of the 'Warner Bros' Gangster films.
You can watch the film on its own or as part as a 'night out at the movies' program...YES we know you are not at the movies and it won't be 'the same' but lets work not with impossibilities and work with what can happen with what we have got....and sure enough they are LOTS OF FUN!
You have the newsreel, trailers, a cartoon short of the same year the film was first released and then the film.
It's (that word again) FUN.

And yes, this was designed as a 'concept'...a concept can still be replicated as best as it can on a different medium. And the concept is still a good one.
Proof of pudding is in the eating.
My Dad is a bit of an Americana freak (he used to won a red/white open- topped Buick ad went to what must be the UK's only Drive-In) and I showed him the aforementoned "The Glove/"Search & Destroy" Drive-In DVD...and he thought is was great!
So there you go.

It may not be the same...but it can still work and entertain.

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

Now, with less than a month before death proof dvd , amazon and dvd empire dont even have a preorder.

 

[BarryS]

I'm not saying the theatrical "Grindhouse" shouldn't be released. I just think it makes perfect sense to release them seperately as well. Especially considering the low box office returns.

I saw the film three times in the theater and almost went back for a fourth. It was one (or three, rather) of the best theatrical movie experiences of my life. I feel that the Grindhouse double feature is best suited to the movie theater. Ideally, I think it would be best to not release it on DVD at all and just rerelease it theatrically every so often just like in the old days. Once a year, every other year or so. But that would never happen, of course.

When it comes to the two films themselves. Viewing at home, I will most likely be more inclined to view one or the other. Since Death Proof was my favorite of the two, I have no problems purchasing it separately. But being a huge Tarantino/Rodriguez fan I will probably buy the theatrical version too if and when it's released. Together, separate... I don't care. I'll take Grindhouse however I can get it.

 

[Jonathon M]

Well, personally, I didn't get to see these at the cinema (because the Australian release date was scuttled), and I'm not sure I will go see Death Proof at the cinema come November, because I'll have owned for the DVD for around 2 months by the time it opens over here.

That being said, the fact that the only copy of the film available (for now, and, since nothing has been mentioned or announced by TWC yet), is a telesync bootleg, it leaves me certain that I made the right choice watching the project, as originally intended, albeit on a bootleg in my living room. But hey, that's certainly the distributor's fault, and not mine. If distributors are going to not only scuttle Grindhouse's release, but then have the gall to release Death Proof (in it's "solo" form) nearly two months after the US release on DVD, then I'm going to do what I damn well feel in this global community.

And I have to say, I'm digging the extended Death Proof. For some reason (I can't quite put my finger on it), i just dig it. It's too long, the concept of a car-slasher is definitely overrun by the girls' scenes prior to each car sequence, but damn, it's fun.

 

[Drew Reiber]

I'm so psyched about seeing the full cut of Planet Terror that I can't stand it. I loved the film so much so that I must have paid for Grindhouse 5 more times just to sit for Terror and the trailers before leaving (don't ask, it's pointless). I bought the Grindhouse book to find that not only did the Planet Terror script include many deleted scenes *and* the alternate scenes shot with Rodriguez's son, but there were many photos and pre-viz stills of these bits.

My only gripe was that the script in the book stated that the "missing reel" was written that way, even though some cast members and crew hinted it might exist. If the solicitations are indeed accurate and that middle sequence has been restored, then Terror has a great chance to survive on it's own outside the Grindhouse context. If that footage is not included, the reel gag is just going to drag the film down. I must admit, the 3rd time I saw the film it just wasn't as funny anymore and I found myself desiring to just see the real thing.

Anyway, I don't know how many others noticed, but the deleted material was pretty substantial for 14 or so minutes. There's an entire action scene with El Ray and the mini-bike inside the military base's docking bay, Cherry fighting soldiers there, a more subtle introduction for the Blocks as the gas spreads, more between El Ray and Cherry, more exposition explaining the bioweapon, more of a buildup to the attacks, more J.T., and especially more scenes at the Police Station - setting up Ray's phone call, his conflict with Hague, and the introduction of the deputies and Earl McGraw. And I'm not even covering the alternate scenes with the Block's son, the missing reel (whatever that turns out to be) or the stuff that's going to be restored or no longer blacked out to qualify for the R rating.

See what I mean? I am crazy excited to see this movie again, especially if the full cut improves the movie overall.

 

[Bonedwarf]

Exactly. It's BETTER. No idiots hooting and hollering. No overpriced concessions. No 20 minutes of commercials before you see the movie you just paid for. No overamplified sound making you plug your ears. No uncomfortable seats designed for the average person who ceased to exist 20 years ago.

I am still at a complete loss when people think the big screen experience is so much better. Perhaps your theatres are infinitely better than any of the ones I can get too.

Proper "Grindhouse" release with trailers etc... And that's it for me. I have no interest in owning the movies separately. I want the spoof ads, the trailers etc... The whole atmosphere evoked by the proper theatrical release.

Edgar Wright has apparently let it slip that the Weinstein's plan to release it down the line. That's why "Don't" and all the other trailers weren't included on the upcoming releases. (In fact Edgar even said it'd be a "directors cut" of the trailer, as Simon Pegg's brief cameo in "Don't" was cut for the theatrical release of "Grindhouse".)

As for the new cut of "Death Proof", as I read someone saying earlier today... "Yes, because another 20 minutes of talking is exactly what that movie needs...."

 

[Drew Reiber]

So long as you acknowledge that the extended versions and Grindhouse edition will run completely different cuts of the movie. There's no way with the failure of this franchise that they'll release the 2-disc editions along with the set that reconstructs the theatrical experience, it would be too costly and the LOTR-style seperate release makes more sense. And yeah, I do pity you for missing it in theaters. A sold out crowd reacting to something as unique and exciting as Grindhouse? I'll remember that forever.

 

[Mike*Sch]

I've said this on numerous occasions, but the brilliance of DEATH PROOF is in its pace. That movie needs to be drawn out as long as humanly possible in order to make the ending work as well as it does. With the two films together, the audience has a certain amount of fatigue going into DEATH PROOF, having just sat through PLANET TERROR. But by itself, the pace needs to be slower.

In addition to this, there are a number of external factors which have warped people's perceptions of what type of movie DEATH PROOF actually is. Surely, it's no more talky than any other Tarantino movie. With PLANET TERROR and the Grindhouse gimmick gone, DEATH PROOF will play much better.

 

[JonZ]

I may pick up Deathproof.

The DVD release for this is just plain retarded.

Released seperately a month apart, no trailers. The Dont and Thanksgicing traielrs were great.

 

[BarryS]

But this is Grindhouse we're talking about. Comfy seats and air conditioning kind of goes against the whole grindhouse idea. It should be a seedy theater where the floor is covered with blood and other bodily fluids, there's no AC, the seats are excruciating to sit in, and you run the risk of being murdered at any second. Of course, it's not 1977 anymore. Those places are now called dollar theaters.

 

[JayDerek]

I received my copy today (non-steel book edition). $5.00 coupon came with it - basically you buy Planet Terror next month and then send in this coupon and the receipt for PT and you'll get $5 back. Pretty cool of them to do i think...

No 'fake' trailers attached here sadly.

some initial thoughts on the director's cut...

- the movie starts w/ the 'feature presentation' bit and then goes to the 'cougar rating' cartoon, then right to the movie. I'm glad they at least included these...

- i dig the 'texture' of the film grain used in the first half of the movie. I still find it odd that it was abandoned for the second half of the flick. But on DVD it just seems more pronounced...love it!

- really really dig the added lapdance scene. very sexy w/o being explicit.

- seems to be more dialogue given to Jordan's Ladd character...

- woah! LOL did I just hear the "Wilhelm scream" during the car crash (in the first half)?? I can't remember if it was in the theatrical cut or not, but it's definitely here...this is going to drive people nuts.

- LOVE the added time given to the second group of girls...finally the 'Lee' character (Mary E Wanstead) is given more to do and say.

- yes!! we get a title card stating '14 months later' before the 2nd group of girls are introduced...this should nip the asinine "2nd half came first" theories...

- Great flick! I think people watching this on its own w/ this cut may change their minds about it (if they disliked it w/ Planet Terror)

- picture quality seems great (for what it is) and sound quality seems top notch for the 5.1 mix.

that's all for now...there seems to be a decent amount of supplemental stuff (and it's not all 5 minute EPK garbage) that i need to dig into. More later if I can...

Anything specifically you guys want me to check out?

 

[Matthew Marino]

Yes, Jordan Ladd does have more dialog in the opening car ride. Specifically, the parts about her dad and the beach house and where she calls out Julia on her cursing.

I also think the Wilhelm scream was added since I don't recall it in the theater and it really sticks out like a sore thumb now. I actually wish it wasn't there since it's so out of place (really doesn't seem like Mike yelling).

 

[JayDerek]

some menu/movie grabs...

 

[scarabus]

Thanks Jay!

How are the suppliments?

 

[scarabus]

Fangoria has a DVD review up...

http://www.fangoria.com/ghastly_review.php

 

[JayDerek]

You're welcome!

The supplements are better than I had hoped. The review you linked to describes them well, so I won't repeat that.

That review is pretty spot on but irks me that somehow even WITH the new title card stating '14 Months Later' people are still forging theories of the 2nd half happening first. Unbelievable...

 

[Elphaba]

I'm very disappointed that this isn't the theatrical cut. Extended editions are wonderful for those who like that sort of thing, but there's just no good excuse for not releasing a copy of the theatrical cut. I'm somewhat of a purist--I want to try to get as close to the theatrical experience as I can get in my home theater.

And it always seemed obvious to me that the two halves of the movie happen in standard sequential order. It doesn't work thematically if the second half happened first. That Stuntman Mike survives the first encounter, recovers, and doesn't have any legal sanctions against him is what sets up the later confrontation--we've been shown that the law is ineffective at dealing with him, thus providing thematic justification for the vigilantism of the women in the second confrontation.

Reversing the order undermines the revenge theme.

I also don't want a clean version or to see either of the "missing reels" added back in. It's obvious that the movies were written around the idea of these sections of the films not appearing; adding them back in alters an important element that was intended as a feature of the movies as they appeared.

I saw Grindhouse twice in the theater, and loved it both times. I'll be holding out for a proper release of the theatrical version.

 

[TravisR]

If I remember correctly, didn't they say at Comic Con that there was supposed to be limited edition packaging as a store exclusive? Anyone hear any more about that?

The missing reel for Death Proof was in the script, shot and is intended to be seen when watching Death Proof (as opposed to watching it as part of Grindhouse).

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

In the ign review, they fail to mention that 1 of the extras is jump to the scenes with the diffrent songs.

 

[Drew Reiber]

Anybody hear anything about the Planet Terror discs yet?