Grind House: Death Proof / Planet Terror

Amazon.com Loud, fast, and proudly out of control, Grindhouse is a tribute to the low-budget exploitation movies that lurked at drive-ins and inner city theaters in the '60s and early '70s. Writers/directors Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill) and Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) cooked up this three-hour double feature as a way to pay homage to these films, and the end result manages to evoke the down-and-dirty vibe of the original films for an audience that may be too young to remember them. Tarantino's Death Proof is the mellower of the two, relatively speaking; it's wordier (as to be expected) and rife with pulp/comic book posturing and eminently quotable dialogue. It also features a terrific lead performance by Kurt Russell as a homicidal stunt man whose weapon of choice is a souped-up car. Tarantino's affection for his own dialogue slows down the action at times, but he does provide showy roles for a host of likable actresses, including Rosario Dawson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rose McGowan, Sydney Poitier, and newcomer Zoe Bell, who was Uma Thurman's stunt double in Kill Bill. Detractors may decry the rampant violence and latch onto a sexist undertone in Tarantino's feature, but for those viewers who grew up watching these types of films in either theaters or on VHS, such elements will be probably be more of a virtue than a detrimental factor. Rodriguez's Planet Terror is a rollicking horror/sci-fi/action piece about a plague outbreak that turns citizens into cannibalistic murderers; it's heavy on the gore and explosions but also features a terrific cast of A players (Freddy Rodriguez, Naveen Andrews, Marley Shelton) and B-movie vets (Michael Biehn, Jeff Fahey, Tom Savini) and the indelible image of Rose McGowan as a stripper whose torn-off leg is replaced by a high-powered machine gun.- Paul Gaita Product Description Double feature The theatrical version of writer/director duo Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino's double-bill homage to exploitation films is presented here. First, Rodriguez's "Planet Terror" has fallout from a bio-weapon turning the townsfolk into zombies. It's then up to the gun-legged Rose McGowan and her pals to combat the chaos. Freddy Rodriguez, Bruce Willis, Marley Shelton, and Josh Brolin co-star. Next, Tarantino's "Death Proof" features psychotic driver Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell), who uses his souped-up movie car to stalk and kill young women. However, he just may get his comeuppance when he targets the wrong group of feisty gals, with their own fast ride. Rosario Dawson, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, and Zoe Bell co-star. The faux movie trailer souped-up movie car to stalk and kill young women. However, he just may get his comeuppance when he targets the wrong group of feisty gals, with their own fast ride. Rosario Dawson, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, and Zoe Bell co-star. The faux movie trailers for "Don't," "Werewolf Women of the SS," and "Thanksgiving" are also included. 191 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital 5.1; Subtitles: English; featurettes; deleted scenes; outtakes; storyboards; bonus footage; interviews; more. Two-disc set.