Customer Reviews

Grindhouse Presents, Death Proof - Extended and Unrated (Two-Disc Special Edition)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Quentin Tarantino's homage to 70's exploitation films is not as good as
the other half of the Grindhouse feature,Planet Terror.this one has
some really great 70's music and some good dialogue,although some of it
seems contrived,and i just didn't think it was as clever as Planet
Terror.it takes awhile too get going,and once it does get going,it's
not bad,though not as exciting as it should have been.there's an
ensemble cast here,and all are good.Kurt Russel is perfectly cast as
Stuntman Mike,an insane driving terror,who happens to terrorize the
wrong women and gets a taste of his own medicine.there's a lot of very
frequent oars language here and a bit of gore.unfortunately,this movie
just isn't as fun as i hoped.not horrible,just not great.for me,Death
Proof is a 3/5

This DVD rocks!
Granted, a film like this won't be to everyone's taste (nor should it be). "Death Proof - Extended and Unrated" is long and talky, but if you're game enough to stick with it you'll be rewarded with some witty banter, some steamy scenes, and some of the best smash-up car chases in years. All this and a groovy soundtrack, too.
The extras -- mainly concerning the background, editing and casting of the film -- are not wildly extensive. However, they more than adequately convey the filmmakers' excitement and enthusiasm for what they felt would be a return to the freewheeling days of exploitation cinema: when small time studios tossed aside mainstream cinematic conventions and threw in everything but the kitchen sink to deliver some cheap thrills and make a fast buck.
That the theatrical double-feature bombed at the box office is both a crime and a shame. While it would be nice to have the whole enchilada in one convenient package, at least this project saw the light of day which is a far better fate than most such endeavours would likely receive in this age of empty-headed, watered-down, inspirationless CGI-fests. Whatever has been taken out or added to this release since then (and whatever double-dips may lie on the horizon), I'd rather have it piecemeal than not at all.
Don't deny yourselves, folks; buy this DVD. Bundle it up in a homemade double feature with "Planet Terror" (or any exploitation flick of your choice), invite a few friends over and have a rollicking good time.

This is a much better movie than it gets credit for. Sure, it's not as much fun as Planet Terror and is admittedly heavy on dialogue that isn't always exactly interesting, but it's still a very well made movie, which is perhaps (and understandably) what people weren't looking for in their Grindhouse experience. The first half is very entertaining and feels like a particularly well made horror flick from the late 70's. The second half is what people generally seem to have problems with, and I agree that it isn't as interesting as the first half and goes too far with the long girly dialogue. But it has its own merits, such as a fantastic car chase, great cinematography in Tarantino's native Tennessee, and a more-than-satisfying ending. As a whole, Death Proof has a great soundtrack of lesser-known songs that should be more-known, and Kurt Russel is absolutely perfect in his role, perhaps even brilliant.

This flick was pretty good. Quentin Tarantino could of written this story behind a paper coaster if he wanted to. This story of a stuntman and his fetish for auto-erotica seem just that, split as it is into two separate but corresponding stories. The first half sees four girls getting drunk and dirty at a filthy old bar in town, where they meet the sinister Stuntman Mike (Russell). The latter half sees Mike in pursuit of four new female targets, consisting of Abbie (Dawson), Lee (Mary-Elizabeth Winstead), Kim (Tracey Thoms) and stunt girl Zoe (Bell, playing herself). In both stories, Mike uses his "death proof" car to hunt the girls down and get his rocks off.

The scratched film certainly looks the part of a B Film, while audio is badly synched, scenes are spliced together in a slapdash fashion and the camera work is shaky. It's a charming and well-meaning idea, but this amateur effect only applies to the first half of the movie. The second half, shot in glorious Technicolor (except for a Kill Bill-esque slip into black and white), is immaculately shot and acted, Tarantino circling the camera around his girls in a seven minute uninterrupted take like a consummate pro. So is this a grind house movie or not? Intentional inconsistency is no excuse.

Despite his aping of B-movie directors like Roger Corman, "Death Proof" is still very much a Quentin Tarantino film; characters spend what seems like an eternity discussing moot points in that inimitable pop culture patter of his; people and themes pop up from Tarantino adventures been and gone; the requisite lingering foot shot makes an early appearance. Only Russell, in full-on Insano mode, leaves a lasting impression as Stuntman Mike, stealing the entire movie from under the noses of his eight female co-stars, none of whom particularly argue their case well.

If you can forgive its flaws (both intentional and unintentional) and just go along for the ride, then "Death Proof" is tremendous fun once it kicks into gear. It seems like it takes forever to introduce Stuntman Mike but once Russell moseys into frame, it's game on. The crash in the first half easily ranks as one of Tarantino's most impressive set-pieces (so good you'll be glad it's replayed four times) and the stunt work from Bell in the second half is genuinely gripping: it'll have you digging your thumbs into your armrests. However, if you're looking for something a little meatier than what's essentially a drive-in movie, then this isn't it. As part of something bigger, a more grandiose statement, it absolutely works. Without the context of Grindhouse, however, "Death Proof" comes across as little more than an exercise in vanity on behalf of the director, destined to be of interest only to die-hard fans who remember the kind of movies being parodied in the first place. Bring on "Planet Terror" to me baby!

First, I'm a big fan of Tarantino, I love everything that come from him. This is a great movie ! I love Kurt Russell in the role of stuntman Mike. I don't remember seeing him in a bad guy role. O.K., some dialogue are a bit long put they are useful. If you heard that it's kind of stupid, it's got to be, FLASH INFO: IT'S A HOMMAGE TO LOW-BUDGET FLICK FROM THE '70s !!! If you're a fan of Tarantino, ygo for it, If you love car, go for it, if you love slasher film, go for it. The slasher genre are being destroyed cause to numberous Friday the 13th-like movie, DEATH PROOF is innovative in that way.

Starting with the extras which are nothing to write home about really but director Quentin Taratino gushes over his longtime editor Sally Menke. Somebody needs to tell Tarantino it's in the editing where his movies fail (and as good as Kill Bill was, it is the prime example of something in dire need of editing).

This is the entire problem with Death Proof. Visually it looks great. The music and dialogue (although these scenes go on far too long especially the ones of the women in their cars) are first-rate. Kurt Russell channels a deliciously evil version of Snake Plisken. The "chicks" in the flick are all first-rate although I did not really get the fully clothed lap dance which was less than sizzling and seemed like just stuck in there for no reason.

The movie seems to end after an hour then (SPOILER ALERT) we basically get the exact same movie scenario playing out again. Yes, it plays out with a different ending but what was the point of running pretty much the exact same plotline (Russell stalks women, tries to run down said women with his car, action ensues).

Basically, Tarantino has made a stylistic B movie but a B movie nonetheless that runs about 30 minutes too long.

The movie started very intriguing like and the first half of this movie was a GREAT RIDE.Unfortunately the last half of this movie(even though the car chase was,IS AMAZING)does not live up to the so-called hype.

I understand that this is a throw back of sorts to the good ol' days of "B" movies,Drive-In "Double Features" but still i was very unsatisfied by the ending.

I found it ended too quickly.And to be completely honest,i found Kurt Russell's character much more interesting and wanted to see more of him.Infact,i found myself rooting for him to outlive the gals in the second half,much like he did in the first.

Am i a big fan of "Bad Guys" in film?No,not really.But i am a fan of ANY CHARACTER that is MUCH MORE INTERESTING then the others.

Those that LOVE the "Q" are gonna dig on this.It's not a bad movie.But the end did not live up to the beginning(imo).

I do(as another reviewer pointed out here)want to see what good ole' Quinton cooks up next.

Some parts of this movie drag on and on like long conversations between the girls, but when the action actually happens it's great fun!! If you want, forward the long boring conversations and just watch the car scenes and you won't miss a thing.

I am a big fan of Tarantino's, but I am sorry to say that this film was a let-down for me. I found that this movie was too long. It lacked in the plot department, most of the movie focuses on a group of young women talking about things that do little to move the story forward. I did find some of the dialogue mildly entertaining, and that is probably what kept me watching the film. I am now looking forward to Tarantino's next project.

Death Proof is yet another refined pastiche by Tarantino. This film manages to take bite sized moments from some of the greatest car, tuff chick and slasher flicks to create a hip, new and criticaly aware film. Like many of his prior works, Death Proof may come across flat to those who are not filmically well versed, but part of enjoying his films is looking into his inspirations. Give it a chance and you'll really love it.